2 comments about The World's Greatest Gambling Scams.

1. I'd give this book 5 stars, except for some typos in the book. Marcus spins the stories of gambling scams down through the years,making them interesting. I'm sure there are some embellisments to some of the dialog in the stories, but the scams themselves actually happened.



2. It's obvious that most of the dialog in this book was re-created. That doesn't bother me. What bothered me most was the chapter on the Keno scam. It's quite clear that the cheating was done by knowing how the RNG (Random Number Generator) worked, but the author insists on having the drawing done with actual Keno balls.
   
   If he made *that* up (or just didn't understand it), how much else in this book was fake?

1 comments about Affirmed and Alydar (Thoroughbred Legends (Unnumbered)).

1. An excellent recap of the greatest rivalry in horse racing. It tells the story of all their races, not just the well known story of the Triple Crown. Well written and balanced in its conclusions. Should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the history of the sport. A worthy addition to the Thoroughbred Legends series.

2 comments about Powerful Profits From Keno.

1. 
   People who know where the big money is play Keno. In this book you will learn all the secrets of the great bets that win thousands, and tens of thousands of dollars -- and even millions -- while paying for themselves along the way.
   
   Known in casino jargon as Big Board Keno, this is a game that's almost like a lottery -- except that you have many more options and choices than with any lottery. If you have ever played any Lottery, then you know how you can win big for little cost. But Lotteries are hard to win, and the betting options are none. In a Lottery, all you can do is mark your numbers and that's it. Then you have to wait several days to see if you won.
   
   In Keno, you can wager in a variety of ways, and that's the operative word -- "Ways." You see, smart players who know how to exploit this game for big money, know that to play the game well you must learn how to play "way tickets." And not just any such ticket -- specific tickets marked in very special ways that no casino will ever tell you about, and no one except the regular players know about. Until now, that is, because now you have this great book to show you how.
   
   There are sample tickets in this book, and actual pictures of what these tickets are and how they win, and why, and how little they cost. There are playing instructions and strategy principles that most people don't even know are possible for this game. Keno has had a bad rap among casino players and writers for a long time. But it is a serious game, and one where huge wins are possible. And the best thing is -- you don't have to wait a week to see if you won a Lottery. Each game is played about every 5-10 minutes, and if you know what you learn in this book, you will be able to play for very little, last a long time, and play tickets that pay for themselves along the way.
   
   Also included is a chapter on Nevada Numbers, which is a progressive jackpot throughout Nevada casinos, and is similar to a lottery. This is a 5-number game, and the jackpot starts at $5 million!
   
   The second half of this terrific book is about Video Keno. Most people don't know just how good Video Keno is as a playing option. It is a game that may look odd, but the jackpots are enormous, and playing is easy. Here in this book the Author shows you the actual pictures of the machines and their game screens, shows you what they pay and how and why, and tells you how to make the most from your playing dollar. He also shows you why Video Keno is a better game than many others, and how it can be exploited not only for great casino fun, but also for large wins.
   
   It is a great book, with great stories, loads of very important information, and something that has long been overdue. The "secrets" of successful Keno game, previously used by old-time players and professionals, are now available for everyone. And yes, most important, Royer also shows you how and why some of the current "myths" about Keno and Video Keno are wrong, and why.
   
   Finally, there are charts that show paybacks, and also a listing of which casinos have the best games. With what you learn here, you too will enjoy Keno, and just one small win will pay for this book many times over. It's worth the read, for sure!



2. Just returned from a trip to Las Vegas after reading this book. I love video Keno. This book increased my profits tremendously!! I used the techniques and suggestions contained in it, and boom, I started winning!
   I've read other Keno books, but nothing gave me any concrete suggestions.
   This one did! I highly recommend it!!
   
   Also, I finally learned to do Way Keno in the Keno Lounges in Vegas. That always has been a mystery to me. This books explains it easily and simply.

5 comments about No Limit: The Texas Hold'Em Guide to Winning in Business.

1. Everyone wants to be a winner but not all possess and nurture the skills necessary to win. This book is not about a one time, quick fix for success or the bluff that gets you the promotion or project you've had your eye on. It is about applying the skills addressed by Donald Krause and Jeff Carter to your everyday life in order to know yourself, know and understand the players in the game you play and increase your odds. It is about striving to be the winner, cultivating the attributes of greatness from within, and learning from failure-yours and those of others- to not just win the big pot but all those little ones that make us get up everyday and pursue our aspirations.



2. Once you pick up No Limit and start turning the pages, it will not be easy to put down. This book is extremely easy to read and more importantly, apply. Krause and Carter's clever use of acronyms and overall structure make the content very easy to pick up and maintain. After reading this book, I've been able to increase my level of performance at work through applying the No Limit strategies.
   
   Poker, business, and life require a strategic decision making approach that positions you for the best possible chance for success. This book will help you enhance, transport and modify your Friday night poker methodology into your professional & personal relationships creating a competitive advantage over your competitors.



3. It was a good read. Very clever of you guys to center it around the national phenomenon of poker playing. I happen to be the worst poker player ever to attempt the game - I used to be pretty good at bridge tho' - but my son plays, my nephews play, my brother-in-law plays, etc. Even in JAX there are several thriving poker rooms with more opening all the time. I can see why college professors would refer to and use the book since a large portion of their audience probably plays poker.
   
   The book was easy to read and kept my attention. I like the use of acronyms to help with retention. I guess that's why we use them so much in our field. I also enjoyed the off-hand buried references from the OZ books. I guess the chapters on The Land of Oz and Getting to Know You were two of my favorites - probably because I do a lot of that intuitively. I think I am a mutated Wizard. I truly lack the "keen desire to dominate and wield power" (more about that later), but a lot of the rest of it sounds like me.
   
   I am not sure if these next paragraphs have more to do with my X chromosome, my ENFP Myers-Briggs, or my somewhat limited spiritual gifts of mercy, service and encouragement; but this wouldn't be an honest and complete review without this part.
   
   I am not personally motivated by winning. I think this is probably an X chromosome thing, but please never quote me by name on that - I'll get drummed out of my gender. What motivates me is service and gratitude. What keeps me going is believing that I have made a difference. If someone actually thanks me - that's the gravy. That's one reason why I loved working for you so much - you were always so good about thanking. The reason I blame it on the X is that my son, who is also ENFP, cares deeply about winning. He is in law school now, and even though he has a highly defined sense of justice, etc., at the core of it he just wants to WIN. He loves to compete in his areas of highest confidence, like moot court and trial team competitions. I really believe that a high percentage of women in the work force are motivated more like me than they are by WINNING. They probably would never admit it though. The ones who try hard to compete and make winning central tend to be the least happy and the most bitter. I think we take losing more personally than the Y crowd. We internalize it (I'm a bad person) and it makes us miserable. I think the book was important for me to read because, even though I'm not energized by the winning thing, I need to understand the people around me. I have always worked and I will be working for some time still. I need to understand other people's motivation and behavior in order to survive.
   
   On the ENFP front, I am not big on planning and life-time commitments (the P) and I lead with my gut A LOT (the F). Parts of the book made me tired and a little depressed because they depend on characteristics I don't possess. I guess I could do it (like anything else) if I were willing to pay the price, but I'm not. The good news is that the book affirms that my highly developed intuition (the N) will probably keep me in the game even if I don't win much which I don't really care about anyway. I learned some things I can keep though - things where the value of the hand comes up positive for me - and I'm going to work on those.
   
   On the "mercy and encouragement" side, the parts about manipulation, subterfuge, intentional disruption - that all creeps me out. Setting somebody up to fail is not something I would consciously do, even though I probably have done subconsciously. My least favorite parts were the ones about exploiting character flaws and the D-I-S-C-A-R-D. That said, I am a realist and I do believe in the doctrine of Total Depravity, so I have rather low expectations of the human race (including me). It is important for me to be reminded that there are people out there who would do me harm in order to advance and it's good to study exactly how they might do it. I do like to be safe and understanding where the threats are and what I need to do to parry the blows is great information.
   
   Summary: Good read - clever, smart, entertaining, thorough. Imparts a lot of information in relatively few pages. Is designed for take-away action. I recommend it for everyone who has to interact with other humans (grin). Even if you wouldn't plan to use the offensive strategies and tactics, the defensive possibilities are invaluable. I plan to order it for my son. He grew up in an X household and I think it will feed his Y soul.



4. As a poker player and a businessman I have for years realized the close correlation between the skills needed to succeed in both arenas. Krause and Carter do an outstanding and insightful job of making these correlations quite clear for the reader and their use of keywords to assist the reader in digesting and recalling these skills is very useful.
   
   This book touches on a number of topics that are considered by some to be taboo in business today. I would like to thank them for being so open and blunt about these topics. Even if one's character does not allow them to use all of these tactics in pursuing their successes at least they should be informed enough to recognize when some of the more questionable tactics are being employed against them.
   
   Success in business and poker require an understanding of the game, an ability to react quickly to uncertain situations, and be prepared to take calculated risks knowing when the reward justifies such risk taking. The authors do an outstanding job at pointing out to the reader how to recognize these opportunities, determine the risk/reward payoff, and identify which tactics and strategies can be employed to achieve optimum results.
   
   Krause and Carter have successfully defined the game in business today and given readers the foundation for success. All that is needed is the strength of heart to understand yourself, your opponents, and which tactic suits you for the attainment of your goals. This book is not about a quick fix or even a big one time score it is about making the changes that can positively impact you over the long haul. Just like poker, success is not measured by your performance on a particular night or during a specific tournament, it is measured by your long running results from the time you began playing the game until you ultimately stop.
   
   Read this book, apply what suits your own character and player type, then go out there and get in the game with confidence in knowing that you are equipped with the tools of success!!



5. Hundreds of people play 'no limit' poker, but few realize its strategies can be used to get ahead in business and life. NO LIMIT explores connections between poker and business, showing how Texas Hold 'em, the most popular version of the game, holds many keys to business success. Any game players who know Texas Hold 'em well and are interested in business concepts, as well as business libraries, will find here a fine opportunity for success and strategic planning.

4 comments about Fast Company: How Six Master Gamblers Defy the Odds - and Always Win.

1. Not really a travel book, like the rest of the Vintage Departures line, but an examination of another culture just the same. Bradshaw profiles six men with something in common--they are all hustlers, that is, gamblers who make a living by their wits. The range here is great, including the tennis player Bobby Riggs and backgammon great Tim Holland, as well as more "traditional" gamblers Minnesota Fats (pool), Pug Pearson and Johnny Moss (poker), and Titantic Thompson (proposition). But these were just what these men were best at--they all exceeded at almost every game they undertook, golf being an extremely common one for each. Bradshaw was a gifted writer. His style makes this book difficult to place down; the subject makes it nigh impossible.



2. This book helped me incredibly understand the odds and help beat the casino at their games. I recommend it.



3. This forgotten book deserves attention. Critics have always loved it, but the unfortunate title ("Fast Company: How Six Master Gamblers Defy the Odds--And Always Win") confused the reading public. It never sold well. It is NOT a collection of get-rich-quick drivel. It's a group of incredibly poignant, expertly delivered portraits of some of the most colorful professional hustlers of the 20th Century.
   
   At once informative, funny, and deeply moving, Fast Company is one of two favorite books on my extensive shelf of gambling titles. If you're at all curious about the subject, you must buy it.



4. I'm sitting here and recalling some of my favorites of the nearly hundred poker/gambling books I bought between 1999 and 2002 while learning the ropes. Looking through my collection I find not one but three copies of Fast Company. The memories come flooding back!
   I have three copies because back then it was out of print and I bought every used copy I could find online, just to be sure I always have a copy. It is that good.
   Bradshaw was a truly gifted essayist and observer and was never out to sell the gamblers here as heroes. What he did instead was get inside their heads like a master poker player, and then show us what made them tick. Add to that their own reminiscences of many of the other greats and you get one of the most in-depth of all books on gamblers and their passion. (Those who judge gamblers as somehow unholy might learn a thing or three from this book, and might consider that our entire global economy is run by Wall Street gamblers who have recently made some of the worst wagers in history...though when you keep your billions in profits but your debts are picked up by the taxpayer, it's always a good bet!)
   The extra stroke of genius of Fast Company is that Bradshaw was able to meet and chronicle the lives of some of America's greatest gamblers (and what country is more based on gambling?) before they died, and before most in the mainstream realized how special they really were. Each of the six portraits is a masterpiece.
   It's hard to pick a favorite as each article is so fine, but the pieces on Johnny Moss and Titanic Thompson are truly legendary, as were their subjects. I won't go into detail other than to say that I just reread the last paragraph and got a chill up my spine remembering what I felt when I first read this book. I learned a lot about poker and life from Fast Company, lessons that have served me well and made me money ever since. Never underestimate the power of a great book!
   No hyperbole could match how far beyond other gambling writers Bradshaw was/is. He understood how complex and incredibly sharp and funny and wise and foolish these men were, because he was in their league. He doesn't lionize them nor does he demean them. He shows full respect for their incredible lives and exploits (and is willing to slyly point up their hubris, as with Fats) and by the time you've read about these six gamblers (three of the greatest poker players included, Moss being perhaps the finest of all time) you have a true feel for what being a real road gambler back in the day meant.
   There's also wry laughs aplenty, as in the Bobby Riggs tale, and so many great anecdotes. So many! The Gods of Gambling made sure that a writer of Bradshaw's calibre was able to meet Moss and Thompson et al before they (and he) died, so that we would have a book that finally reveals the depth and breadth (as well as the shallowness) of the life of a world-class gambler. These are not always the greatest of men but they are all great characters, with all that implies.
   For some reason I've never loaned this book to any friends; it's always felt like my own little secret world in some strange way, a hidden canyon full of dapppled sunlight and dark corners that shows how glorious and venal life can simultaneously be. Read it and you'll see why. It is a very special book indeed, and it amazes me that it has never received anywhere close to the acclaim it deserves. Only two reviews five years after the second reprint in three decades? (Blessings to the reprinters, by the way! Few books are more worthy.) Truly incredible, especially in light of the poker boom and resultant poker book boom (most of which are trash and not worthy of sitting on a shelf next to this tome).
   And a dime for a used copy? Deal of the century! Buy a copy for everyone you know who appreciates great writing when they read it, or who has ever stayed up all night in a game trying to get unstuck.
   Thank you Jon Bradshaw, wherever you are, for writing the definitive book on what it means to be a gambler, warts and all. You are in the same class as Thompson and Moss: the best in your field, and sadly underappreciated by history. That will change. (One day you will hear this book mentioned and quoted by every lame tv poker commentator out there. Everyone tells the Moss/Greek story, but this is the only version in Johnny's own words.) This book will also sooner or later be accorded its just position atop the gamblers' literary pantheon beside Dostoyevsky and friends.
   Then again, true greatness is its own reward. As any real gambler knows (and who amongst us is not gambling every day, even just by driving on the highway or eating genetically modified "food"?), it's living the peaks to the fullest that counts, and then surviving to scale them again. Some of the finest and most interesting people I have ever met were at a poker table. Beauty is oft found in the most unlikely places.
   Fast Company has my highest recommendation for those who respect men who live life the way they want to, and love to slip back in time to a world before plastic was invented.

5 comments about Speed to Spare: Beyer Speed Figures Uncovered (Elements of Handicapping).

1. Joe Cardello, Speed to Spare (DRF Press, 200?)
   
   Speed to Spare is not a book you read; it is a book you devour. Horseplayers who use the Beyer Speed Figures published in the Daily Racing Form who do not yet own a copy of this book, pick it up immediately (after all, it costs only eight win bets after tax). Read it. When you're done, read it again. Follow along, both in the book's examples and in random races you pick from your Racing Form. You will learn more about speed figure handicapping in an afternoon than you have learned since DRF started publishing the Beyer Speed Figures. Guaranteed.
   
   This is a must-read for horseplayers, from the professional bettor to the casual fan. **** ½



2. In preparing to bet the Kentucky Derby and other races this year I read Andrew Beyer's fantastic book "Beyer on Speed" and this book. These books go together like ham and eggs. After devouring the information in Speed to Spare I, like any eager handicapper, was looking forward to applying some of the tips in this book. One way this book made me think "different" is how it helps you spot the potential favorite that may be ripe for a fall which can result in a big pay-off. I went to a track in Michigan that was simulcasting races at Santa Anita (in March, 2005) and WHAM! - I hit a trifecta using the information found in this wonderful book; for the first time in my life found myself at the IRS window with a payoff of over $3,000.00! The presentation of information in this book is easy-to-follow and the actual examples really help the "part-time" handicapper that only spends a limited amount of time at a racetrack each year. I salute Joe Cardello's book and urge anyone interested in using Beyer figures to enhance their trip to the track to buy and read this book. You will not be disappointed.



3. Of the DRF peperback series on the elements of handicapping, this is clearly the best work. Cardello really gets in depth on how to weed out value in form cycles by using the Beyer figures. His real life example of how to find "hidden" lines in the past performances are explained in a way that most anyone can understand how he approaches the neverending quest for winners. Clearly he is an expert in handicapping and not just a fan writing a book to fill space on the shelf. Strongly recommended for novices looking to inject a little value by using readily available information in the form, as well as, more experienced handicappers who may be missing out on more opportunities to cash in.



4. This is a wonderful book for learning to intelligently use Beyer Speed Figures in your handicapping. Cardello gives a helpful background on the statistics of Beyer speed figures, especially his own statistics on Beyers calculated for turf races. Even more important, he provides example after example (from dirt, turf, sprint, and route races). Gradually you begin to understand how to apply Beyers and how they can improve your chances of winning. There is no 'formula' for using Beyers. He teaches you the 'art' of using Beyers through his examples. I read this quickly and it has already helped me. I plan to read it over and over again until his way of applying Beyers becomes second nature to me. Of course, I expect my understanding and application of these principles to be modified and improved with personal experience.



5. I read this book about 2 years ago and I still go back to it for the detailed analysis Mr. Cordello provides. He also clearly defines patterns, bounces, topping out, etc. Excellent book with DRF forms as a reference to his explanations. An essential tool in the aresenal we all need to keep an edge.

5 comments about In Service to the Horse: Chronicles of a Labor of Love.

1. What more can you ask of a book? When first I picked out this book, it was with the intention of learning about the world of a professional horse groom. What I did not count on was learning all about that and so very much more. I would not have given the equine sport called Three Day Eventing a second thought before reading this book. This author describes it so brilliantly & colorfully, I could not wait to turn each page to, as they say, "find out what happens next". It is the true account of this groom's daily life in the professional stables of World Olympic Champions David & Karen O'Conner. Many other well-recognized names at the top of the horse world are featured as well, as this skilled writer takes you on an intimate journey few spectators are ever privey to. This honest & intrigueing portrait of life at the top of the equine world is one that no horse enthusiast should miss. However you feel about the sport of Three Day Eventing, this honest & compassionate portrait will engross you page after page. The sheer strength & beauty of the writing made this book a joy to read.



2. This book left me thinking about grooming and a grooms life for days after I read it. Straight forward, with lovely descriptive passages about the things grooms do and are, it reads easily and quickly--and is over too soon. Nice too, that it parallels three types of grooms: racing, jumper, and three day. Well done.



3. This book will certainly give you an appreciation for the hard work grooms put into caring for "their" horses, as well as the difficulty proffessionals have in finding and keeping gooms. Grooming is often a thankless job (more often than not, unfortunately!), with long hours and hard work, as well as little to no time off, but most people are unaware of this fact, even many horse enthusiasts. It's nice to see the grooms get the attention they deserve, as well as being an enlightening look into the world of professional riding.
   
   My only qualm is that the book reads like a 200 page newspaper article, not like a novel. The writing (especially the tense of the writing), distances the reader from getting into the "story". Nonetheless, it's a worthwhile read for anyone interested in horse care or professional riding. Those with only a casual interest in horses or without any real experience in showing or stable management may want to look elsewhere for a book, but those with a working knowlegde of horse care and terminology will find this an interesting read.



4. Follows the grooms in 3 areas of horse sport: eventing (grooms of the O'Connors), show jumping (of Anne Kursinski), and racing (of the breeding stallions at Lane's End). Very interesting, and for the most part not too dumbed down or inaccurate.
   
   The stuff about Parelli got to be very annoying-this was back when the O'Connors were actually fans of him. The author seemed to be a bit too impressed with the man.
   
   Some history of the horse was mixed in, as well as plenty of stuff about each discipline. It was very interesting to see how the horses were treated by each group of grooms. For example, the race horse grooms didn't seem to have a ton of affection for their charges and were very pragmatic. The O'Connor's grooms thought of "their" horses almost as if they were their pets or kids. Also enjoyed seeing the true lives of these people: long days, hard work, little pay, not much time for other people in your life.
   
   Don't recommend this book for young kids: Some bad language, references to drugs and sex. Also some graphic scenes in the breeding shed of Lane's End. But for adults, this is an informative, entertaining read that doesn't make riding and horses out to be glamorous (unlike many horse books today). Nice book for the 99% of horse owners who do their own work, and for those that want to see what goes on in high-caliber equestrian operations. And it really makes you respect these incredibly hard-working people who get relatively little credit for any wins.



5. There are so few books out there that give a realistic look at a professional groom's life. If you've ever considered becoming a groom or even going into the pro-horse world, this book is an amazing investment. Nusser gives almost every type of information you could want, including typical pay, benefits, housing, and insights into the personalities and habits of the grooms. It follows three pro grooms: a woman who just wants to learn everything she can, a woman who is wishes she was winning the medals, not grooming the horses, and a man who works for the money. Though it's non-fiction, it's written like a story and you can't help but be draw in. This is one of my top five favorite books - I can't impress on you how much you should buy it.

2 comments about Matriarchs: Great Mares of the 20th Century.

1. This was amazing. So much interesting information. I could not put it down.



2. You should already be somewhat knowledgeable about the history of American Thoroughbreds before reading "Matriarchs". Otherwise this book will probably remind you of a long Sunday School spin through the 'begats' in the Book of Genesis.

   However, Bowen has produced a treasure for those of us who like to flip to the back pages of "The Blood-Horse" every week and pore over the genealogy charts of the stakes winners. If you catch a loved one doing this and muttering phrases like, "Inbred 3x4 to Nijinsky II, eh? No wonder she toes out," then "Matriarchs" could be 'the' perfect birthday gift.

   Edward L. Bowen is an Eclipse Award-winning Turf writer, formerly editor-in-chief of "The Blood-Horse" magazine, and currently president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. I believe his most recently published book is "Nashua," which is volume eight of the 'Thoroughbred Legends' series.

   In "Matriarchs", Bowen ambles gently through the race records, sales histories, and 'begats' of 20th century America's twenty-four most influential Thoroughbred matriarchs. There are also black-and-white photographs and (of course) genealogy charts of the mares and their famous descendants. The author fleshes out what could have been a very dry volume of statistics with anecdotes about the mares and their colorful owners, and some of the theorizing that goes into the breeding of these beautiful, courageous animals. Here is his riff on The Bride, a foal of Somethingroyal:

   "In 1969, Somethingroyal foaled a Bold Ruler filly who went to Ogden Phipps [as part of a foal sharing agreement]...Named The Bride, she was unplaced, but produced stakes winners At Ease and Heavenly Match. Short of winning the Derby or rescuing children from a burning building, there was little The Bride could have done to avoid being known in history as the one-who-was-not-Secretariat."

   "Matriarchs" should be savored for its rich detail, not read in one sitting. I suggest you dip into its pages at bedtime and drift off to Bowen's amiable and knowledgeable tale of La Troienne and her descendents, or the perils and triumphs of the imported Rough Shod II, or the career of the great champion, Cicada.

3 comments about Blackjack Secrets.

1. I like this book. I consider it a good book for a beginning counter. The intermediate player may be able to glean a few helpful tips from it as well. But the advanced counter will gain little, if anything, from reading this book. As with Wongs other books, there is some information that is still useful in todays game and there is other information that is totally antiquated. If you can't discern between the two then reading this book can lead you in the wrong direction and wind up costing you a lot more than the cover price. This game is extremely difficult to beat. It takes a lot more than reading a few books and practicing on a computer simulation.



2. What a great read! Wong has done it again. If you are a serious blackjack player, or you think that you may want to become one, then you need to have this book in your library. I also own his book Professional Blackjack, and there are some similarities between the two. For example, they both teach you B.S. and the Hi-Low, but this book offers a great discussion about how to get away with your newly learned skills, along with topics about tipping dealers, games to avoid, and training techniques. Plus the price isn't bad either. Id reccommend it to anyone!



3. This is an excellent book, however after getting 1/2 way through it, the glue of the binding did not hold and pages from the front quarter of the book came unglued from the binder and are falling out of the book. I wish there was an exchange policy for defective book bindings like this.

3 comments about Secrets of Winning Baccarat.

1. If you want to learn all about Baccarat, this is the book to read. No get rich quick system here. You get betting systems that are based on the mathematics of how the game works, and examples based on real play in casinos. There is also stuff on how to enjoy playing at the tables like a pro.



2. The author recorded the results of each hand for 232 shoes and concocted a system that would work against that set of results. He doesn't recognize that anything can happen in such a small sample. For example, he reports that, in his 232 shoes, the Player hand won 50.8% of the non-tied hands. In the long run, of course, the Player wins less than 50% of the non-tied hands. Otherwise, anyone could win at baccarat just by betting Player all the time. This is why serious analysts use computer simulations to study samples of literally millions of hands.

   The author's basic method is an up-as-you-lose progression. Any such system will indeed tend to win more often than it loses, because it wins large bets that recoup earlier small losses. The catch is that, when the large bets lose, then the system loses big. The few big losses will offset the many smaller wins. The net result, over the long run, will be in keeping with the game's underlying math -- which, in baccarat, means that the bettor will lose about one percent of the total amount bet. Therefore, this author's claim that his system will win two-thirds of all shoes is plausible. Unfortunately, the long-run result will be the same as that of a player who didn't bother to record hand results and just bet the same amount every hand -- i.e., a net loss.

   The author states, correctly, that the odds on each hand are the same regardless of the results of the preceding hands. Nevertheless, he advises betting that streaks won't continue. He doesn't explain this inconsistency. (There's actually an extremely slight interdependence among successive hands, so that streaks are very slightly more likely to end than to continue, but the author doesn't discuss this phenomenon and correctly doesn't rely on it. It's far too small to meaningfully reduce the house edge.)

   The author's expertise is said to be in the construction of mathematical models. His error here is to construct a model based on very limited data. As the saying goes, "Garbage in, garbage out."




3. I wouldn't buy this book if you are just starting in the game. This book can help you through bad shoes, but you must be able to recognize what a bad shoe is, and then apply a combination of basic strategy and advanced strategy #3 (Run Vs Singleton).

   However in good shoes. 7 or more ties per shoe(Because I play ties) I have found that if you use the methods in this book. It costs you money on good shoes in mini-baccarat. Now if you have good money management skills. (aka. quit while ahead.) And know what you are doing, but would like some help getting through bad shoes, purchase this book. If you are looking for a book to start learning the game. Look elsewhere.