5 comments about Cash Games (How to Win at No-Limit Hold'em Money Games) Vol. 1.

1. I am fairly new to the game of poker and this book was very easy to understand. This is definitely a book you can re-read many times and use it as a quick reference guide. I would recommend it to anyone trying to master the game of poker.



2. recommended for those of us, myself especially, who think that they're ready to excell at the cash tables. take the time and let this book river you out of $30, if that, and then take the time to learn, relearn, and over-learn all the book has to offer.



3. This book is the bible for Deep Stack cash game play. Highly recommended to anyone who plays cash games.



4. I have all of Harrington's poker books and many, many other poker books by other authors; my husband and I play poker. Harrington, in my opinion, ranks amoung the best of the best poker authors. His books on poker, tournament poker and cash games are excellent!!!
   
   This book, and Harrington's cash game vol. II, are the best I've found on the subject.
   
   If you play poker, you understand, or should understand, that gaining poker knowledge, acquired from study and experience, is a life-long educational experience, and that it is far cheaper to learn things the "right way" the first time around with respect to studying the variation(s) of poker you play, as this will be the basis for your personal thoughts about and analysis of your experience (the games you most recently played). If you want boks offering good reasoning about and stratagems for cash games, purchase Harrington's books, and you'll not regret it.
   
   One thing I have noticed, is that when those new to poker purchase a book on the subject of poker, any book, they seem to think, and often mention, that said book, is "great" when, in fact, they really have no basis for making such a judgement. Hey, we all have to begin somewhere. As a poker player progresses to higher levels of ability their choice of poker books becomes much more selective as they are better qualified to analyse the large selection of poker books now offered for sale. I've said all this to simply inform those new to, as well as those experienced at, playing either Hold'Em tournaments or Hold'Em cash games, that Dan Harrington's books are amoung the best of the best, according to my husband, and he, not to boast, should know, and he has recommended Harrington's poker books to a lot of people.
   
   Poker is about making the best possible decisions based on available, although limited, information. Poker players who purchase Harrington's books are, in my humble opinion, making good decisions.



5. They say that 'luck is the residue of preparation'. This is especially true when it comes playing poker. So, plan to get very lucky after you read Dan Harrington's 2 volumes on cash game no limit hold'em.
   I've been a limit player for 20 years. Recently, I decided to devote myself to no limit because of the greater profit in these games. From my general knowledge, I knew that there were significant strategy differences in correct strategy for no limit so I read a couple of books. However, these books didn't really help very much. Then I got Harrington's books and it was like someone had turned on a light in a dark room. It made a world of difference in my game. I 'get it' now.
   To put some perspective on this, I'm playing in a $2/$3 blind no limit game with a $200 cap on the buyin, in a brick and mortar poker room. I mention this because some of the reviews of these books have critized them for being too basic. However, if you're playing in a small game, basic strategy is probably the BEST strategy. In the second volume, there is a chapter about playing in small no limit games. I recommend you jump ahead and read it first. Keeping this chapter in mind as you read everything else will really give you a great perspective on how to beat a small no limit game. With respect to beating the bigger games, I really don't know if these books will help because I'm not playing in those games yet. But if you are new to no limit, or you are just having trouble beating the small game you're playing in, these books are great.

4 comments about The Prayer Shawl Companion: 38 Knitted Designs to Embrace, Inspire, and Celebrate Life.

1. I have been knitting prayer shawls for almost 5 years, and bought this book only because I had met Bristow/Galo and was curious about what they would put into it. I am impressed...they have patterns that I am not familiar with! Great photos, clear patterns, and new prayers! Worth every penny.



2. What a superb book this is! It is more than a volume of knitting patterns, even though the patterns are great and most very original. (Also, many of the shawls are breathtakingly beautiful.) It is also a collaboration of heartwarming stories and inspirational prayers. The whole experience of this book is uplifting. Thank you Bristow/Galo for this transformational book.



3. I've been making prayer shawls for a couple of years now and even though I'm a crocheter (whose attempts at knitting are quite sad), I was drawn to buy this book.
   
   The book offers a great variety of patterns for those who knit, but it also offers inspiration, stories, prayers and helpful hints for all who are involved in prayer shawl ministry no matter which craft they use. The photos are beautifully done and the shawls themselves are inspiring. And I'm already musing on how I might crochet a couple of the knit prayer shawls. This is a wonderful and spiritually inspiring book.



4. This book is for anyone in a life transition: illness, birth/adoption of a child, wedding, caregiver, bar or bat mitzvah or any other celebration of life!! This is filled with awe-inspiring photography of the shawls/stoles/tallis and lap robes. The prayers and magnificent stories are uplifting and inspirational. There is a reverence for people, life and the Creator in the selection and assembly of the materials for this book. And if you love to knit, the patterns are breath-taking. Don't be intimidated, though, all skill levels are in this masterpiece.

3 comments about Force Unleashed Campaign Guide (Star Wars).

1. Can't really go wrong here. WoTC did it again with this one, possibly better than their recent kotor supplement (comes down to a matter of taste really). I shall list the new features for your reading pleasure, in hopes that you purchase this product and perpetuate the WoTC Star Wars line.
   
   New Species:
   
   Aleena, Caamasi, Chiss, Felucian, Gran, Nosaurian, Talz, Togorian, Togruta, Whiphid, Yarkora
   
   New Talents:
   
   Various new talents for every class. New trees include Noble's Ideologue tree, Scoundrel's Smuggling tree, Scout's Spy tree, and a nicely expanded Soldier's Mercenary tree from Threats of The Galaxy.
   
   Feats:
   
   Twenty new feats, all of which seem pretty useful (lots of rage enhancements here). The real cream of the crop is the Unleashed feat, which greatly enhances the Destiny Point mechanic.
   
   Prestige Classes:
   
   Bounty Hunters and Jedi Knights get some new talents, Elite Trooper gets a Critical Master tree, and Force Adepts get an Imperial Inquisitor tree.
   New prestige classes include: Enforcer, Independent Droid, Infiltrator, Master Privateer, Medic, and Saboteur.
   
   New Force Abilities:
   The real draw here (for me at least). Obviously, Unleashed Force powers are very very cool. New powers include: Corruption, Force Blast, Force Shield, Force Storm, Kinetic Combat, and Repulse. Each Force tree (Alter Control, Sense, Dark Side) gets new talents and there's a slew of new force powers and force secrets.
   
   Other:
   
   New equipment all around, an in-depth chapter on the Empire, a slew of new vehicles, and the mandatory stats for characters of the era. I'm probably leaving some stuff out but that's really the bulk of it. Highly recommended.



2. I am a casual SW:SE player and I find that I truly enjoy the two recent campaign settings that WotC has put out for it (This and Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide (Star Wars Roleplaying Game)). Each adds a great deal to your options, has splendid flavor and lore intertwined and seems like it had some decent production value (especially Force Unleashed, as it has actual concept art from the game of the same name Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). But now, onto the review.
   
   Chapter 0: Introduction
   The introduction is done exceedingly well. It begins by giving a short situation report on the status of the galaxy; How the Republic has fallen and the Dark Times are upon the beings of the galaxy. Then, it goes on to summarize what you will find in each chapter of the book. It then explains how a Force Unleashed campaign is markedly different from the other era's you might play in. Much more so than the Rebellion Era, the Empire is supreme. There's no Rebel Alliance to help you when you're in dire straights, it's quite an epic set up for You vs The Empire. The last part of this chapter is six item timeline of events that span the Dark Times. It begins with the execution of Order 66 and Palpatine's New Order speech, and ends with the Corellian Treaty, where the Rebel Alliance was born. This is an excellent primer for the rest of the book.
   
   Chapter 1: Species
   We have 10 new species for everyone to try out. Each species block is approximately a page long, give or take, and they're as detailed as they were in the Core Rulebook. I found each of their descriptions to be brief, but full of good information about their species and important events in their history. It's a very nice smattering of races that cover a good bit of the spectrum, from feral Felucians to the pacifistic Caamasi and the mysterious Yarkoa. Other races include the Aleena, Gran, Nosaurian, Talz, Togorian, Togruta, and Whiphid.
   
   Chapter 2: Heroic Traits
   This chapter begins with ideas for character origins, such as what first made your character start upon the path of a hero. It continues into a section tailored to each Heroic class, explaining their lots in the new order and offering new options for talents, or even new talent trees! Jedi get two new talents for each the Consular, Guardian and Sentinel trees. Nobles get a single new Inspiration talent, two Lineage talents and a new Ideologue tree. Smugglers make out with three Slicer talents, and five new talents from a Smuggling talent tree. Scouts get a single Awareness talent and a six-talent tree called Spy. Soldiers get five skills from the Mercenary talent tree. After this, there are new ways to use current skills, such as Acrobatics helping out in Low/High gravity or how to conceal large items with Stealth. 20 new feats await your discriminating eye, a couple new Destinies, and, of course, the much awaited Unleashed Abilities. The Unleashed abilities seem very interesting. They are very cinematic and can potentially turn a very dire situation into a favorable one.
   
   Chapter 3: Prestige Classes
   Bounty Hunters, Elite Troopers, Force Adepts and Jedi Knights get new talents to fill out their own trees, while new classes are introduced. Enforcer, Independent Droid, Infiltrator, Master Privateer, Medic and Saboteur are what you have to look forward to.
   
   Chapter 4: Organizations
   The Rebel Alliance is not around yet, but this chapter gives you the tools to create your own small resistance group, planetary rebellion or even, should it tickle your fancy, a group that spans the entire galaxy. it explains what benefits, risks and power levels such bodies will represent and what the players can do with them. It goes on to describe organizations such as the Antarian Rangers, Black Sun, Bothan Spynet, Bounty Hunters Guild, Car'das Smugglers, House Organa, Kota's Militia, and he Lok Revenants. Each has a section on history, what type of group it is, Enemies and Allies, Operational Scale, Criteria for positive and negative modifiers for the group, Titles, Benefits, Duties and Roleplaying applications. Very good stuff here.
   
   Chapter 5: The Force
   A section on how Jedi are living, how the Force is viewed in game, six new Force powers, six new Force talents, ten new Force Techniques, five new Force Secrets, and yes, even eleven new Unleashed Force powers. There are even two more Force using traditions to round out the chapter.
   
   Chapter 6: Equipment and Droids and Chapter 7: Vehicles and Starships
   The are both lumped together simply because they're both equipment and it's easier this way. There's a good bit of new equipment, droids and ships. Enough to keep most players busy, at the least.
   
   Chapter 8: Campaign Guidelines
   From here you can mine quite a bit of inspiration for character histories. It can also help figure out how to get your group together to begin with. Following that are common campaign elements such as trying to remain hidden from the Empire, scarce resources and garnering allies. The end of the chapter has a few challenges that you might throw at your heroes in game.
   
   Chapter 9: Galactic Gazetteer
   A good bit of information on new planets, and additional information on previously described planets, but with the Dark Times in focus.
   
   Chapter 10: The Empire
   Everything you'd want to know about the galaxies best Monolithic Authoritarian Regime. It explains the Imperial Government, personnel such as the Dark Troopers and the 501st Stormtrooper Division. It even goes on to detail the Death Star. Fans of Timothy Zahn will be happy to find stat blocks for the Noghri and Chiss in this section. At the end of the chapter you'll find Stat Blocks for Admiral Thrawn and Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, and the big ships of the Empire during this time.
   
   Chapter 11: Allies and Opponents
   This chapter finishes the book and relates to you a few important characters, such as Bail Organa and Garm Bel Iblis. It also gives you some NPC people to use with or against your heroes.
   
   Overall, an amazing book. There are a few shortcomings: I wish the Chiss and Noghri stat blocks were included with the other ones for ease of use. I wish some of the Imperial/Droid equipment was thrown into the equipment chapter, but all-in-all, this is a fantastic buy. It's a very well made campaign setting, it's well written and it inspires excitement in me to play this game. What more can you really ask for?



3. Hands down a great book. Wizards has been hitting homers all the way to the galaxy far far away with their new campaign guides, but The Force Unleashed guide is just pure awesome.
   
   The most notable addition of the Unleashed abilities puts SE into a new level of cool.
   
   If the Dark Times are your times, get The TFU guide. If they aren't, Get the TFU guide. You won't regret it.
   
   And come on, stats for the first droid with Jedi levels. How can you say no.

4 comments about Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens.

1. I only just discovered Lena Corwin yesterday and was so inspired by the cover that I ran right out to the bookstore to get it. There are a variety of techniques with simple, detailed instructions and beautiful pictures. I am so inspired and can't wait to start printing.



2. This book is really well done, covering its subject thoroughly, with beautiful photography and inspiring projects that have my whole family ready to print! Thankyou Lena



3. This book is fabulous! The projects all vary in skill level and time allotment. Lena Corwin gives step-by-step instructions so detailed anyone could follow. Lena's patterns are so fresh and beautiful. I would recommend this book to anyone.



4. This book turned out to be even more helpful and inspiring than I had hoped for. It answered many questions relating to different varieties of simple hand printing techniques such as: which inks, papers, and fabrics are best suited for each project; how to create stencils; how to transfer designs, how to repeat a pattern, how to work with screens, and on and on. There are many color photos showing step-by-step procedures. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. A lot of the printing projects are done on simple, natural fabrics like linen and muslin.
   
   The book itself is a spiral-bound, soft-cover book within a hard cover shell. This allows you to lay the pages flat so that you can look at them hands-free as you work.
   
   I love this book. I was already familiar with many types of printing such as linoleum and gocco, but I still learned a great deal. So I would have to say this book is for novices and experienced alike.
   
   I guarantee you that you will come away from this book inspired and ready to create.
   

5 comments about Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Screen.

1. Let's put it this way. In one corner we have those lame glorified paper boards from Third edition. In this corner. We have the Fourth Edition dungeon master's screen. Heavy duty cardstock they say.
   
   More like Bullet proof and tip over proof Dm screen.
   
   Unlike the 3e ones, (I have one, friend had the second one they made) which you had to lean over to really see the player's rolls and or the game table and it's minis and what have you.
   
   We have this one. It is a little smaller, easy to see over hard to see behind sized. It's much better balanced, and did I mention this thing is tremendously sturdier? You've gotta -try- to destroy this bugger to have it go down on you.
   
   This is easily the best of the three Dm screens my group has. And as a sweet bonus it also includes a great deal better grade artwork. (though I would have liked another version but that's a personal thing) The old 3.0 one was utter garbage artwise.
   
   The tables and the like are of course just as useful as they were before and can save you alot of page turning potentially although there were a couple of guidelines I would have liked to be on there that were not. But meh.
   
   Vast vast improvement. Like the rest of the game has been so far. Thanks Wizard's.



2. I think this DM Screen is much improved over those of the past. It's a nice four-panel screen, allowing for lots of coverage and has a low profile. The art is great and finished in a nice gloss and the stock for the screen is quite thick and sturdy. I was really impressed, not only with the quality of the screen, but also over what an improvement it was/is over DM screens of the past.
   
   There is also a lot of good information on the inside of the screen which is referenced to a book and page number if you need to go to the material source or an errata.



3. This is by far the best screen I've ever owned and might only be surpassed by the customizable screens available. The screen is a 4 fold, landscape format made with thick cardboard that is laminated. The lamination is such that it can handle standard cellophane tape without marring the surface of the screen, which is handy for taping additions or corrections (q.v.). The inside contains lots of handy tables taken from the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide and presented here for quick reference. The outside is a well-done piece of artwork.
   
   I do have a couple nitpicks, that didn't keep me from giving this 5 stars. My screen arrived very stiff such that it felt like I was ripping it apart or pulling at some adhesive. It's also a little annoying that the skill DCs were modified in the errata after this product was already sent to the printer. However, I've already printed out and taped over the old table since the lamination protects the screen. I've also taped over part of the standard XP chart with a list of defenses for the PCs in my game, since I typically don't need the XP chart in game. I think they could have found something else to go there, but maybe some people will end up using the screen during their preparation time.
   
   I definitely think my money was well-spent on this product.



4. First is the Art. I Love it, and every player in session say that the screen ( with this art ) is more intimidating.
   
   Second is the material...man, i think that i have a book and not a screen! And tks to this material, wind is not a problem anymore.
   
   And at least the size. The heigth is perfect to run a game, see all the game without losing nothing!
   
   The price is good, the product is excellent!
   
   Leandro Pugliesi
   http://rpgnew.blogspot.com/



5. I have been extremely pleased with my purchase. The DM Screen is fairly long but not terribly high. This may be a problem if you are playing on a narrow table, but for most dining or card tables, this should not be a problem.
   
   The details included are most everything that you would need to quickly access in running a combat or skill challenge including a detailed list of combat effects. My only significant complaint is that there was errata for this item before it was even released.
   
   [...]
   
   A minor ding on what is otherwise a great product.

1 comments about Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Guide and Atlas Bundle: Prima Official Game Guide.

1. Everyone knows that these guides typically stink because the game changes so fast. Thankfully, with this guide they have taken a different approach. Instead of being a book of spell listings, gear, and stats, it is a book about characters, background, strategy for each character, and map information.
   
   In the book they state that Mythic wanted the guide to feel like part of the game, not a book of numbers. I must say it really does feel this way. There is a lot of information about each class. There is a sections that tell you which map to move on to and what level. Lots of information about the different maps and public quest. There is some decent information in here. It's the kind of guide I will just pick up and read instead of looking up "out-dated" information.
   
   Overall I would say this book + the atlas are a good buy. They are better then the typical guide.

5 comments about Harrington on Hold 'em Ex Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 1: Strategic Play.

1. If you are new to Holdem or have never read a poker book, this is the absolute first one you should buy. Volume 1 covers peoples Playing Styles, Reading the Table, Pot Odds, Hand Selections, Betting Preflop, Post Flop, Turn and River. Volume 2 reviews the most common moves including continuation bets, bluffing, heads up play, equity, bubbles, and other mixed info. Finally, Volume 3 highlights 50 hands step by step and quizzes you on the right play. You can score results and find/improve specific weaknesses. This series is a must read for any serious player, infact you are at a deep disadvantage if you don't. It WILL improve your game play, payouts, and tournament rankings. Dan also have 2 volumes on Cash Games I have yet to read but I am sure are amazing. Thank you Dan from SuperAggressive.com!!!



2. This book contains a wealth of information on the strategy needed to succesfully play Texas Hold Em poker. Through the use of real-life example hands the author explains not only what a good bet is, but why to make specific plays in certain situations. A very valuable tool for the poker player tring to increase his odds of winning a Texas Hold Em tournament.



3. Must buy. Worth every penny. This with volume two are great and if the material is mastered, your returns will be greater than you expected. Aides through all the lower to middle levels.



4. I'll not paraphrase any of this books contents; but, if you are a poker player and play the variations of poker which Dan Harrington writes about, I'd recommend you purchase his books.
   
   Dan writes about poker better than he plays it, and he is one the best poker players in the world. Having purchased and read all Harrington's poker books as well as "many" other poker books by so-called authorities, Harrington, by comparrison, appears to be unassuming with respect to ego; he simply tells it like it is and his reasoning and stratagems regading poker are certainly work the price of the books.
   
   Bravo, Mr. Harrington, and thank you for all your efforts in authoring worthwhile books on poker.



5. One of the best poker books on Amazon bar none. This book is an easy 5 star rating. I love Harrington as a player, and now as a writer. I recommend this book for anyone trying to learn tournament strategies.

5 comments about Spore: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. DRM has killed my computer and used up 2 of my installs, I used my 3rd one on laptop which was also infected with malware, now I go to install on my desktop which I had to reinstall vista and I am out of installs??? I now am the proud owner of a 60 dollar drink coaster.



2. The guide is useful, in that it lists some information that you wouldn't otherwise get (like how trading spice actually works in space stage).
   
   But, it's told in storybook form, which I find annoying. Seriously, most of the "story" is covered by the in game tutorial, so why go over it again for over 3/4 of the book?
   
   It contains at least a couple charts that are meaningless (how other space empires react to you - what do the numbers mean? No idea, they never say.) It contains references to information that would probably need more fleshing out (what are the reaction bonuses that you have for other empires? They mention it for civ stage, but not space stage?)
   
   It contains relatively too few strategy tips, and those that are there are often buried in otherwise useless stories about their creature "Clumpy".
   
   The poster is really ugly, and despite what the cover says, there's no "comic" inside.
   
   In short, a slapdash effort for Spore addicts only. I could have done better if given a couple weeks - they spent more effort on the graphics than the text. My guide would have had almost no graphics, and about 5 times more text.



3. I've had really good luck buying strategy guides but this one was the worst and an obvious waste of money that I regret.
   
   Pros:
   Good details on every single selectable item and lots of good examples of setups for every single stage except one.
   There are some hints periodically that I didn't think of till reading this guide.
   
   Cons:
   The only stage this book is terrible at is the most in-depth and difficult stage in the game. The Space stage. 80 - 90% of the book is dedicated to the earlier stages but only a sliver is on the hardest/most complex stage.
   
   Overall impression:
   [...]. Do a little homework online for any details/hints/walkthroughs you might need and you will be far better off with even more cash in your pocket. Sure there are a couple of hints in there I didn't think of, but not [...] worth of hints and help. Maybe [...] worth. Save your money.
   
   Side venting regarding the game.... I HATE DRM. They are going to DRM Command and Conquer Red Alert 3 as well. What JERKS! I'm the type that uninstalls a game, reinstalls, uninstalls, reinstalls. It's all based on what I feel like at any moment in time and given that I own hundreds of games, it's easy to change my mind for something else. The DRM did NOT affect the 2 stars I gave to the guide. The guide really did deserve 2 stars. The game is worth 4-5 stars but I gave it a 1 because I don't want to be annoyed when I reinstall my own game. Why should I have to justify my life to some stranger just to get another install license?



4. Avoid because of the god-awful DRM. The creature, vehicle and building creators are amazing fun to use. But the DRM... uggg. I just can't get over how bad and utterly pointless it is. It doesn't stop pirates. It only hurts regular users. Why EA? WHY?



5. I've found the guide to be a very handy reference when I need a quick explanation of something. It could use some better visuals when describing certain functions, such as the terraforming panels, etc.
   
   Overall, it's good to have it around so you don't get lost. It's definately not a walkthrough guide, but a pretty good reference.

1 comments about Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. Pros:
   - Has good info on what/where each holocron is.
   
   - Provides good character profiles.
   
   - Provides short story line to better tie in The Force Unleashed with Star Wars III and IV.
   
   Cons:
   - The guide is very hard to follow when trying to proceed through a level. You get easily lost when using this guide. As you proceed down a path, you're not sure what part of the level the guide is referring to. It's very ambiguous.
   
   - There are no detailed maps as you follow the guide, just one simple no detail map at the beginning of each section. You have to keep flipping back to the map and try to figure out where on the map you are. This gets very frustrating as you try to proceed.
   
   - No best route and alternant route information.
   
   - The screenshots in each section are hard to see and don't help. It's very hard to connect the screenshots to your screen. They are a complete waste of space and add no value. Detailed map inserts would have been a better use of this space.
   
   - Although I listed Holocron locations above as a pro, the guide is frustrating to use as it guides you to them. The info and direction the guide provides is vague.
   
   - Has errors for what buttons to hit for some force combos for the PS3. For instance, it may list X, X, X, X for a particular combo, the actual button may be square.
   
   All and all, this is an ok guide, it helped me get some holocrons (although it was frustrating to use), but you really don't need it. The guide gives you generic advice and info on beating bosses that you could figure out yourself.

1 comments about Lego Batman: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. I recommend NOT wasting the money on this guide. It seems only half-finished with very vague descriptions of the different character and item uses. The guide may help you get through minor areas of the game, but it does nothing that a few moments of game-play problem solving wouldn't help. The maps are helpful, but as far as percentage-completion is concerned you're better off finding a walkthrough online- it would be far more accurate and thorough. While I'm certainly not looking for "cheat codes" I would appreciate it if the information in this guide was at the very least detailed and correct. For example, it would be better if it read "In order to unlock this character, you must complete X,Y,Z" or give accurate descriptions of each character's abilities (in at least three cases, we found that these were incorrect or too vague to be useful - i.e. Catwoman has the ability of security clearance, but at which points specifically?). This guide is absolutely not worth the money to purchase it. If a particular point confounds you it would be a better use of your time to simply google the level on which you are stuck.