Book Description
A winning strategy for the game of 21. The essentials, consolidated in simple charts, can be understood and memorized by the average player.
Customer Reviews:
This book and your own brain are all you need....well...a team..........2007-08-27
Next stop Macau
Still the classic for the high-low method, but nowadays you need to work in teams and with the perpetual continuous shuffle machines/decks the method has become harder to deploy in lots of casinos. Which is why those who use this with refined forced-card deck cutting are in the current gravy boat, although their day in the sun will also pass.
Most folks can intuitively understand card counting and shoe-skew. There are plenty of books on the topic of card counting. However, Thorp's original work is best and overlooked on several important points by most folks. The first point is: rigor. Thorp has backed up his method with solid empirical and theoretical underpinnings. This gave confidence to generations of card counters who refined his method. The second point is: clarity. Thorp is a first-string mathematician and easily could have stayed conversing with peers in jargon, or he even could have purposefully employed obscurantism to keep tables thin. Instead his prose style is lean, direct, and clear. Such is his brevity and Wittgensteinian exactness that you may need to re-read a few sentences here and there to absorb what he is saying, but on the whole this is an accessible narrative written by a mathematician for an intelligent audience.
A wonderful gift that opens up a new world combining math, fun and money.
Now about Kelly criterion in betting strategies......
The Book that Started the Blackjack Revolution.......2007-03-08
Edward O. Thorp started the blackjack revolution way back in the early 1960s with a difficult but successful card counting system. This book explains that early system and why blackjack is a beatable game. There are now many easier card counting systems such as the Hi-Lo, the KO, the High Opt and the easiest of all Speed Count.
Thorp's book is a must have for your gambling library as he started it all.
Frank Scoblete: author of Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!
The Grandfather of Blackjack Strategy.......2007-01-22
Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One by Edward Thorp started a craze toward card counting in casinos, prompted several rules changes including increased numbers of decks, shorter cuts, and more frequent shuffles. It's the grandfather of Blackjack strategy books and the first mathematical analysis of the game published outside academia. For those reasons alone it's worth having and studying even if its effectiveness has been diminished by the rules changes I noted above.
The other advantage that Thorp's book has over the dozens of blackjack books available is that it includes the probability charts. You can take the numbers from the appendix, see where the strategy was developed and make your own adjustments based on the conditions you encounter at your local game or casino.
It's tricky, his counting system and strategy, but once you have the hang of it you can be assured a fair game with a casino. And, all told, it's not that difficult a system to master with some practice ahead of time. Don't read this volume on the plane flight into Vegas and expect to beat the dealers in a day, but spend a week or two with some decks of cards, practice, go online and play, then take your shot against the pros. Good luck.
- CV Rick
Used it and won--when they didn't cheat!.......2007-01-21
The book was very useful in understanding how much to bet given your hand and where you are in the deck. The casinos do still cheat, so I would advise watching for opportunities to play at a fair table (then clean their clocks with these methods).
Must read, but not all praise.......2006-07-25
If you were ever interested in card counting this book is for you. Not because it guarantees the edge against the casino with 10 simple rule, because it doesn't, but because it outlines several good strategies to maintain a small edge (or in some cases a smaller disadvantage) over the casino establishment.
I gave this book 5 stars for a couple different reasons. Although requiring a lot of practice, the ten count that thorp teaches should more than pay for the book. The stories, although providing little insight into the world of current gambling, provide comical relief for an otherwize stale and mathmatical book. Although a person can find easier to use systems and basic strategy tables on the internet, Thorp's main assistance to me came in his in depth modification to the tables based on what the count reflects. The short comings of this book are numerous however. For one, thorp dedicates a significant (not to mention hilarious) portion of the book to end play. A system where by busting certain hands and standing on others effects the composition of the deck post shuffle. That is, by busting all hands with aces and tens when the deck appears to be running out, the aces and tens are reshuffled with the remainder of the deck while the low cards are not, giving the player a small advantage. Another dissapointment is that thorp doesn't go into the deep mathmatics of his strategy or the simulations, he simply states nearly undunderstandable percent advantages and assumes the reader will trust him. (for owners, this is reference to the page where he outlines the percent advantages with different numbers of tens in the deck where no pattern is visible)
To splice in some praise, I would recomend this as a first book. A lot of information about advantages and disadvantages with different casino play is not included, but the basic outline presented, the expanitory style in which each of his 4 counts are explained, and the excitement in practicing "beating the dealer" make this a worth while read.
Book Description
Widely regarded as the world's best poker player, Johnny Chan has been beating the highest buy-in tournaments and big money cash games everywhere for the past twenty years. Because he worked his way up to the top of the poker world by starting in the smallest games, Johnny is the perfect person to teach you how to do it. Whether you are a beginning or intermediate player, this book will help you on your way to expert status. All of the popular casino poker games are covered in a clear and easy to understand fashion.
Win just one extra pot and this book will have paid for itself!
Customer Reviews:
Play like Chan (would be nice).......2007-03-30
This is the best beginner/intermediate book that I have seen. It covers all the popular poker games of the day plus general tips on all the games and how to play at a Casino. John also discusses some of the great players he has played against. I must mention the paper is excellent (no cheap stuff here) and the illustrations (photos?) of the cards make it very easy to use. Highly recommended
Wide-ranging strategy guide by a poker pro.......2005-11-07
This a beautifully produced, pricey paperback covering the poker games that Chan plays. Of course, he doesn't just play, he wins big. By my count, he's won ten WSOP events.
The book is something of a scrapbook of poker photos, with strategies on many poker games: basically stud, omaha, both high and high low, as well as limit and no-limit Texas hold'em. He describes his thinking as a hold'em hand progresses -- very useful.
By the way, there is little math in book, so if you're looking for the clearest expression of pot odds, implied odds, look elswhere. (For a book that leads you safely through the odds jungle, see Weighing the Odds in Hold'em Poker by King Yao.)
Remember the list price is $30. The qualiy paper and color photos cost more. In fact, even the hands are shown in color photographs.
This is a worthwhile book with insights from a successful player, covering too many kinds of poker to be the ultimate in-depth guide to any one of them. Yet it scores in readability way above the serious classics by Sklansky, Malmuth and others.
It's not the best first book on poker as it's too advanced for a beginner, but it may well be the best second one.
Fantastic.......2005-09-22
Saw this book on amazon.com and figured, what the hell, I'll buy it and see what happens. Got it a week later, read the section on limit hold em first, since that's about the only game I play well, and was surprised my gameplay was very different to what was mentioned. After reading it and trying out the different techniques, I was pleasantly surprised to see my profits increasing. Well worth the price and the time to read. Have since read through the other sections and am finding myself getting some good earnings in Omaha and 5 card stud as well, although 5 card stud is a bit tricky.
I definitely believe this book is good for beginners and advanced players alike. Well written, easy to read, clear illustrations and excellent presentation overall.
An in-depth discussion of card-counting or related mathematical methodology.......2005-09-12
A solid "how-to" guide co-written by the highly-regarded poker player Johnny Chan, whose titles include 2002 WSOP Match Play NLH Champion and 2003 WSOP No Limit Hold-em Champion among many others, Play Poker Like Johnny Chan: Book One Casino Poker is a simple guide to poker basics for players who are out to win. Chapters discuss general poker concepts for the uninitiated, and the rules and favorable versus unfavorable situations for many poker variants including Limit Hold-em, Seven Card Stud, Eight Or Better Stud, Omaha High, Omaha Hi-Low, and No-Limit Hold-em. Some background information on tournaments and internet poker is included, as is general (and very sound) strategy advice for the would-be career poker player, as well as a mentions of famous and skilled individuals Chan has played with. Notably absent from Play Poker Like Johnny Chan is any in-depth discussion of card-counting or related mathematical methodology; it is primarily an introductory guide to give the reader a hands-on understanding of game mechanics as well as the importance of the professional mindset. Chan's key rules - keep playing when you are winning, stop when you are losing, stay to an environment where you feel comfortable, take a vacation from poker when you need it (never try to win the money needed for a vacation from poker when you need one, that's a certain way to burnout), and discipline yourself to move back down to smaller tables when you're losing at big tables - are vital and should be taken to heart by all prospective professional poker players. Full-color photographs illustrate this handy primer, which is printed on glossy paper.
Good Beginner's Poker Book.......2005-08-09
This book cover the basic rules and strategies of different poker games. Personally, I did not find this book very useful partially due to my participation in many tournaments and cash games weekly.
All in all this book is nice to read, great for beginners, and printed on nice material, but I would not recommend for intermediate poker players. However, if you are often beat in cash games or tournaments then this book may be useful.
Book Description
Stuey Ungar, the son of a Lower East Side bookie, grew up in a New York of the 1950s and '60s that was straight out of Damon Runyon. By his early teens, he had dropped out of high school and was spending most of his time in the city's under- ground card rooms. So prodigious was his talent for playing gin rummy that he soon found himself bankrolled by members of the Genovese crime family. After thrashing every top gin player on the East Coast, he was forced to broaden his horizons--traveling around the country to find opponents and also learning other card games, including poker.
At twenty-one, he moved to Las Vegas for good and quickly found mentors in poker legends such as Jack "Treetop" Straus, "Amarillo Slim" Preston, Doyle Brunson, and Chip Reese, who embraced the skinny five-foot-five kid with the Rimbaud aura. Soon enough, Ungar was playing in the biggest games at the famous Dunes poker room, learning the finer points of the game at incredible speed.
In 1980, competing in his second tournament ever and playing a game--no-limit Texas Hold'em--he'd just learned, he shocked the poker universe by winning the World Series of Poker. He would go on to win the event a record three times. In One of a Kind, authors Nolan Dalla and Peter Alson tell the startling tale of a man who managed to win millions of dollars and live the highest of high-roller lives without ever quite understanding or respecting the value of money. Whether tossing away his winnings at the racetrack or on a single roll of the dice, Ungar was notorious for gambling every single dollar in his pocket on a daily basis. The risk that he embodied in his gambling carried over to his personal life. He had no concept of night or day. He didn't own a wristwatch, didn't have a bank account, and for years had no home address or personal possessions. For all his gambling successes, at the end of his life he bounced between hotel rooms, casinos, and crack houses, dependent upon the kindness of friends and strangers.
This intimate, authorized biography illuminates the dark genius of poker's most charismatic and mysterious star, who could ruthlessly peer into and read other men's souls but seemed baffled and powerless when confronted with his own.
Download Description
"Stuey Ungar, the son of a Lower East Side bookie, grew up in a New York of the 1950s and '60s that was straight out of Damon Runyon. By his early teens, he had dropped out of high school and was spending most of his time in the city's under- ground card rooms. So prodigious was his talent for playing gin rummy that he soon found himself bankrolled by members of the Genovese crime family. After thrashing every top gin player on the East Coast, he was forced to broaden his horizons--traveling around the country to find opponents and also learning other card games, including poker. At twenty-one, he moved to Las Vegas for good and quickly found mentors in poker legends such as Jack ""Treetop"" Straus, ""Amarillo Slim"" Preston, Doyle Brunson, and Chip Reese, who embraced the skinny five-foot-five kid with the Rimbaud aura. Soon enough, Ungar was playing in the biggest games at the famous Dunes poker room, learning the finer points of the game at incredible speed. In 1980, competing in his second tournament ever and playing a game--no-limit Texas Hold'em--he'd just learned, he shocked the poker universe by winning the World Series of Poker. He would go on to win the event a record three times. In One of a Kind, authors Nolan Dalla and Peter Alson tell the startling tale of a man who managed to win millions of dollars and live the highest of high-roller lives without ever quite understanding or respecting the value of money. Whether tossing away his winnings at the racetrack or on a single roll of the dice, Ungar was notorious for gambling every single dollar in his pocket on a daily basis. The risk that he embodied in his gambling carried over to his personal life. He had no concept of night or day. He didn't own a wristwatch, didn't have a bank account, and for years had no home address or personal possessions. For all his gambling successes, at the end of his life he bounced between hotel rooms, casinos, and crack houses, dependent upon the kindness of friends and strangers. This intimate, authorized biography illuminates the dark genius of poker's most charismatic and mysterious star, who could ruthlessly peer into and read other men's souls but seemed baffled and powerless when confronted with his own. "
Customer Reviews:
Not Just A Poker Book: Its For Everyone.......2007-09-30
This cautionary tale would make an excellent gift for your younger relatives. It is an entertaining, mesmerizing read but it also has a clear anti-drug message. The book is definately not just for poker players. It tells how one of the most talented card players of all time yielded to his self-destructive demons. This biography gives an accurate depiction of the poker tournament world and Las Vegas. In the poker forums, like TwoPlusTwo, it is the most popular book in years.
I have met and played poker with the two authors. Both are good poker players as well as excellent writers. Nolan Dalla is the Media Director of the World Series of Poker,a prolific poker writer for many publications, and known for his wit and integrity. His co-author, Peter Alson, has impressive writing credentials in both books and magazines.
This book and Jim McManus' book inspired me to become a full-time poker writer. I'll take a Gambler's Oath that you will love this book.
Johnny Hughes, author of the upcoming novel Texas Poker Wisdom.
The title says it all..........2007-09-16
A fascinating look into the life of a character unlike anything else the world had (nor is likely to again) ever seen.
Stu Ungar managed to live a life of extremes. A prodigy when it cames to his profession, but equally self-destructive. If he had only the first element, he may well still be around, winning tournaments. If he only had the second, he would never have made his mark on history and would have been doomed to simply vanish, like so many others.
The fact that he could combine pure genius at the table with a lack of understanding of how the rest of us see the real world is scintillating in itself.
A great read which doesn't require one to be a card lover to enjoy it.
Great Read.......2007-09-11
This is a great book on maybe the best poker player ever. It takls about his mastery of poker and other games and his addictions in life.
poker and book lover!.......2007-05-12
This book about Stu Ungar is very entertaining and informative. I loved it. The only bad thing about the book is that it had to end. I talked so much about the book a co-worker read it and now he's a big fan of Stu Ungar. He said it was the best book he had every read other than the Bible! To me it's better than the Bible! If you like gambling, poker, gin rummy, or interesting people get this book! I only wish Stu Ungar had written a book on gin rummy before his death. Buy and enjoy!
A tragic story of epic proportions.......2007-04-19
Real people rarely match the stature of characters from tragic fiction. Their virtues are smaller, and their faults less fatal. Not so Stu Ungar. He was gifted with the greatest ability of any card player of the modern era. He was indisputably the best player of high stakes gin and tournament poker for the later half of his life, and won millions putting those skills to use. At the same time, he was completely incapable of setting limits for himself, and as a result eventually died broke in a cheap hotel, his health destroyed by years of drug use.
Stu's story, told from the outside, would have all the components of a great tragedy. However, One of A Kind goes further, using material from Dalla's incredibly revealing interviews with Ungar (the book was originally going to be an authorized biography, but Dalla's subject died on him) to answer ever-important questions of motivation and to fill in details that would otherwise be lost to history. This level of detail, combined with Alson's very capable writing, makes the book an effortless joy to read.
The only flaw I see in the work is a fundamentally flattering portrayal of a man with a severely skewed moral compass. Stu's criminal involvement with the NY mob, and his neglect of his family, stand out as his most serious shortcomings. Yet the book does not deal with them all that effectively because they are contrary to the positive image that Dalla wants to portray of his subject (and I believe friend?). The glasses may not be rose colored, but they have a slight red tint.
That said, One of a Kind is utterly fascinating and I read it in a single sitting. Anyone interested in poker, gin, gambling, or simply the extremes of the human condition will likely find it well worth their time.
Book Description
Bridge is the ultimate card game. It is truly a mind sport, as taxing on the brain as a decathlon is to the body. Bridge for Beginners is the ultimate introduction.
Bridge for Beginners starts with the basics, even suggesting that the reader remove the jokers from a full deck of cards. With the basics established, the book progresses, and by the end, the beginning player will be ready to go as far as desired, whether it be to social bridge, club bridge, competitive bridge, or trying out for the national team.
Bridge, and this book, is divided into two parts: the bidding, or auction, and the play of the cards. Each is examined closely, in a step-by-step method that greatly simplifies one of the most complex card games.
Chapters include:
Absolute Beginners -The Game Unveiled - The Scoring - The Shape of the Hand - The Bidding-Positions at the Table - Opening and Responding - Supporting Partner - Competitive Bidding - Conventions - No Trump Contracts - Suit Contracts - Finesses - Etiquette - Scoring-Basic Rules
With valuable advice on evaluating hands, working with your partner, and even spotting cheating, Bridge for Beginners is the only guide a novice will ever need.
Customer Reviews:
A great introductory guide to Acol bridge.......2006-03-27
The best introductory book on ACOL bridge I have yet encountered. Clear and concise explanations of bidding and play strategies and the reasoning behind them, logical sequencing and helpful "Briefing" summaries at the end of key chapters. Thoroughly recommended.
Book Description
With the renewed interest in the WSOP and Texas Hold-Em poker, online poker rooms have become the easiest way for the average player to get in the game. Online poker generates billions of dollars a year. Millions are playing and millions are lost every day. When playing poker live, an experienced player coupled with a little luck is a winning hand. But when playing online, rampant cheating and endless numbers of bad players make the luck factor the deciding factor. This book will let you understand the two different games being played, comparing live play to online play. What No One Else Is Saying About Online Pokerhighlights how the internet has changed the game into a free for all that could bring even the most experienced professional poker player to his knees, begging for mercy. What No One Else Is Saying About Online Poker is the tell all book about online poker. Topics: . Research the ins and outs of the industry and how the internet has changed the game forever. . Understand why online poker rooms are spending millions to detect cheating. . Learn the different types of cheating taking place in today's online poker rooms and how to recognize it. . Uncover the truths and rumored myths of online poker. . Learn exactly where online poker rooms and the players stand concerning the new bill passed into law on October 13,2006:"The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006". . Arm yourself with the knowledge to compete and discover if you can even afford trying. Author Carl Varrone, a successful business owner and poker enthusiast began his research for What No One Else Is Saying About Online Pokerin 1998. His curriculum included reading numerous books and firsthand experiences in casino poker rooms learning to master the game. When poker rooms started popping up on the internet, Varrone found himself playing online every chance he could. Through his years of playing and research he was compelled to write this book. Every person playing online poker or considering it should learn from his experiences before getting in on the action.
Book Description
The I Am One tarot is a deck of cards based on the ancient school of tarot that was last used in Egypt during the late eighteenth dynasty. It is a traditional continuity of the ancient Egyptian and Hebrew schools and is a full 78 card deck. The Major Arcana cards have almost completely new titles, but those familiar with tarot will recognize similarities. Gorgeous artwork and informative text that appears right on the cards makes this deck easy to read and use. The text on the cards and in the booklet come in three languages, English, Spanish, and French.
Customer Reviews:
For the Professional!/Visionaryprophetdaniel.......2007-09-29
This is a beautifully crafted deck as well as unique. Major Arcana are renamed in numerical order 1 through 21 plus 0"The Nameless One". The Minor Arcana are arranged differently:The Courts are 4 each as authority cards having dominion over the numbered pips to each suit with each its own color code.Blue Curved Blades/Swords;Red Two Headed Serpent/Wands;Green Pear of Tears/Cups;Yellow Stone of Age/Coins. Maya has created a special 22 card spread called "The Spiral" which is specifically for this deck. In my Professional Spread Book(under 2nd revision now-not available) I created a very complexed 11 card Kabbalah/Sephiroth Spread;Star of David Spread;Equal Armed Cross Spread in which layouts I use these Kits/decks:Tarot of the Sephiroth;72 Names of God;Tarot of the Golden Stairs by Tavaglioni; and now I add 4th to these: I Am One Tarot. However, let's not stop there! Let's add One more spread: The Spiral. Most professionals know the Tree of Life or the Kabbalah,Cabala,Qabala. Acquire this set for accurate readings...Shalom...Blessings
Average customer rating:
- Weak book on solitaire
- Solid Collection of One Person Games
|
World's Best Card Games for One
Sheila Anne Barry
Manufacturer: Sterling Pub Co Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0806986360 |
Customer Reviews:
Weak book on solitaire.......2002-06-09
I collect books on solitaire. I would not recommend this
to anyone but a collector -- there are much better books
in print, such as Morehead and Mott-Smith's "The Complete
Book of Solitaire and Patience Games" or Parlett's
"Teach Yourself Card Games for One". Barry claims to
have selected the best games in her book, but it is still
littered with junk like Auld Lang Syne (a virtually
unwinnable game with no skill). The descriptions are
often incomplete and occasionally wrong (her description
of Pyramid, allowing cards to be used a second time after
being discarded, is nonsensical). She describes Storehouse
as a minor variant of Canfield; it's actually a forerunner
where cards are packed in suit. She rates games by
amount of space used (an interesting feature) and level
(it's not clear if this is supposed to be win rate, in
which case many of the ratings are wrong, or something
else). Myron Miller's illustrations are nice, but the
book has little else to recommend it, either in selection
of games, or clarity and accuracy.
Solid Collection of One Person Games.......2000-05-11
This book makes no attempt to be comprehensive in its listing of solitaire games, but the games it does describe are described in large print, with diagrams, and examples for the games that are not so obvious. This was useful to me as some of the more comprehensive books (and web-sites) keep the directions minimal. Certainly a good buy at this price.
UPDATE: This book is now published under the title GREAT SOLITAIRE GAMES.
Customer Reviews:
Warning: very challenging material.......2006-09-07
I have studied Computer Engineering, Mathematics and law; I also gamble for a living. That said, this is the most challenging gambling book I have ever read. The concepts in sequence tracking are a hundred times as difficult as card-counting (which are trivially easy for anyone who has done it).
The mathematics explaining why certain ideas work become progressively more complicated. By the time you are halfway through the 129 pages of the main book, each line of mathematical analysis requires concentrated effort to follow. I did not check for errors at that point, but I saw no fallacies in the first 70 pages.
Despite the difficulty of the material, these techniques look promising from a mathematical point of view. Unfortunately, there are fewer than 400 people in the U.S. with the mathematics and general gambling skills required to benefit from it. It is a fascinating book, but incomprehensible to most people.
If you are thinking about buying it, you should be able to 1. Easily count cards, and 2. have a good understanding of slug tracking. If you cannot master those first two areas, this book will be beyond you.
Where's the beef? .......2005-05-04
Blackjack Ace Prediction by David McDowell is NOT what it's cracked up to be. Not by a long shot. It promises to reveal a surefire method for beating casino blackjack by using the powerful underground technique of Ace sequencing. It promises to do that -- but it never quite delivers. The flavor is there. The aroma is there. The smoke is certainly there. But the beef is nowhere to be found. Blackjack Ace Prediction by David McDowell will NOT get the money. In fact, utilizing the Ace sequencing system presented in the book, you'd be lucky to be playing even with the house. The problem is in McDowell's fuzzy math. His basic approach is sound, and Ace sequencing when done properly DOES work. But McDowell does not really know how to properly do it. And the math he provides to back up his inflated claims is riddled with logic holes big enough to drive a Hummer through. He makes many fundamental logic errors in his probability calculations that reveal he does not have a grasp of the basic math of advantage play. He has clearly bitten off far more than he can chew. The real mystery for me is why this book has apparently been glowingly endorsed by some of the most renowned names in blackjack, such as Ed Thorp, Stanford Wong, and Don Schlesinger. People of this caliber not only know the relevant math, in some cases they actually WROTE it, which makes their endorsements of Blackjack Ace Prediction all the more incomprehensible. Go figure.
Early Draft Reviews and Description - Publisher submitted.......2004-08-05
Publisher submitted early draft reviews and description:
DESCRIPTION:
The Art of Advanced Location Strategies for the Casino Game of Twenty-One! With a foreword by Michael Dalton. Cover art by Abigail Kamelhair. The winning blackjack technique known as Ace Prediction, Ace Tracking, Sequence Tracking or Key Carding remained the closely guarded secret of a handful of high-stakes professional blackjack players for more than 20 years. Ace prediction can be extremely profitable given the right conditions. Here it is folks -- the complete scoop on this mathematically valid and proven blackjack winning technique. Sequence trackers will find in this book the author's own formula for identifying the profitable games. The author begins the book by studying all known published references on the subject. Chapter 2 examines aspects of non-random shuffling. Chapter 3 is the author's own analysis of non-random shuffling using a statistical procedure provided by Ed Thorp. Chapter 4 tells how to identify and exploit weaknesses in casino shuffles. Chapter 5 offers practical advice on locating Aces in shuffled decks. Chapter 6 explains how to predict Aces during the game. Chapter 7 deals with the calculation of mathematical expectation using simple formulas. Chapter 8 gives advice on bet sizing, probability of ruin, return and risk. Finally, the tables at the end of the book will be useful for making your own analyses of shuffles. Intermixed in the author's exhaustive presentation are some exciting personal stories from the pits.
REVIEWS:
"David McDowell has written the best book of the new millennium on blackjack advantage play, by quite some distance. The book is a rare combination of creative innovation and intellectual rigour, qualities found in some of the more talented gambling authors but very rarely both together. In time I will believe it will be held up as a blackjack classic second only to Thorp's seminal "Beat The Dealer".
"The book covers the art of blackjack sequencing, a dark art that even very few gambling professionals truly understand, let alone have mastered. The basic method involves memorizing a string of cards hoping that their order will be partially maintained by the shuffle. Under optimal conditions, this can give you an advantage a card counter could only dream of. The method is both completely legal [and] very difficult to detect."
"Although writers like myself, David Morse and Arnold Snyder have hinted at the possibilities of sequencing, McDowell is the first writer to completely explain all of the fine detail required to predict aces successfully, and in a stroke render all other writings on the subject obsolete. Every piece of information you could possibly need to use this extremely powerful technique is contained within. There is no waffle, though the book also uses some entertaining stories by way of illustrating the techniques therein, and is surprisingly readable given the scientific and dry nature of the basic subject matter. The book is worth several hundred times its cover price, and is an essential purchase for the intelligent gambler, particulary those who like to travel, where ace prediction techniques can be used with devastating effect."
--- John May -- author of the books Baccarat for the Clueless and Get the Edge at Blackjack
"With his compelling Blackjack Ace Prediction, David McDowell, a relative unknown in the blackjack world, bursts onto the scene in impressive fashion. His scholarly approach to the subject, replete with enlightening illustrations and copious footnotes, is a joy to read. I have a feeling that the relatively small group of players already aware of the techniques that McDowell describes are not going to be happy that he has gone 'mainstream' with the information. This is a well-researched treatise, and I'm happy to recommend it to serious students of the game."
--- Don Schlesinger - author of the book Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros' Way
"Thorp didn't want to publish on Ace location, and my chapter on the subject is short for the same reason. Nevertheless, here it is, 160 pages in plain English, and worth its weight in flawless diamonds. Blackjack Ace Prediction is the fire from the dragon's mouth, bound to burn unsuspecting tables around the world. This book is a total must-have for the serious blackjack player."
--- Rob McGarvey - author of the book Aces and Faces Blackjack
"If you are interested in how to beat casinos by analyzing non-random shuffling, you will find David McDowell's Blackjack Ace Prediction an interesting and enjoyable read."
--- Ed Thorp - author of the best selling book Beat the Dealer.
"David McDowell's Blackjack Ace Prediction is the most authoritative book on the subject. Many will consider his work as the final chapter in advantageous blackjack play - as the cat has finally been let out of the bag."
--- Michael Dalton - author of the Encyclopedia of Casino Twenty-One and editor of the Blackjack Review Network
"Blackjack Ace Prediction offers a scholarly treatment of the subject with pragmatic potential for increasing profits for the serious blackjack player. David McDowell, the author, and Michael Dalton, the publisher are to be congratulated for this important addition to our knowledge of blackjack."
--- Lance Humble - senior author of The World's Greatest Blackjack Book
"Blackjack Ace Prediction is a winner. It will, no doubt, prove to be the best work on ace tracking published to date."
--- Steve Forte - author of the book Read the Dealer and the Gambling Protection Series videos
"Does shuffling a deck of cards put them into random order? Not exactly. This book explains how to follow particular cards through the shuffle to have a much-better-than-guessing chance of predicting when they will be dealt. This skill is particularly valuable when used to predict aces at blackjack. David McDowell discusses the work that has already been done on ace prediction by other people, and makes his own contributions to the topic. All in all, an interesting work."
--- Stanford Wong - author of the book Professional Blackjack
"McDowell's book is well researched and represents a wonderful compendium of all the important work relating to non-random shuffling and its effects on the game of blackjack. Probably the best book on Ace prediction today, and an interesting read to boot."
--- Robert Hannum, Ph.D. - Dept. of Statistics & Operations Technology, University of Denver
"David McDowell provides an interesting example of how the game of blackjack can still be exploited by the knowledgeable player. He does an excellent job integrating statistical inference with advantage play theory, and interesting gaming stories. This book is a must read for any player interested in assaulting the casinos by locating and tracking those valuable aces."
--- Bill Zender - author of the book Card Counting for the Casino Executive
"[Blackjack Ace Prediction] is the most comprehensive work on the subject I have ever read. As an advantage player and gaming risk consultant I have an extensive advantage play library. I have one shelf with books that, in my opinion, are the very best at covering their chosen subject - I have made room for one more. I don't think this book will do too much damage to AP's - it is brilliant, but like Grosjeans book and Arnold's Cookbook, you have to read it - casino people are unlikely to put in the effort; that's why they're casino people."
--- Michael Barnett - Surveillance Technology, Perth, Western Australia
Book Description
Learn Bridge in One Hour by Samir Riad will show you a new way to learn a complex game in ten easy steps. The key to success is learning while you play. You don't have to memorize anything at first, just use the reference tables provided in each section to guide you through bidding, scoring, and playing the hand. You'll quickly learn the basics of the game. George Washington played bridge and now you can, too. Appropriate for all ages, the author hopes to induct a whole new generation of players into the fun game of bridge.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent starter.......2007-03-09
Gives a novice a good start to learning bridge. Is easy to understand.
Bridge .......2007-03-02
Bridge can be a daunting game. This book helped to take that fear away and get me started. OK - maybe you won't be playing like a pro in one hour - but the most important thing is to get started and then practice. This book takes you by the hand with step by step instructions and photos to make it easy. Bridge is a challenging, complicated, and intellectual game and it was intimidating for me. Not anymore - thanks to this author!!!
Search No More!.......2007-01-23
Hooray! I have searched for a book like this for a long time! I have examined quite a large number of books that purport to teach Bridge, but I have always found them confusing and obtuse in their delivery. 'Learn Bridge in One Hour' is entirely different. It not only delivers the goods, but does so in a light and engaging style.
I think it's greatest strength is that it breaks the game down into essentials and delivers them in bite-sized pieces so that the ideas are easily digested. The book is aptly named, as a new player really can truly begin to play the basic game in only an hour. This allows the learner to feel successful and so creates a pleasurable experience in learning and playing the game right from the start. As common sense would suggest, if you like something, you will want to do it again.
Thank you Mr Riad. I love your book. You have created a wonderful way to 'step' into the fun of the game with easy, clear steps. My search is over!
This book is great!.......2007-01-17
So many other books make bridge seem extremely complicated. This book makes it easy to learn and have fun, while making sure readers have a sound base of the fundamentals. After reading it myself, I bought copies for my friends and family.
This will get you playing the game FAST!.......2007-01-04
I tried to learn bridge several times and gave up. The game always seemed so complicated. What I liked about this book was that it got me playing fast. After just the first couple chapters, I was totally motivated to keep going. I just wanted to know enough to start playing with my friends and family. This book and some hands-on playing was all I needed to get started. It may not be the standard way of teaching bridge (as the other reviewer noted), but it certainly is the easiest way I've come across and it finally got me in the game. I strongly recommend this book for beginners.
Average customer rating:
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Bridge Strategy at Trick One
Fred L. Karpin
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
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Binding: Paperback
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