Gambling Books

Dr. Crowder's earlier edition of this book was the first book on gambling that I purchased when I became interested in playing video poker. That was several years ago and several royal flushes later I can attest that his approach to gaming is "right on the money." Crowder not only gives sensible, direct advice to new gamblers, but his views on money management and making the most of comps, coupons, and special offers are of interest to even those of us who have gambled for years. He also has a unique way of spinning a yarn, which makes his personal anecdotes pleasurable to read. A must buy for any gambler or anyone thinking about some casino fun.

I read Dr. Crowder's previous book; "Casino Gambling for Fun and Profit" and I thought that book was well written, easy to understand and very usefull. I do enjoy gambling, however I am not a professional gambler. This 2nd Edition is a perfect addition to the 1st. Included in this edition, that was not in the 1st, were a few other very popular video poker games; Bonus Jacks or Better, Double-Double Bonus Poker and Bonus Poker Deluxe. Dr. Crowder does a great job at explaining the play and the strategy of these games.

This book is a must have for all gamblers be they professional or recreational.

Reviewed by Kirkus Discoveries: "A clinical psychologist turned professional casino gambler reveals the secrets of his success.

For some, gambling is an obsession; for others, it's a recreational hobby. For those, like the author, who fall somewhere in between, there are ways to minimize losses and maximize success while enjoying the simple act of playing different games. Crowder focuses his advice on casino games such as blackjack and video poker, games that allow smart, controlled gamblers to make gains in the long run. He walks would-be gamblers step-by-step through basic strategy, which he defines as "the best possible play of any given dealt hand based on the player's hand and dealer's up-card in blackjack, and the cards dealt in video poker." He also presents his personal "cycle strategy," a method of gambling that helps curtail losses while still allowing players to take advantage of hot streaks. In addition to a few math lessons and some number crunching that provides evidentiary support for his advice, the author also provides particularly helpful sections that discuss the fringe benefits of gambling, such as player's clubs, cash back, coupons, comped rooms and meals, drawings and more. He contends that even on unlucky gambling trips, taking advantage of these offers can offset losses and even turn net losses into gains. The author's enthusiasm for the subject matter is palpable, though his lengthy descriptions of his own gambling trips, while occasionally enlightening and entertaining, generally detract from the otherwise direct flow of the book. While casual gamers aren't likely to be as interested in reading the book as they are in getting to the craps table and taking advantage of the free drinks, the tips and strategies presented here will prove highly useful for those looking to profit from trips to the casino.

Indispensable for serious recreational gamblers."

I agree with these other reviewers wholeheartedly. I'm learning the classical Chinese version, as we are about to adopt our daughter from China, and wanted something of her culture to pass on to her. In reading this book as a newbie, it has been a great help in starting to understand the game. But it's definitely not for beginners only - quite a bit of what is discussed is over my head as a newcomer to the game, and would be more clearly understood by moderate and advanced players. Something in it for everyone, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in mahjong.

Note regarding shipping - I purchased it through the Amazon website from a seller named caiman_com. I selected expedited media mail, and it took WEEKS to get here from England (I believe), so if you need the book in a hurry, carefully check the shipping options offered by sellers.

A. D. Millington's "The Complete Book of Mah-Jongg" is by far the most comprehensive, lucid and readable book on the classical Chinese version of the game I have found. I recommend Millington for thoughtful, complete organization of material, thoroughness of presentation, wealth of detail, and engaging writing style.

Millington deals exhaustively with the form of the game as played earlier in the 20th century in China, and then places into historical/developmental context the rule variations and other current national forms of the game as dealt with by such authors as Strauser & Evans, Kanai & Farrell, Eleanor Whitney, David Li, Dieter Kohnen, and Thompson & Maloney. Many of these authors deal with the Chinese form of the game to a greater or lesser extent (Li's book is also devoted to it), and Millington is even cited in bibliographies. Millington's discussion, however, fills in gaps and answers many questions that one may still have after reading these various other authors (not only questions in regards the Chinese game, but also about Western versions).

Millington's introductory chapter alone is worth the price of the book, dealing as it does with the intellectual challenges of Mah Jongg play, its similarites and differences to other great games like Bridge, a rationale for pursuing the form of the game as played in China in the second decade of the last century, and a discussion of what should actually constitute the "ideal form" of the game to play.

Preliminaries and procedural elements of play are dealt with step by logical step. A most comprehensive and readable catalogue of rules is provided and later cross indexed in tabular form. Scoring is cogently but thoroughly explained. A chapter on the elements of luck and skill and the interaction of these elements in successful play is both delightful and informative (points mentioned are, however, developed much further in E.N. Whitney's strategy discussions in "A Mah Jong Handbook"). Information about tile design, forms of counting sticks and other accessories, and very detailed discussion of procedural variations within the Chinese game itself are all also presented.

In addressing issues of Mah Jongg's philosophy and symbolism and its historical development Millington provides a vivid account of Chinese culture, key persons in its evolution in China, an account of the entrepeneurial Americans who first introduced the game to the West, and abundant arcana about early "proto-Mah Jongg" games that finally coalesced into the standard game based on the 144 tile set.

Millington's magisterial evaluation of variant forms that have developed since Mah Jongg was first introduced to the West in the 1920s convincingly argues for the superiority of the classical Chinese game. This evaluation provides a wealth of detail illustrating how variations of play have actually changed the fundamental character of the game as well.

Upon completion of this volume the reader will not only understand the Chinese game in much greater depth, but, having gained a deeper cultural, historical, and scholarly context for understanding other versions - Japanese, Richii, early and "New" American, British - of the game, the reader/player will be ready to adapt to these other forms of the game with greater understanding, fluency, and ease. Millington's case for the classical Chinese form, however, is made with such sagacity, clarity, and brilliance that other versions of the game pale before the brightness of its exposition.

Millington's work is probably the best I have come across that explains Mah Jongg as it was played before Babcock and a whole slew of American players f*cked it up. It goes into great detail in the rules for play. While there is no extensive section on strategy--only a brief one--it does have a fascinating section on the history of the game, and a brief description of several variations. Read the directions in detail. It may look a little overwhelming but once you've read it you'll be an expert in Mah Jongg forever and have a thorough knowledge of all the rules of the game.

From basic fundamentals to winning strategies, Dr. Skaff leads players of any level to a greater understanding of the game. The fundamentals, including odds and probability are clearly explained so the rules are easy to follow. If you have ever wondered about the science behind successful odds strategies you have to read this book! Then he goes beyond the basics to explore different strategies of play.

Some of the best parts of the book are the examples. Many books stop when a rule is stated, but Dr. Skaff goes beyond that to show several examples in actual situations describing exactly how that rule will play out, giving the reader a much deeper understanding. You get hours of learning experience without having to learn it the hard way. You will learn winning strategies as well, based upon hard science which will maximize your chances of success. Betting strategies are also covered.

Overall this is a great book. Read it, play with patience and you will enjoy craps like never before.

Dr. Skaffs book is great for the beginning or experienced player. This book will help players of all levels and has a number of points and strategies which makes this book insightful and beneficial. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in craps!

As a frequent player of craps, I find Dr. Skaff's book easy to read and understand. It has been especially helpful in minimizing my losses and his strategies have helped to maximize my wins. The color photographs are great as well as the playing lessons. I highly recommend this book to players at all levels.

A very funny comedy about a group of guys that join together to play poker. Mugsy is the heart of the comedy and will give you a lot of fun even though you may ignore the poker jargon used throughout the play.

An exceptionally well crafted play about six poker players, each with their own demons, "Dealer's Choice" is a profound study of not just compulsion but how we mix emotion, desire and hope into decisions that on the surface should be purely rational. Although "Dealer's Choice" is a dark play, Marber skillfully mixes comedy into the drama without diminishing it.

Given its accolades - 1995 Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy and the Writer's Guild Award for Best West End Play, along with rave reviews in the US - I wonder why I had to use a bookseller in England to get my copy.

An exceptionally well crafted play about six poker players, each with their own demons, "Dealer's Choice" is a profound study of not just compulsion but how we mix emotion, desire and hope into decisions that on the surface should be purely rational. Although "Dealer's Choice" is a dark play, Marber skillfully mixes comedy into the drama without diminishing it.

Given its accolades - 1995 Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy and the Writer's Guild Award for Best West End Play, along with rave reviews in the US - I wonder why I had to use a bookseller in England to get my copy.

Price is back with a fast-moving, exciting story with his continuing character Chad Belmontes and Chad's feisty financee Cassie Wong. I really admire her courage in dealing with the gangsters. There is no putting this book down. I live on a Pacific Island, and I took the book with me to a fiesta, on a fishing boat, and had my wife drive us to a wedding, so I could finish the last three chapters on the road. If you want a close-up look at American-Chinese crime, and some romance and mystery, and some shooting and dead bodies, this is the book for you. Now that Chad has retired from the police, and getting married, what's his next move?

This is a wonderfully imaginative mystery, which rapidly unfolds into a fast-pace action filled story. It's a commendable debut sequel to 'Lair of the Dragon,' and I'm surprised this author did not receive more recognition as a new mystery writer upon publication of his first book. Although 'Dragon's Ghost' does read well without having read the first book, I recommend reading 'Lair of the Dragon' first, which captures the personalities of the characters. And by the time one begins the sequel, he knows the players quite well. A good read that you won't want to put down until the very end.

Once again, Frederick Price has written a galvanizing book. I started reading, and couldn't stop. This book is a roller coaster that never slows down. Action, suspense, mystery ... it's all there in Dragon's Ghost. Price is a consummate story teller and his characters are believable and captivating. I haven't enjoyed a book the much in a very long time.

I actually used to work at Harrah's. I saw this book in one of the casino bookstores while heading into work one day. I was enticed to read it because these events took place in my backyard. This area has grown much over the years and it's always changing. From my understanding the book is only published by the Nevada history center(UNR) so it might be hard to find a copy. I understand Bill's passion for this industry, but even if you don't it's still a great book. There are very entertaining anecdotes. There is one in particular about the Jerrari that I found hillarious. I've seen the Jerrari but the description doesn't even begin to explain how it looks in person. I would think that anyone who has heard of Harrah's or has an intrest in Casinos would enjoy this.

This is a fascinating story told in the words of a great collection of people who "were there." Former wives, dealers, PR types, executives, many from the '40s and '50s offer candid insights and memories that illustrate the complexity, and at times the profound sadness, of Bill Harrah's life.

Casino cheating (by owners, employees, and customers!), evolution of gambling machines, promotional stunts, big name entertainment, and the famed auto collection are covered extensively.

My only reservation (a minor one) is that Harrah's subsidized some of the production costs of the book which probably had some editorial impact. For example, embarassing or critical material is typically played down. (No interviews here of disgruntled competitors or former employees) Please do not let this comment keep you from reading "Every Light", it is great!

This oral history about William Harrah is excellent. I believe the manner in which Kling interviewed all of the people gives you a inside edge to understanding more how the gaming business was run in the early years, and how Harrah help to create a successful industry. This book is definitly worth reading!

A renowned anthropologist, writing on magic, science, and religion, suggested that human beings are most likely to engage in magical beliefs and "religious" rituals when the stakes are important, their control is limited, the risk is considerable, and the outcome is uncertain. FENG SHUI, CRAPS, AND SUPERSTITIONS, to me, is a refreshing addition to this line of thinking. In his new publication, Wilfrido M. Sy, MD, offers unusual insights into the popular Eastern art, the Western dice game, and the universal practice. The book is delightful with its humorous accounts, and thought-provoking in its observations and reflections. I read it with much pleasure and deep interest.

Dr. Sy has outdone himself in using Feng Shui to help crapshooters. Although, I cannot play this game I'm sure it will help those who do. With his backround in Asian Martial Arts and his love for the casino he knew his subject very well. The great way he explains this process was always through experience and not of theory. Great Accomplishment Dr. Sy and I'm hopeful for more to come!

A lifetime of experience at the craps tables meets the Martial Way head-on in Dr. Sy's groundbreaking new book, Feng Shui, Craps, and Superstitions - The Martial Arts Approach to Winning at Craps.

Are some casinos luckier for players than others? How about the dice tables themselves? Are some better than others? And why is it that some players are natural hot shooters while others are natural coolers? It's all about "energy," and no one explains it better than Willy Sy.

If you've ever played craps seriously, you'll be nodding your head in agreement as you read this book.

Highly recommended.

Steve "Heavy" Haltom

Continued---I scored four "Yes" answers on the Gambler's Anonymous COMPULSIVE GAMBLING 20 Questions list at the end of the book. I enjoyed every word, from The Gambler's Lament (from Rig Veda, ancient Sanskrit text) to Dostoyevsky/Sigmund Freud to Meyer Lansky to Kate Pullinger. Do NOT buy it... unless you love gambling. I loved it

This book is unique, written for those who love everything about gambling. It is a magnificent, lavish, gift for someone you know who loves gambling. The 144 page hardbound book is a composite of gambling information from all over the world including excerpts from famous gambling literary references. Kate Pullinger's first person account of Las Vegas is from the woman's point of view (feminist without being a feminist). Men and women, both, MUST read Kate Pullinger's passage detailing the thoughts and feelings of the five women she interviewed in Las Vegas casinos. Quote: "All the women I meet in Las Vegas agree on one thing: they all say 'Vegas is the only place where I feel I can go by myself.'... A place where women can stay out all night without worrying about their personal safety..."Kate Pullinger's "A Gambling Box" (1993) was a gift from my wife. I am a gambling enthusiast. Mostly I like to play. But I also love to read about GAMBLING. I scored four "YES" answers o

This book is unique, written for those who love everything about gambling. It is a magnificent, lavish, gift for someone you know who loves gambling. The 144 page hardbound book is a composite of gambling information from all over the world including excerpts from famous gambling literary references. Kate Pullinger's first person account of Las Vegas is from the woman's point of view (feminist without being a feminist). Men and women, both, MUST read Kate Pullinger's passage detailing the thoughts and feelings of the five women she interviewed in Las Vegas casinos. Quote: "All the women I meet in Las Vegas agree on one thing: they all say 'Vegas is the only place where I feel I can go by myself.'... A place where women can stay out all night without worrying about their personal safety..."Kate Pullinger's "A Gambling Box" (1993) was a gift from my wife. I am a gambling enthusiast. Mostly I like to play. But I also love to read about GAMBLING. I scored four "YES" answers o

I HAVE BEEN AN INSTRUCTOR FOR 8 YEARS AND THIS IS NOW ONE OF THE REQUIRED BOOKS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN MY TRAINING CLASS FOR NEW DEALERS. AT MY SUGGESTION A LOCAL POKER ROOM HAS INCLUDED THIS AS THEIR RULE BOOK AND ALL SUPERVISORS ARE REQUIRED TO USE IT. THIS BOOKS HAS COMPREHENSIVE UP TO DATE RULES. AS WE KNOW RULES MAY CHANGE FROM ROOM TO ROOM, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS CLOSE TO STANDARD THE POKER ALMANAC HAS IT ALL. TDA RULES, ROBERTS RULES, GAMES, AS WELL AS A GREAT UP TO DATE GLOSSARY. THIS BOOK IS AN ASSET FOR TRAINING NEW DEALERS. I USE THIS AND THE PROFESSIONAL DEALER'S HANDBOOK AS A REQUIREMENT TO PURCHASE.

This is a concise encyclopedia of the rules for poker. The Official Rules will particularly appeal to novices as it explains the nature of the cardroom, the equipment integral to the game, and hand rankings. Much of it is based on Robert's (Bob Ciaffone's) Rules of Poker and is elaborated upon by the author. It provides an introduction to the game as well by experienced player, Kelli Mix. The various styles of games are also discussed: limit, spread limit, no limit, and pot limit. The text covers just about everything including seven card stud high low and deuce-to-seven high low. The explanation of tournament rules is valuable because, as those of us who watch HSP already know, tournaments and cash games are entirely different animals. It even tells you what should be done with the "odd chip" in casino games. I appreciated the definition of "kill pots" and wish I would have read it before I began playing in kill limit games online, lol. This is definitely something I could have really used back in 2004 when I first began learning about the game.

Game Day highly recommends this book as the standard poker book for use during all types of poker games. This book is especially helpful to players in home games of poker, where it is important to have a way to resolve rules disputes quickly and amicably.

We at Game Day saw that there was something missing in the current field of poker books: a standard poker rule book. Before we published the Official Rules of Poker, the only authorities on the rules of poker was Scarne and Hoyle, which were written in the Nineteenth Century. The game has changed, especially in the last ten years, and we realized that it was important to have a Twenty-First Century rule book.

When we put out the word that we were looking for an editor and for such a book, Kelli Mix came forward. Ms. Mix, or "Poker Mom" as she is known at the poker table, eagerly took up the challenge of gathering and writing the rules to suit the modern game of poker. This turned out to be a gargantuan task. Ms. Mix researched each rule, making sure that they were found in at least five independent sources. Mix turned out to be a wonderful choice as editor and author of the Game Day Poker Almanac Official Rules of Poker.

Mix is a professional poker player. She is still under most poker players radar, but she is quietly climbing the ranks of tournament poker players (she finished 11th in the 2007 World Series of Poker Texas Hold 'Em Women's tournament in a field of more than 1,200 players). However, she is more likely to be found at cash games, playing high stakes.

The Official Rules of Poker includes all the rules of poker, from the most basic hand rankings to the most obscure tournament rules.

Contents:
1: Elements of Poker. This chapter covers the most basic rules of poker, and also describes the way poker is played in casino card rooms. Mix wrote these rules in a way that makes them easy to use while playing a game.

2: Professional Poker Rules. These rules cover more of mechanical means of acting in a poker game, giving the finer definitions of what constitutes a raise, a call or a fold. They also discuss the penalties of rules infractions. There are four parts to this chapter.

a) Robert's Rules of Poker. These rules were written by professional poker player and authority, Bob Ciaffone, as a standard set of rules of cash games in casino card rooms. While local laws may require changes to these rules, and some casinos use their own rules, these rules are often cited as the official set of rules in professional play.

b) Robert's Rules of Poker for Private Games: This is Ciaffone's "Robert's Rules of Poker" which he adopted to home games where no impartial dealer or floorperson is present.

c) Poker Tournament Director's Association Rules (TDA Rules). Each year, the Professional Poker Tournament Directors Association updates its rules, which most casinos and poker leagues use as their official rule book in tournament play. Tournament rules add a new layer of rules to poker, as tournaments are about eliminating players, not about accumulating money.

d) World Series of Poker Rules: The World Series of Poker is considered the premier poker tournament event. Due to its sheer size and commercialism, the rules for WSOP tournaments are different than TDA rules. Many poker leagues use WSOP rules instead of TDA rules, as the WSOP rules are more popular among those who learned poker from television.

3: Poker Etiquette. There are types of behavior frowned upon in poker games, due to the fact that poker is a highly competitive game and may involve large sums of money. In some games of poker, violating etiquette may result in ejection from the game.

4: Variant Poker Games. Includes 69 different versions of poker, including 5-Card Draw, 5-Card Stud, Cincinnati, Chicago, Baseball, Anaconda, Mexican Stud, Chinese Poker, Iron Cross, Guts, English Stud, Kansas City Lowball, California Lowball, Pineapple,Spit, Three-Card Draw, and the ever-hilarious Indian Poker. Also includes rules for declaring wild cards and using jokers. WhIle professional poker players and casino card rooms will never play most of these games, home games are notorious for playing "dealer's choice" where the dealer chooses which of the many variations of poker will be played that hand. (Note: Mix and I had a really good time finding out about all of these games.)

5: Glossary. Again, Mix was very thorough in her research. Poker terminology is highly colorful and is a lingo all its own. from the Nuts to the Fish. Mix used multiple sources, as there are many local poker terms and terms used that do not last more than a few months. She excludes popular names for two-card Texas Hold 'Em hands, purposefully, although we plan to have a separate glossary for hand names in future editions. Still, this is one of the most complete glossaries I have seen in a poker book anywhere.

6. Index: Okay, I did the index. I believe that indexes should be thorough, and so I did my best to make the index easy to use in the heat of play. Still, this was a fairly easy index to create, as Mix's presentation of the rules and her organization of the material was straightforward, allowing me to easily pick out the rules.

The Official Rules of Poker has been wonderfully received. Professional poker dealers have been clamoring to get this edition. When we released the book at the WSOP 2007 in Las Vegas, the WSOP dealers practically knocked me over trying to get their own copy.

Thank you for considering The Game Day Poker Almanac Official Rules of Poker. I personally hope you will find it to be of great use, and that the book will provide you with years of fun--and fair--poker.

David A. Rozansky
Publisher
Game Day (an imprint of Flying Pen Press)

What is a borderline recluse/retired professor/grandmother doing on an exotic cruise with a bunch of POKER fanatics?. The answer is a story of personal insight seasoned generously with humor. High quality paper and a good readable typeface make this romp enjoyable as well as TRULY FUN to read.

If you like poker, you're going to love Lona's book. But you don't have to like the game to admire the dame, her philosphy (She has a Ph.d in the subject) and her elan! Here is a woman who's found a way to grow old with panache! You may get some valuable tips from her, about poker, family,LIFE! Good for you, Lona Rubenstein! Mekerr

It is a wonderful read:

funny
warm
endearing
smart
uplifting
motivating
human

and it doesn't matter at all if you are into poker or not... what so ever.