Gambling Books

F.N. David explores early perception of and ideas about random variation, starting from games of chance and divination in antiquity. Her view on these is fascinating, as is her interpretation of early signs of the apparition of chance arithmetic in medieval literature. Then she recounts the controversies and the lives of the great scholars of the 16th and 17th centuries, and finally the origins of the first treatises on "problems of chance" between 1650 and about 1750 (ending with de Moivre). Furthermore, an interesting selection of (translated) source material is included in appendices.

F.N. David's book is written in an attractive, narrative style that seems a bit old-fashioned and opinionated at times but never monotonous. Her facts are well documented and her viewpoints are mostly well argued, yet she does not attempt an exhaustive or mathematical treatment. Therefore the book remains very readable and stimulating to the end.

At the end of the book, the idea of statistical inference has yet to emerge. The more monumental work of Stephen Stigler, "The History of Statistics", takes the story up more or less where F.N. David left it, around 1700.

This is the second book I've bought on golf games, the first being The Complete Book of Golf Games. I like this book better than the other one because of how it's organized, plus because it covers many more games. It's organized by the number of players, listing possible games that can be played by that number of golfers. When a game is duplicated, they give instruction of where to find the previous write up.

THE PERFECT INTRODUCTION TO THE ONLY SPORT WITH MORE STATISTICS THAN BASEBALL! THIS BOOK CAN HELP BOTH THE BETTOR WHO THINKS HE KNOWS IT ALL AS WELL AS THE BEGINNER TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE BETTING SYSTEM.
WELL WRITTEN AND ENJOYABLE AS WELL AS INSTRUCTIVE.

This is a reference book for contests. I wish I had purchased it earlier and used the information to enter DRF/NTRA contests. If you are interested in participating in contests this is a must. Mr. Michaels should have an inexpensive way (web site?) of updating his readers annualy or as needed regarding contests. I don't see any reason future contest "books" need to be priced over $10.

This is not a bad book at all.... if you want to learn how to play Pai Gow POKER. However, "Pai Gow" is NOT Pai Gow Poker, and if Pai Gow TILES (the real, original game) is what you're really looking for, you'll have to look elsewhere - such as the excellent book by Michael Musante. If you want to learn Pai Gow POKER, stick to the classic work by Stanford Wong - the only one you'll need.

From the first page, Allen takes you into the mysterious world of pool gambling, from beginner to "drop dead" hustler. Tips, tricks, tactics, counter-tactics and more abound throughout this primer. A must for anyone who can't seem to get out of the pool room

Las Vegas is a unique city in the history of the world in that it was founded by those seeking escape, and exists as a place for those seeking to escape. The latter has created a city built on catering to the desires of other people, which is the topic of this short book. Whether it be gambling, shows, sex, or exotic animals, no other city in human history has so excelled at providing entertainment of so many forms and types in one place at one time. The book examines the different spectacles offered by Las Vegas, with a close eye on the appropriate history, business aspects, and ironies. Each chapter focuses on one specific spectacle; such as art, wildlife, and dance shows. In each, the author traces the development of that spectacle from its origins in Western history to its growth in American culture, and final establishment in Vegas. For each, the author also shows how private and public actors interact to create the final product seen by tourists. All in all, a very interesting and good work. This reviewer has visited Las Vegas twice, and after reading this book, I more fully understand it now and appreciate when went into creating it.

From the perspective of a city planner representing a city considering the "opportunity" of legalized gambling, I had searched for a book that comprehensively tackled the subject from both sides of the difficult issue. This is the first such book that effectively meets that goal. Heretofore, much of what I had read had a particularly biased approach that failed to fairly represent the pros and cons of legalized gambling. This book is a good start, but should be complemented with additional readings and up to date statistics and anecdotes.

As someone who has experienced many of the events depicted in this book, I was very impressed with Johansen's take on a very confusing time in our history. Unlike others who have taken on the subject, he saw through the rhetoric and presented a straight-forward analysis of the Mohawk civil unrest of 1989-1990. Unfortunately, I do not agree that these conflicts are ultimately the fault of industrial polluters who forced Mohawks into smuggling and gambling operations. Individual greed, cultural assimilation, and personal conflicts were just as much to blame. Some might accuse Johansen from being biased toward the anti-gambling faction and "conservative" traditionalists. I also found the book somewhat "distant," as if it happened a hundred years ago, while memories of these very turbulent events are still very much alive to myself and other Mohawks. It is based mainly on newspaper accounts and documents, not on contemporary interviews. I guess we will have to write our own book on the subject to really capture the essence of what it was really like.

There are some great WSOP stories in this book. Some shocking bad beats that we all love to read about. The book has been around since 2000 but it is still a great read of any poker fan. David Spanier is truly a poker pro and reading this book is a benefit to anyone.

Jacob
www.burnandturn.com