Tournaments Books

This is a book replete with every archetypal explorer you can imagine: withstanding brutal temperatures, starvation and disease, dangerous bandits, and scheming governments...and it's all true, with no exaggeration. In the time when the "white spaces" on the map of Central Asia had not yet been filled, the Great Game (as it was called) of struggle for influence and control of these spaces was conducted by remarkable individuals with a wide range of motives. Russia and England were the countries most centrally involved in the Great Game, but many of those who sought for artistic antiquities or to discover lost cities and civilizations, originated in other nations. In the course of this story, the authors show how ancient treasures of (especially Buddhist) origin came to be found and removed to Western museums. This was a mixed blessing, inasmuch as it certainly ensured the existence of irreplaceable works, yet at the same time they were obviously removed from the countries of their origin. Thus does colonialism show its marks upon the world--for better and (more often) for ill.

While the time span covered by the book extends from pre-revolutionary Russia to post-World War II, the greater part of the discoveries and plotting described in its pages occurred well before the second world war. The sad fate of Tibet is shown over a long span of time, and the struggle to maintain (at least) autonomy unfolded alongside the very real need for a strong counterbalance to China's historical claim on that area. This is just one aspect of what is covered in this book, albeit a significant example of how, as the authors had it expressed at the end via an old diplomat's commentary, the Great Game really was a game, one with much contested, but with few prizes.

This book was on a reading list for work, so since I was on my way to Afghanistan for the first time, I picked it up. Afghanistan makes up only a small part of the book, but that didn't cause any disappointment. The book is written to give a good background in the history of India and surrounding areas in the 1800s, but without being too dry and boring. Some of the stories are so unbelievable that it reads like fiction, but quick research shows them to be true.

Very enjoyable reading!

I picked up this book as part of a self-education program designed, hopefully, to fill in some of the blanks in my education. I'm ok with American and European history, but weak on Asian background. The authors attempted an ambitious undertaking, just as the British and Russians did. While they did an admirable job in researching and writing this hefty tome, they failed to properly organize and refine it.

That being said, it is an enormously entertaining story worthy of Kipling, Gilbert & Sullivan or Monty Python. We have Oriental Potentates, Oxford Dons, Russian spies, Asian Mystics, American Missionaries, Viceroys and Vicerines, The Dalai Lama, coolies struggling to carry the personal belongings of the British envoys, and presiding over it all from Britain, Victoria "By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India"

Buried somewhere in all of this Elgar-like Pomp and Circumstance are important lessons for today: the consequences of colonial racism and elitism and the importance of Central Asia with its incalculable natural resources, as well as the tendency of The Great Powers to go where others fear to tread.

The Redux of History - When everyone is dead, the Great Game is finished. Not Before - is neatly summed up in the introduction to this excellent and sweeping history of Central Asia.
This work is well written,highly readable and sweeping in its coverage. It is a story of "preclusive security" as the players struggle for control of buffer states; and ,it is also a story of "Pre-emptive strategy" as the players attempt to control the chess board of this Great Game.
There are lessons to be learned from this book. If one explores this book from the perspective of lessons in "Counterinsurgency",one of the most glaring is the political and military miscalculation of your enemy and not understanding the type of enemy that you are fighting. There is also the failure to fully understand the consequences of your decisions and the resulting "Blow-back" from a failed decision making process.
The book does begin to slow down a bit around Chapter Eighteen but is still worth the time and effort.
I highly recommend this book.

Dr. Terry Tucker
Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan

If you are an admirer of the great explorers, adventurers and opportunists of old you will enjoy the accounts given of this fascinating time and place in history. Meyer and Brysac explain, "The players in the Great Game were men of action, not reflection." It is precisely this reality that made this particular dot on the map of history so intriguing. Each chapter tells short stories of various characters in "The Great Game," ie the furious race for land, glory, and empire in Central Asia during the 19th and early 20th centuries. From William Moorecroft's five year journey to the mysterious city of Bokhara to secret meetings with the Dalai Lama conducted by the spies of various nations, the average reader will walk away from this book with a much greater understanding of the roots of the present day turbulence in the regions of Afghanistan and its neighbors. Though exciting reading, this book has its dry spells which can sometimes be hard to get through. At various points I had to read something else to let my mind rest. For the most part this book paints an amazing picture of real men and their ambitions, secrets and fatal flaws, just be ready to put in some work in order to sift through pages of historical detail in order to find the true gems.

I would say that this book details one of the three fundamental strategies to winning in a poker tournament. You typically have the agressive/loose strategy (play early and play often, get a chip lead, play more hands), and the moderate strategy (limp in early, maintain chip count, and tight play to the end of the tournament), and the conservative (tight, conservative hand selection, and extremely aggressive play when you hit a hand). This book details this last strategy which is in my mind the least talked about and the most difficult strategy to actually follow because it demands unbelievable patience and great resilience (as you will have bad beats). I have used all three strategies in my tournament play with varying success. What I have learned is that whatever strategy you use, you need to get lucky at some point to win. This book details the best and most appropriate long term strategy for winning and allowing luck to help you win. I can say that I enjoyed the book, I knew most of the fundamental hand selection stuff, but the strategy and focus on soft strategy was excellent. Short book, and a quick read by the way, dont expect a manual....

I read the negative reviews and bought the book anyway, so I have no one to blame but myself. There are so few books on tournaments, that there aren't many other choices. I found a few tidbits that were interesting, but overall there was very little useful information in this book. I would have given it 3 stars if it weren't for the mistakes in the tables.

Jouaneh's core strategy is to only play "elite" and "playable" hands. Elite hands are hands that are favored more than 65% against a random hand (AA-TT). Playable hands are hands that are favored more than 60% vs a random hand. The table on pages 4, 5 and 7 (yes it's repeated 3 times, he had to fill those 82 pages somehow), has incorrect percentages for A8, A7,... A2. It makes it appear that AK, AQ,... A2 are all playable hands, where what I believe Jouaneh really meant was that AK-AT are playable hands (I assume this because he put these entries in bold).

To put it another way, the table indicates that A8 is as likely to win as AK; that A7, A6 and A5 are as likely to win as AQ, and that A4, A3 and A2 are as likely to win as AJ (he managed to get A9 correct).

Considering that this table forms the core of his strategy, it is unforgivable that it contains these mistakes. I looked in the front of the book for contact information for the author... nothing. I looked for the publisher... there is none! Here's a self-published book that wasn't proofed very well.

Harrington's book is on the way. Jouaneh's book is on it's way too (to ebay).

Short read and fairly basic for conservative players...

Here's what it comes down too:

The people that gives it 4-5 stars are generally internet
players or usually play with their friends at house games
once a week...they have never stepped into a Casino
poker room...

I'll tell you the secret to winning an online game...unless
you just wanna have fun...just sit on your butt and play
only high cards...you will win consistenly...trust me...

The people that gives it low ratings have read alot of
poker books and been grinding at actual cash tables or
played in multiple tourneys...

They know what it's all about...sure you can play
conservative sometime but there are alot of other
factors to winning in poker...especially at No Limit
Holdem...

Get yourself Harrington's Vol 2...it's a much better
read and teachs you some advance concepts...

I could always spot and internet player at a
cash or tournament live game...it's fairly easy
to make money off them...

This book is solid. Solid in thinking, strategy and execution but too short. I wanted more...and it was not there I almost felt as an airline passenger being instructed by the Tower how to land a plane in an emergency. Good solid advise that will enable you to win a tournament after you read it but does not create the repeatable habits and thinking that is required. It was as if the author was instructing someone how to play in a tournament 1 hour before the tournament. I absolutely loved the soft strategy components but once again, would have liked more. Overall I recommend this book for its pure solid content and unique insight, but once again, would have wanted more than the 80 pages. It is not often you hear a contrarian view, and when you do, you always want more !

I have probably read every single poker book out there with mixed reviews. I have ready many a book, where the strategy for ring games or tournaments sounds great, or is so convoluted that you really can not use the advice in a practical manner. I have found that this book has been the absolute best book for me from a results perspective for No Limit Texas Hold'em tournaments. I was skeptical at first due to the simple strategy, and aggressive approach. I thought that other players (especially online) would recognize my style and simply fold when I play or call a hand. The beauty of this strategy is that you play very few hands, assess your hands appropriately, do not allow yourself to be an early victim in the tournament, and then you are in a prime position to get callers when the chips are at a premium. I have been at the final table 3 times in the last month since I have read this book. At the end of the day, this book gives you the fundaments and you need to have the discipline to actually follow what it says. I would highly recommend it. Just stick to it and do not get fancy !

Arrived on time, condition as described, completely satisfied.
This company has preformed at a level that I have come to expect from Amazon Book Sellers. I have made numerous perches from Amazon over the past two years and I am happy to report that I would not hesitate to purchase additional books from this seller.

When I read this book, I had JUST finished playing my second-ever tournament, which I won. I was amazed to read this book and find that I had intuitively followed nearly every principle in it.

The content here is solid and is directed at those aspiring to play tournaments - not experienced tournament players. However, that content is brought down by Sklanksy's usual difficult writing style.

Bottom Line: worth picking up if you're new to tournament poker. Can probably be skipped otherwise.

This book is kinda average. It has 1 or 2 useful principles like 1) be more willing to bet but less willing to call later in tournaments, and 2) adjust the value of your chips based on how they'll translate into actual $$.

Other than that i thought it was a lot of fluff.

Extremely instructive if you plan on playing tournaments. Note that it covers all forms of poker, not just Hold'em, Omaha, or Stud.

I found myself thiking this could have been so much better.
Sklansky is no doubt the master when it comes to breaking down expert concepts into easily digestible form. His theory of poker and Holdem for Advanced players are absolute must reads. Even the great Harrington relies very heavily on Sklansky concepts in his 3 part series.

However Sklansky really hasn't taken it to the next level in this book like he has in some previous offerings. He highlights some fundamentally important concepts in tournament poker, particularly the gap concept, but then fails to take it further by showing the reader what to do with his new found knowledge.

If your serious about playing tournaments, of course you have to read any offering than Sklansky makes on the subject. But don't expect too much help in applying the concepts he descibes. You'll have to rely on Harrington for that.

I was sorely disappointed by this book. So much so, that I never even finished it. I have devoured most of Feinstein's other books (except for "The Open". But this one just left me snoozing. I was simply amazed at how many times the book repeated previous stories or quotes. And not just once; the same story was repeated 3-4 times in some instances. It's as if the editor or author never read the book as a whole, only in parts.

Some of the stories were interesting, but overall this was not worthwhile.

I'm a college hoops fanatic, from small college to the big boys. I lost interest in the NBA quite some time ago so Feinstein's book was the perfect Christmas gift this year.

I read Feinstein's books for the wonderful tales he tells and his access to coaches, players, and in this book, referrees and committee members. I didn't think I'd be that intrigued with officials and administrators, but both chapters were excellent. I've covered and followed sports my entire life and I never knew how the NCAA selection committee worked until I read this book.

Though John can get a bit obsessed with Carolina and Duke, I did like his access into both programs. I find Roy Williams long journey to a title quite interesting. I'm not usually a Coach K fan, but he brought him to life. Of all the coaches, I found Tom Brennan the most interesting, he actually seemed like a normal guy, unlike some of the other ego-maniacs who lead that profession. And of course, the interviews with the players were excellent as was the insightful look at Bill Bradley and his Princeton years.

I also like how the author takes on the selection committee, big time TV, how the tourney has lost some of its charm, and the NCAA in general. I enjoyed his opinions, though I would've liked to have known just what Rolli Massimino did to get pushed out at Villanova, it's not like those guys have rung up a bunch of national titles to get this odd sense of entitlement. Feinstein never tells us just what Rolli did.

I do agree with some of the criticisms here, mostly the repetitiveness of his stories. I chalk that up to bad editing more than anything. And I believe the book could've closed in on 300 pages instead of 400, again, I believe John needs a new editor. But neither of those complaints were enough to have me downgrade this book.

As a college hoops nut, this was just what the doctor ordered.

Feinstein is one of the top sportswriters around. This book sadly does not showcase those skills.

The book is about the Final Four and the teams that made it in 2005. We get the usual background on players and coaches, but nothing that makes these stories particularly compelling. When I read a sports book, I want the author to take me there and show me the atmosphere or a unique view of the players' lives .

Sadly, this book is like 99% of the sports books out there. Feinstein may once have been great, but he's slipping.

I am an SAT tutor. One of my constant challenges is finding ways to encourage kids to read who'd rather do anything but. Books they actually like are a great first step. Feinstein's stories are gripping and accessible. They'll hook young readers who are more athletic than bookish, ideally making them a little more the latter. And, for anyone gripped by the love of a good sports contest or even just a good story, it's hard not to like Feinstein's works.

Last Dance is a behind the scenes look at the NCAA Final Four. The book is mostly built on reminisces and interviews with coaches, players, and even some announcers about what it's like to get to the Final Four and win a championship. The primary theme of the book is just how important getting to a Final Four is, and winning a National Championship is, for the players and coaches. It's something that for many players is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of team that puts its stamp on college basketball history. Whether a marginal player seeing little action or a star player going on to a successful NBA career, a Final Four appearance and a National Championship are seen as things that are lifetime achievements. And the bitter disappoint of losing in the Final Four lasts a lifetime as well.

For the most part this book is well written and interesting as we hear from players, coaches, and others involved about their experiences in the Final Four. It paints a well rounded picture of what participants go through during the course of the season, but especially during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. While Feinstein does not go into great depth on the history of the Final Four, its history is told throughout the book.

The one criticism this reader has of the book is it appears to be very Duke and North Carolina centric. While maybe that's because they have been to the Final Four so often, it's a bit off putting to be constantly hearing about these two schools at the expense of others who have made the Final Four. And while hearing different perspectives on the Final Four were interesting, there really wasn't anything new here either.

My two favorite sections of the book were about UCLA coach John Wooden and his wife getting a spontaneous standing ovation from the coaches in the lobby at the Final Four and Bill Bradley's thoughts on his Final Four appearance (Bradley was a Princeton and NBA star, later a Senator and presidential candidate). And the most interesting philosophical discussion was the impact of the tournament and a Final Four appearance or winning a championship on coaches. Would great coaches like Roy Williams of North Carolina have an incomplete legacy if they never won a championship? Fair or not, the answer is yes, even though the coaches don't like to say it. The pressure to win and win big is just as hot in college basketball as it is in professional sports, and coaches with great talent at big schools feel the heat. The impact of this pressure on coaches, while discussed in other areas before, was well done in this book. Finally, the hype and hysteria that surround the Final Four today compared to years ago is also interesting to note and how this sea change in attention and hype have affected players and coaches and those gathering for their Final Four appearance is well done.

This is definitely a book worth reading if you are a college basketball fan.

Couldn't put it down. If you're a golfer this is a must read. If you aren't a golfer, but like real drama this is also for you. Feinstein gives you everything you need to understand it all and be intrigued. He's a terrific writer.

I really enjoyed A Good Walk Spoiled and picked this book up when I was looking for something a little less heavy than what I had been reading. Granted, it is an easy read and won't strain your brain. However, my biggest complaint is the constant repeating of facts and anecdotes. This really drove me insane as I can remember something that I had just read a couple of pages back! The player stories just never really "tugged" at me nor made me really care about their stories very much. In retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have expected much lightness when reading about Q School and maybe it really isn't that interesting of an event. The book is OK, but don't expect too much.

Husband opened this book on Christmas morning, and didn't put it down until he finished. He's talked about it ever since, so he must have liked it. Highly recommend this book for those who aspire to improve at golf.

Very good book on golf, one of the best! We gave it as a gift to a golf fan and he loved it!

For several years I have considered John Feinstein to be one of my favorite authors and have read most of his books. His prior golf books were all excellent. He should have stopped, though, with A Good Walk Spoiled trying to characterize Q-school. He did a great job then and a poor job now. I'm beginning to think he's on an annual deadline with his publisher as his last few books have lacked the quality of his earlier ones in an effort to ht a deadline. It was all I could do to finish the book and did only because one of the first stage qualifiers of Q-school will soon be held at our local country club and wanted to get a feel of the pressure from someone who I thought could best articulate it. I should have reread A Good Walk Spoiled. And what's with all the name dropping in the credits. Geez, there must be a lot of famous people that get off seeing their name (again) in print. I'm beginning to enjoy Feinstein more as a radio commentator on NPR than an author.

Please don't support Coach K and his annual mediocre basketball team that wins through quiet help from officals; its a joke and supporting Duke by purchasing this media propaganda only worsens the fact that Arizona should have won that year (not to mention the other fact that Duke should not have been in the national championship game to begin with). I welcome all arguers in support of Duke because the facts say you will lose the argument every single time.

Kind of sappy writing but it was great fun to follow the 2001 year and hear some of Coach K's strategies and his take on each of the players. He described each game from that year and that was fun for me because I remember almost all of them.

I was going to flush this book down a toilet; however, I began to think that flushing the book would be disrespectful to the floating excrement. The only true way to enjoy this book is to rip out the contents, page by page, and then burn each one in effigy. I want to hear about Duke's championship season like I want to hear about a terrorist attack. He opens the book by name dropping, then name dropping some more, followed by name drops. I couldn't make it past the third page before my gag reflex kicked in and I started to salivate. I would soon lose my Chalupa. If you are still interested in reading this book, keep an extra bottle of Kaopectate on hand, as well as an apology letter to your dry cleaner.

I am sorry to admit this book is a fake. The national championship is a Fake also. dook cheated and still cheats to this day. In our team meetings we voted on a team mvp - The Officials. Thanks guys. Thanks Hess, Edsell and the rest of you guys.

Why buy this book, everyone knows that Duke paid the officials in the Maryland game and the Arizona game. The real story should be how the nation was cheated out of the real championship game Maryland v. Arizona.

True, every event just like every person has to some degree a "dark side" this book however fails to truly reveal any concrete evidence and instead relies on the weakest of circumstantial evidence in an attempt to paint the golf tournament as a mirror to the past of the South. Rather than being a scholarly and well balanced approach, this reads more like something out of the National Enquirer. Sampson just goes out of his way to try to make anything associated with Augusta seem in some way wrong or evil. Really an atrociously terrible book, even the writing style couldn't salvage this one. I regret having the misfortune to have purchased and read this one.

Sampson doesn't pretend to write an objective history of Augusta National and the Masters. This book is all about the crabgrass and bare spots in the fairway. Picking and choosing his "facts" and with a colorful writing style, the author dumps on most everyone associated with Masters, Augusta National Golf (not Country) Club, and even the City of Augusta. Though most of his venom is directed toward Cliff Roberts, the club's founder and original czar, even Bobby Jones comes across as something less than the golfing saint he's often portrayed to be. Interestingly, the last chapter of the edition I read introduces Hootie Johnson as the new club president, in whom Sampson seems to see a ray of hope. Obviously, that chapter was written before Johnson's go-around with Martha Burke.

Curt Sampson is the best golf writer around, and this book is an excellent followup to that best of all golf biographies, Hogan. Some reviewers have criticized him for casting a cold eye on Clifford Roberts, the fanatical creator of the Masters, but I'm glad he's dug out the truth--it's much more fascinating, by the way. And his look at how the club has affected the area and town around it is quite interesting. His writing, though, is what I love--wonderfully crafted sentences by a fine writer. This is an excellent look at America's most prestigious tournament, and the personalities that have made it what it is. Highly recommended.

If Sampson's probe is anywhere near the truth, it surely smudges the high place we give to Augusta and The Masters.

Certainly, it still revolves around Jones, and it always has. The legend of this amateur and supposed gentleman is tarnished by his association with Roberts and his seizure of power and control of what has become golfing legend.

Without the champion's name and backing and tournament, The Masters and Augusta would be just another club and tour stop. But from the outset it was Bobby who kept it together. Then the illness and pulling away, and the inroads of Cliff and the rest is history, here well documented by one of the great golf writers. Sampson again weaves his literary magic with different piercing vignettes of the personalities and events which have led to Augusta lore and legend.

Story upon story from various facets permeate this fluid read--from club caddie to townfolk to neglected member and player -- one is given much to contemplate.

The tales are superb, sampling but a few: the caddie deliberately overclubbing Robert's opponent on a Par 3 course contest; Dave Marr's respone to Arnie that even his divot cleared Rae's Creek on 15; the asst. pro's wife being offered big money for the rope marker that only quandred off souvenir sales.

Augusta appears to be the premier "ole boys" club. If you want scoop about it's past and insights possibly into its present, this read will begin that path.

Author Curt Sampson captures the birth and life of one of the most famous sporting events in the world, The Masters golf tournament. Played annually in Augusta, Georgia, this prestigious golf tournament has become the new face of golf. Mr. Sampson shows us how this once unknown place, turned into a sanctuary for some of the greatest golfers of all time. He gets deep into how it was started by a group of New York business men, only 68 years after the Civil War. He shows us how although, one of the most famed golf course in the world has always been dampered by the reputation for being a racist society. He explains how that when Tiger Woods won the Masters in 1997, Augusta and the Masters had come full swing from what it once was. This book goes well into detail about things the common person would have never known or been able to find out. Although, occasionally drags on about the birth of this event. this book has solid content and gives information that you would have never known otherwise. I recommend this book to any golf enthusist.

Tell me something, on page 16-17 we hear of Fischer giving 4 move Black-odds plus an f7 pawn to Norbert, who is a local master, in 20 minute games for at least $... bucks a game.

All Norbert has to do is 1.e3 2.Qf3 3.Bc4 4.Qf7 mates!

So you can infer from this anecdote how reliable Shultz is in other matters. Can anyone refute other stories? It would help to determine whether we put the book up for recycling, or for toxic waste disposal.

The one- and five-star reviews are both excessive. I am acquainted with most of the people in the book (one reason I don't plan to review it under my own name as I have quite enough enemies), and while Schultz is sloppy on details, the characterizations are generally on target.

A very enjoyable personal narrative of aspects of the national and international chess scene. If you are interested in instruction, get Silman and Watson.

This is a book that I would suggest putting down in favor of television. As Truman Capote once said "That's not writing, it's just typing".

International Master Jeremy Silman calls this "one of the worst chess books I've ever seen". Save your money and save your brain by avoiding all exposure to this book. Instead spend your money on "Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953" or "Pawn Structure Chess" or even "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess". But don't waste your hard earned cash on this waste of paper and ink.

Skip the games and you will likely read the 370 page book from start to finish. I played chess in NYC tournaments in the early sixties and Chessdon brought back many nice memories. Definitely five stars. I especially enjoyed the many inside stories concerning world champions Bobby Fischer, Kasparov and Karpov.

Author Dan Jenkins takes the career of fictional pro linkster Bobby Joe Grooves to the weekly crossroads of a veteran journeyman; the king of the 19th hole is now age 44 and is chasing a real long-shot....winning a major tournament before the sun sets on his career.

But in his path on the course is a pesky teenage phenom, Scott Pritchard, and on the cart path after the round is the 19-year-old's mother, Gwendolyn. The ongoing saga for Grooves is either headed for the water hazard or a hole-in-one with so much in play.

Though the quick read doesn't deliver a bevy of birdies, it is consistent enough for a solid par score.

I got this for my husband and he loves every one of his books and wants the entire collection.

The motivation to ressurect Bobby Joe Grooves is obvious: so much has changed since his previous stories in the world of golf, someone just had to poke a big hole in it. Snot-nosed prima donna teenage pros, women golfers plugging at the men's tour, Martha and her army at the door to Augusta, the old guard getting, well, old.

Much of how Jenkins rips into this is in dead keeping with his genius for actually making tales about golf, or any sport, entertaining. Probably the only drag is that Bobby Joe is more of himself. He's divorced, again, hooking up with a new girl, again, complaining about the same things, again... This could be because I came hot off of reading the earlier installments in The Money-Whipped Steer-Job Three-Jack Give-Up Artist, and was looking for more new than could be delivered.

If you're a Jenkins fan, and read Bobby Joe's earlier tale, this will be a good read. If not, pick up The Money-Whipped Steer-Job Three-Jack Give-Up Artist, wait half a year, and then delve in. You'll be happier, and more sane for it.

A typical Dan Jenkins book---no real redeeming social value, but a good, quick and fun read...that's what makes Dan Jenkins great...Mindless, humorous fiction about a game that's easy to love and to hate..kind of like life and love....if you like the game of golf, like to laugh and ponder the sometimes somewhat raunchy side of life, especially golf, this book is for you...perfect book for spring when golf is picking up again!! And there's always the question--"How much of this is fiction and how much is fact?"

Not quite a "Dead Solid Perfect," but in that neighborhood.

Figuring out how many stars to give a Dan Jenkins book requires some experience in reading this most entertaining author. I can assure you that you will most likely look a long time to find one of his efforts on the shelves at Barbara Streisand's home and Maureen Dowd probably hasn't had the pleasure either. However, from time to time there is just no substitute for a trip through the imaginitive mind of the various characters fashioned by Mr. Jenkins.

In this instance we are returning to the PGA tour with an older, somewhat wiser and thrice divorced Bobby Joe Grooves. We have been there before with Bobby Joe in "The Money - Whipped Steer - Job Three - Jack Give - Up Artist," and this novel is a decided improvement on that one.

Somehow, Bobby Joe has managed to stay on the tour for some time and now as he turns forty-four he realizes "forty-four is not a good age for a pro if he has never won a major...and I'd clean forgotten to do that in my eighteen years on the tour."

In addition to failing to bag a major, Bobby Joe has failed in his efforts to find a life partner other than his caddie, however things begin looking up in that aspect of things as he encounters Gwendolyn Pritchard, a major league "shapely adorable" and the divorced mother of a new teen age phenom on the tour, Scott Pritchard.

The story opens with these two lines, "It had to be the first bare navel on the Master's veranda. Luckily it came with a shapely adorable."

And it only gets better as we follow the twists and turns of Bobby Joe's efforts to become the winner of a major championship through the four venues where they are played that year. The story is replete with interesting and exaggerated characters and situations and you will find yourself chuckling and laughing through all 243 pages of Jenkin's latest.

Having read all of his other fiction efforts and some of his non-fiction books, I promise you that if you are a golfer, enjoy a healthy dose of non PC humor and have spent any time in Texas, there are just two chances that you will not enjoy this latest one...........

Having a background in applied statistics, I can say this book is very poorly written. Further, the online charts are not even close to being properly documented- making learning them an unhappy and error ridden chore.

The authors of the book and the website where the charts are accessed take every opportunity to sell the reader on more books and a poker website. Enough! Give me value for my investment on this book before asking me to spend more!

Better yet, I'll just avoid these jokers in the future.

Looks like a good book. I have not made it through the whole thing yet, but I can definitely recommend this vendor.

Unless you're a math genius or your name is Chris Ferguson, you need this book.

Top-to-bottom odds and probabilities for limit and no-limit hold'em.

Loaded with charts and explanations. I purchased this book after seeing the charts in the back of the book ... unlike any I've seen elsewhere. You can't go wrong with this book ... it's one of my top favorites.

I previewed this book before I bought it and it seemed like a good value and now that I have it, I still feel that way. The poor reviews from other customers must be from know it alls because unlike many poker titles, it delivers exactly what it says.

If you already know the odds then you dont need this, but I already knew how to calculate with the 2-4 method but it expands on that to add implied odds, and douts. Thats how far I am into this book so far, and I expect the rest of it to be worth the time to read it and the cost.

Do not be misled by the haters. If you are shopping for a book on the subject of texas holdem odds, I would say its worth it. Many poker books are convoluted and this one is perfectly readable. So the people who said it is too basic might be fans of the convoluted books that I dont fully understand, but I found this book useful to re-enforce what I already knew and to help me expand on that knowledge.

Last comment, the book wasnt the holy grail that I couldnt live without, but it definitely gave me a deeper understanding of the subject and I would certainly reccomend it.

If you had trouble with math in grade school, then this book may be just right for you. But I personally found it was too elementary. Come on--do you really need to explain how to add fractions and how to convert 1/3 to decimals? If you are THAT math-challenged, you probably can't count outs either! By spending so much time on remedial arithmetic, he doesn't cover a lot of ground.

If you've never heard of implied odds and don't have a clue how to size your bets, then by all means buy this book. For anyone who has read one or two poker books, this stuff is too basic--and nothing is new.