Gambling Book Reviews

The authors of a new book on tells believe that the renewed popularity of poker and playing of Texas Hold'em require an updated set of strategies for concealing or spotting poker tells.

Not surprisingly, Busting Vegas more than resembles the author's previous book on the subject, Bringing Down the House. Both are entertaining looks at the world of high-stakes advantage blackjack. They are distinct enough so that those who have enjoyed one will almost certainly find reading the other one to be worthwhile. The books are aimed at a mass market, so the while blackjack information is important, the details of play take a back seat to the adventures of the players. I expect, though, that serious blackjack players will very much enjoy both of these captivating stories.

Antonio Esfandiari, a former professional magician, and the first player under 25 to win a first-place poker prize over $1 million, has a dynamite new title, In the Money: Strategies for Winning Texas Hold 'em Cash Games

Bringing Down the House covers familiar material, the story of the victories and travails of a successful blackjack team competing against the casinos, but this one is written well enough to make the material seem fresher than I might have expected. This is the story of one of the infamous MIT blackjack teams written for a mass audience, which means that it's probably not as detailed as serious blackjack students, myself included, might like. Still, it' s entertaining, and well worth reading.

Just when you think you think the saturation level for new poker books has been reached, a pleasant surprise or two proves us wrong. With another two dozen books due to arrive at Gambler's Book Shop in coming months, no doubt there'll be further interesting newcomers to the shelves.

The story of a wayward son, an examination of the mind of baseball original, and a history of gambling in the Southern Baptist state of Mississippi all crossed the desk of Howard Schwartz in the past week. The prolific reader and interviewer gives us his opinion on these latest publications.

Bob Ciaffone and Stewart Reuben's collaboration 'Pot-Limit and No-Limit Poker' offers a fascinating glimpse into the strategy of big-bet poker. Dan Kimberg gives his opinion on this well-regarded book.

Here are two books geared to help you understand Hold'em poker, one from a statistical perspective and the other from a how-to-play view.

Steve Rosenbloom interviewed 52 of the most famous poker players about The Best Hand They Ever Played. The result is light and entertaining.

Krieger can write, Krieger can play. It's a winning combination. And he doesn't keep his secrets to himself in his new book.

'Dirty Poker' should send up a red flag to new players, those young Turks who made their money the easy way and think they're good enough to play with the big boys in Las Vegas, on the Internet or in cash games everywhere.

If you live in the Midwest or are traveling to that region and want to explore the casinos, pick up a copy of Midwest Travel & Gaming. This magazine is the best source of information about gambling in the heartland.

Baseball season is just around the corner, and bettors are starting to get their stats together. Here are couple of books recently released that will help in that effort.

Written by a veteran of more than four decades in the casino industry, Nick Gullo's Guide gives you the rules and procedures for operating a professional poker room.

Whether you love him or stand back with bewilderment when he reacts to a bad beat on television during a major poker tournament, Phil Hellmuth is tough to forget. Not that he isn't aware of his image. Known as the Bad Boy of Poker, he sometimes comments about trying to reinvent himself into a kinder and gentler Phil. Bad or good, he and his products are popular with poker fans.

This collection of essays by 'The Coach' provides the reader an example of how a highly successful poker player approaches his craft. The material in this book is squarely aimed a relatively advanced poker player playing at a level tougher than typical 3-6 Hold'em games, so those just starting out or who choose to play predominantly low-limit poker can probably afford to pass on this book. However, anyone who plays a little higher (or wants to) will definitely find considerable information of value in this book.

The 2006 baseball season is just around the corner, and as it turns out each year the multitude of trades and free agents has created a need to know who's playing for who and what the impact may be if you're going to bet. The 'first wave' of baseball books to cover the preseason period has arrived so let's take a look at them.

In The Undeniable Truth About Video Poker, Rob Singer has written a treatise that challenges what most advantage players have to say about the game of video poker. I found what he had to say to be true but irrelevant at best, and incoherent and just plain wrong at worst. I don't agree with Singer's "undeniable truth", and I don't recommend that anyone read this book.

As casinos become a more and more popular destination for vacationers, traveling the world to visit exotic locations has also become a part of many people's vacation plans. Those who want to combine their travels with gambling should bring this book along.

If you've every been curious about the history of blackjack and how it evolved, pick up Arnold Snyder's Big Book of Blackjack, a in-depth coverage of this popular game.

Are you going to Las Vegas and would like to get the best deals you can? Are you planning a trip in the future and want to know all that's available? The trick to getting the best deals and having the most fun in Las Vegas is to have someone scout out the scene before you get there. That's what Anthony Curtis has been doing for visitors to America's most exciting city since 1983.

Poker players interested in how people steal or 'cop' chips will be a bit smarter after reading 'Catching Poker Cheats,' especially in home games or those played at the country club or fraternal organization where those 'friendly' games often attract crossroaders (cheats) looking for easy pickings.

Loren Ackerman and Christopher Ackerman release Talkin' About Poker: Straight Talk for Parents and Their Players. The goal of the book is to provide a quick, simple guide to help parents determine if their kids' poker playing is 'healthy,' and provide palatable tools for informed decision-making and communication.

Stewart Reuben, an English author who penned How Good Is Your Pot-Limit Hold'em and How Good is Your Pot-Limit Omaha, has produced an interesting, and what might become quite a controversial work in Poker 24/7.

Jim McManus believes this book is essential for the beginning tournament player. Nick Christenson agrees, but with reservations.