First, an important note: There seems to be 2 versions of this book floating around. One with 16 color plates and one that is all B&W. I learned this when I received mine and found that it was all B&W. Be sure you know which you are getting.
Also, many of the b&w images appear to be poor photocopies, either far too light or too dark.

This book is no doubt the authority. It is very well researched. But the way it is organized is rather dull. Each chapter basically lists and briefly discusses all the cards that were found from that particular country. It might have been more interesting if there was more discussion of how the different suites evolved or how the countries influenced each other.

This book is a well-researched, thorough and informative guide to the history of playing cards. I was especially interested in the medieval information, but found the entire work clear and easy to follow, while keeping up high standards of academic quality. I would recommend this work to anyone seriously interested in the history of the field. The Plates were also very helpful in illustrating the development and styles of cards through the centuries.

I ENJOYED THIS SHORT STORY. AS I WAS ABLE TO RELATE TO MY CHILDHOOD AS MY FATHER WAS A JEWISH CHARACTER SIMALAR IN A WAY TO THE CENTRAL CHARACTER IN THIS BOOK. WOULD LIKE TO DROP A NOTE TO THE AUTHO. HOW DO I DO THIS?

Sidney Offit is a writer's writer. In this elegant memoir of his father the bookie, Offit has evoked the sense and sensibility of his Baltimore childhood and his father's shady dealings with a fresh and often surprising grace. It's a great read for the details and texture of time and place, but it's also a truly fine piece of writing. A very under-appreciated book by a writer who really should have written something great by now, and perhaps he still will.

Krieger's first book "Hold'em Excellence" is a much better buy. This follow up seems to primarily rephrase previous thinkings from its former. The latter half of "More Hold'em Excellence" seems to just add length and does not offer too many more insightful tips. In fact, you could probably just read pages 32 to 72 in a book store and have absorbed 90% of the useful information. There is a 12 page section on statistics and probabilities - how to compute/apply them - that's fairly interesting and valuable. Overall, average players should just stick to "Hold'em Excellence" and not look to expand their knowledge too much with this book.

Author Lou Kreiger has a big time hit with his book More Hold'Em Excellence. this volume takes you from being a occasional winner to being "A Winner For Life" just as the sub title suggests. In 184 fun to read yet highly informative pages Mr. Kreiger lays out a step by step map to making the most out of your poker outings. Set forth in 36 chapters card playing champion and all aroung good guy Lou Kreaiger takes the student from setting a rock solid foundation through the perils of pre-flop play past the maniac and the rock like players and into the line at the cashiers cage. All the while delivering to you his 10 keys to success. I found the chapters on playing your best always and, fighting your emotions highly rewarding and suprizingly insightful. a 63 question apptitude test is a poker like SAT for the aspiring pro level player. It is high time this well kept poker secret be brought into the lime light that it so richly deserves. Moreover, More Hold'em Excellence has been touted by well known players such as Mike " Americas Mad Genius" Caro and WSOP champion Razz player/publisher, Linda Johnson. I as well highly recommend it.

For strategies for 9-6 Jacks or better, Duces Wild and Joker Wild machines, try another book.

Stanford Wong is the master of casino gambling. I respect his writings on all aspects of the casino. I just want to let people know that this book goes into great detail about the 8-5 Progressive Jacks or better machines. He gives a two page review of most other video poker machines and covers basic strategy for the 6-5 Progressive and 10's or better progressive machines.

(Since this book is titled 'Professional Video Poker', I feel these comments and rating are appropriate.)

I've found Wong's books to be among the best in their field and have more confidence with what he presents than most other authors (many of whom print information which is mathematically wrong). Like "profession blackjack," this book's weakness is not the author's fault but the system's "fault." Few progressive jackpots I've seen in Vegas reach the required $2,122 breakeven level much less a profitable one.

John Marchel's, 101 Casino Gambling Tips: Affordable Strategies and Techniques for Maximizing Profits and Minimizing Losses is a great book for those who wish to go into a casino and walk away with the same amount of money in their pockets. The tips in this book are not for anyone that actually wants tips on how to beat the odds it is tips for those who want to steer clear of the high stakes and big losses. It is a great book for those who wish to spend hours at the casinos without loosing their shirts, but big gamers should look for something else.

"All about Roulette" by John Gollehon is a good introduction to the game of Roulette. It describes how the game was originated, and goes on to explain various aspects of the game. The author tells about the equipments which consists of wheel, table, ball, bet and the chips. The game begins with the rotation of wheel by dealer and the cycle is complete when the next game begins. This cycle consists of various small steps. This description is helpful to understand the process. The chapter 'How to play' explains various types of bets including inside/outside, odd/even, red/black, straight up etc and tells what is wager and how the pay-off is made by dealer. The chapter 'Improving the Odds' gives various ways by which a player may like to increase the chances of winning. The author has suggested the reader to play on "European Style" wheel which has a single zero so more chances of winning money. Playing the single 0 wheel, Clocking the wheel, Clocking the dealer, reading a dealer's mind are some of the aspects which author has touched. It gives a good idea to the general reader. The language is humourous and light one which maintains the interest of the reader to complete the book in one sitting. For the beginner all the bets, wheel, chips, layout of table are explained in detail. Author also describes the built in advantage the casino house has. It gives a clear idea of how much a player is likely to lose because of the bias in favour of casino. When a beginner plays the game, he is certain to overlook many small things like placing the bet only after the dealer playes the ball, picking up the wager when the bet is won etc. This book makes him aware of those aspects so that he is well prepared for the same. The book is handy. However, compared to other books the price is steeply on higher side. Other books in the same price range describe many other games. The reader may find in them more value for the money. But overall it a good introductory book for the game of Roulette.

Pretty basic info but lots of decent coupons. Worth the price if you take advantage of them.

This book opened my eyes to the world of casino gambling like no other book I've ever read dealing with the subject of gambling. His chapter on blackjack was very interesting.

This book is for us cheap people. It has a broad summary of things to do in Vegas cheaply. It also covers how to find bargains in Vegas. I used recommendations on where to find bargains on food, drinks, and fun book activities.

This book is at its best when focusing on the less recent past in it's stories of Benny Binion, Howard Hughes, Jay Sarno, Sam Boyd and the like ... which are all excellent. I found the Kirk Kerkorian and Steve Winn ones a bit lacking, mostly because their stories aren't really over yet.

The last two chapters, not bios, but concept pieces , "How Popular Literature Has Treated Las Vegas" and "The Adult Playground Becomes a Heaven for Families" .. are pretty much a waste since Vegas has now focusing on going back to its "Adult" roots ..and the read no longer makes sense.

However, it you want to get some great and entertaining stories of the "good old days" .. and even a little before the "good old days", the first two-thirds of this book is certainly worth the asking price.

These are great tales of Las Vegas, but the writing drags. The research is clearly of the just-believe-what-someone-told-me school. There's still a great book to be written about the builders of the Strip and Glitter Gultch. This book is not the one.

I recently visited Las Vegas for the first time and wasmesmerized by what I saw. Every casino appeared to have a story behindit, and upon my return home, I wanted to know those stories.

The Players is a terrific read. The chapters give just ther right information on each topic to develop a working contextual knowledge of Vegas History. I was particularly fascinated by information on the Glitter Gulch rebels like Boyd and Binion. With the development of the Fremont Street experience, Downtown Vegas is a formidable tourist destination once again.

Overall, a great book. Don't let the fact that is published by a university press scare you. The chapters are short and clearly written. The casino business jargon is kept to a minimum, or when it is used, it is explained well. This book deserves more of an audience.