I first purchased Mr. Bourie's annual book many years ago, andlook forward to each new and expanded edition of his work. He tellsyou practically everything you need to know about casino gaming, then describes the basic offerings of every casino in the country, and then provides coupons that will save you hundreds of dollars when you visit many of the casinos listed. What else could you ask for? Any casino player who doesn't purchase this book every year is missing the boat!

Like to gamble? Me too! This guide tells you where all the casinos are in the good old USA. There are maps, plus detailed city maps of Las Vegas, Tunica, Biloxi, and others. It has strategy tables for blackjack and coupons for various discounts and freebies. You'll find me at a video poker machine--see you there! Good Luck!

I might repeat some of the points already made in the previous review, but my main goal in this review is to let you know what to expect before you buy this book. I first want to say that it is a wonderful book and it is extremely successful at what it tries to accomplish, but I must qualify that by saying that this is not really a book that you will "learn" from. I bought this book expecting something that I can read from front to back, and I thought I might learn new tips and strategies -- I think "Blackjack Secrets", one of Wong's other books, is better for that, though I haven't read it yet. It definitely seems more "readable". "Basic Blackjack" is more of a reference than a learning manual, and you may not need this book at all. Here is what I mean:

The book is organized like this:

Chapter 1 - Introduction (nothing special, just a usual intro)

Chapter 2 - Basic Strategy (this may be all you need from this book; it discusses and gives the chart for Basic Strategy under the most common rules; this information can also be gotten in other books or online -- try http://www.blackjackinfo.com for their Basic Strategy engine)

Chapters 3-15 - variations of Basic Strategy (this is the majority of the book; it gives charts for changes that need to be made in B.S. depending on odd rules you may find in casinos, such as doubling down on any number of cards or decks that include jokers)

Chapters 16-18 - other tricks that you can use (contains some interesting information on tells and warps, but it is really only valuable in certain situations)

My point in outlining the book is to show you that the bulk of its contents is simply variations of B.S. depending on strange rules you may encounter. Don't get me wrong, it's interesting just to read about all the weird rules and side bets you might find in some casinos, but for most people I doubt they will need to learn any of this strategy. Even the information on tells and warps, though fascinating, isn't always applicable; it requires that the dealer check the hole card under a 10. The casino where I play uses an electronic device to check the card, so the dealer never sees it -- pretty much voiding the use of tells and warps.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone from buying this book, because it is very interesting, if not always relevant for your particular situation. I just want you to know what to expect before you purchase it.

OK Mr. Counting Pro, you're on vacation where you know there are casinos. You figure you'll stop in and mabey make some money. But when you sit down at a table, you discover that the rules are not what you're used to. BJ pays 2:1, dealer wins ties, and 21 after splitting tens pays 3:2!? What to do now? Well, you could lose your shirt, or you could get Basic Blackjack.

Wong's impressive text contains proper basic strategy for just about every rule variation and "bonus" (side bet, coupon, etc) that has ever been offered. It also tells you how to estimate the value of each of these variations. As a bonus, there is a good discussion of non-counting strategies such as warps, tells, and the like. At 256 pages, the amount of material covered is amazing.

If you only play Las Vegas or Atlantic City, and already know the stategy for the rules there, you probably don't need this book. But if you like to travel (Europe?) or take advantage of coupon books and other special offers and side bets, it is a must-have.

Wong's writing stye is clear and easy to read, although this book is valuable mostly as a reference guide. I found it very interesting to read about all of the rule variations, side bets, and bonuses that the casinos have thought up, even though I will never encounter the majority of them.

The one thing that I would have liked to have seen in a text on basic strategy is the expected cost of making the "wrong" play. i.e. How much does one give up by not splitting 33vs5? Obviously it would be impractical to include this information for all of the strategies presented, but it would have been nice to have it for common sets of rules. (This information can be found in Wong's Professional Blackjack.)

Overall, a very impressive work.

Good Luck, and Good Cards,

- Jacob W.

I picked up this book in the Las Vegas airport as I was leaving Las Vegas. I wish I had got it at the beginning of my trip. Here's my story: my brother and I both went to Vegas for the first time. We played quite a bit of blackjack. Our last night there, I got wiped out early and retreated to the nickel slots. Shortly after I left the blackjack table, a Japanese guy came and sat down next to my brother. He started coaching my brother and teaching him some basic strategy, and sure enough my brother started really doing well. My brother shared the strategy with me, and it turns out it's the same strategy that's in this book.
The basic strategy is this: obviously if you have a hand of 17 or higher, you should stand. And obviously if you have a hand of 11 or less, you should hit (since you can't bust no matter what card you get). So the only question becomes, what do you do in that "gray zone" where your hand is between 12 and 16? The answer is this: if the dealer has a high card (7 or higher), then HIT. If the dealer has a low card (6 or less), then STAND. The only other thing you need to know about is money management, and basically it sums up to this: if you are ahead, especially if you've doubled your money, then WALK AWAY. Don't stay and get greedy or you'll give your winnings back; your average blackjack session shouldn't last more than an hour, usually. There are also a few other rules in the book for how to handle splitting and doubling down when you're playing multi-deck (which is pretty much everywhere), so get the book and check it out. It's a thin little book that reads quickly and is well worth checking out during your flight into Vegas. Good luck!

A quick easy read. NO CARD COUNTING. Simple tips and strategies make the game fun for the amature, and almost completely remove the house advantage in Blackjack. You gain confidence and can relax and enjoy the game because you know you are doing it right. Using the easy techniques taught in this book, you can even the odds. Don't lose another winning hand because you are too lazy to read a few pages. A must-read for anyone who intends to visit a blackjack game, especially first-timers.

This is a new, updated edition of one of the greatest bridge books of all time. Teaches you how to think like a bridge player. Much of the material is aimed toward advanced beginners and intermediates, but even new players will benefit from her clear approach and practical advice.

This book(copyright 1966,pub.1976) is an easy book to follow and understand. It has an enjoyable flow in its teaching and understanding of the game of bridge. I found it brought me back to the basics of the game. It cut through all the clutter that seems to attach itself to the game of bridge. I had initially thought:"What can an old book teach me!". Well I learned a lot! It is a bridge book for everyone.

I've been a blackjack player for many years and have read quite a few books on the subject...this is one of the most helpful books I've read! The author not only knows a lot about the game, he is also a very entertaining writer. I've tried the betting system he recommends, and so far it's working great! I now win a lot more than I lose!!! Every blackjack player will enjoy reading this fine book.

I'm a novice blackjack player and have read 2 other books about the game, but found this book to be much easier to understand and much more fun to read. The author seems to really know his stuff!

excellent book, very interesting system.

The author gives a different approach to winninng at blackjack. Scott Frank presents the CORE System to counting cards in an easy to understand way. I really enjoyed the book and found Scott's theories to be helpful. I used the strategy in Vegas and actually won.

This book is great...it has Every number of every hotel in las vegas...which is great for finding out prices and attractions for the casinos at particular times, the author is a great writer...he kept my attention the whole time, and that's not easy to do! The most important thing is that he supplied the secrets and how-to info on most of the games in casinos...limiting the house edge to basically nothing, i'll be trying his methods in april and carrying his book!

This is a great introduction to the games that you can play in Vegas, the odds that the house has on each game. There's also good information about almost every casino in Vegas -- what's good and bad about each one.

Vinson has a nice writing style. He's humorous and informative.

Get this book if you've never been to Vegas, or if you've only been there a few times. The only strike against this book is that it's a few years old (published in 1996, I think), and things to change.

I found this book helpful, realistic, and compassionate. Don't Leave It To Chance explores myths and misconceptions about gambling, helps us identify the extent of the problem, and guides us through the emotional and financial impact of the disorder. The authors skillfully bring us to a place where we can build a meaningful dialogue with family members, work through anger, anxiety and loss of trust, and begin the process of regeneration with new momentum and understanding. The scope is comprehensive with a style that is personal, enjoyable and logically consistent. I was amazed with the depth of insight into motivation, emotional issues and relationships I was collecting along the way. Written with deep psychological understanding and genuine concern, Don't Leave It To Chance sorts through the difficult emotions of this complex issue, teaching skills for introspection and communication that will serve readers in all aspects of their lives.

I thought this book was extremely enlightening and thorough in it coverage of the disease of compulsive gambling. It is an excellent resource for families of compulsive gamblers in 1) understanding the disease 2) guiding families and friends of gamblers in the actions they need to take in order to protect themselves as well as in helping the gambler move closer to recovery. In addition, this book provides treatment resource info and some evaluation as to the effectiveness of those type of treatments. This book is a comprehensive guide for the families of compulsive gamblers. Extremely helpful and easy to understand.. A++

Of course, none of us would ever or has ever bet on a round of golf .... but if you were to say play for something (bragging rights perhaps), this book is the key to victory. Not only does the aothor cover all sorts of golf gambling games (traditional and some quite obscure), but he also offers a detailed analysis and strategies of these games in great anecdotal style. Truly a great read that any serious golfer would enjoy.

Not only is Doug Sanders (The Sandman) an all around great guy, he really knows how to teach someone a sport. I can't wait for his next book on fishing. He better hold off an instructional book on hockey though!

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!