Customer Reviews

Card Games for Dummies

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book has some fun games! It has popular games like Hearts, Rummy, and Cribbage. It also has games that I have always wanted to learn how to play, like Euchre and Canasta. In all, the book discusses over twenty games.

The layout of the book is a discussion about games. Even if you have felt confused before in reading through card game rules, this book is an excellent introduction to playing card games. It goes over everything that happens in the game, from the rules, to strategy and tips, to history of the game-a fascinating book.

Because it goes in-depth into each of the games, you will not find one place in the chapter that has a concise list of the rules. The rules are scattered throughout the discussion of the chapter. I found it useful to check a book of rules from the library to read along with this book.

This is the most frustrating & least helpful book I've ever read on any subject, ever.

I've read & understood texts on everything from software engineering, to military strategy, to electromechanics and audio circuitry design and repair, to wood furniture refinishing, to home repair - but this book is a total failure.

The reason: It is TOTALLY written for PEOPLE WHO ALREADY KNOW all the "slick cardshark jargon". THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR PEOPLE NEW TO CARD GAMES. If you don't ALREADY KNOW HOW TO PLAY, this book won't even TRY to teach you!

Basically, Amazon user Gadgester's review is dead-on: I'll repeat his opening and closing statements, cause I can't say it any better:

"Simply put, this is absolutely one of the worst instructional books I've read. If you know nothing (or next to nothing) about card games -- like I still don't after reading this book twice -- avoid this very confusing book. ... I haven't read a book as frustrating as this one in a long time. I highly recommend you stay away from it. "

This is a great reference book to have in your home. Before I purchased this book, there were many occasions where questions came up about the rules and scoring of card games. I wished I would have had that book then.

I wasted big money on this book. The author doesn't bother to explain (in simple terms) ANYTHING!!

I can't add to the other 0ne-star reviews here....both of them nailed it on the head.

If you are new to cards and want to learn....get another book...browse..find anything but this.....you're just going to get confused and frustrated........

This book covers the basics for understanding simple to hard card games. Having a baptist upbringing and being an only child I've missed out on learning how to play card games. This book is very easy to understand and now when I play card games on the computer like Hearts, I now know how to win. The rules for card games have been updated to what average people now currently play.

Simply put, this is absolutely one of the worst instructional books I've read. If you know nothing (or next to nothing) about card games -- like I still don't after reading this book twice -- avoid this very confusing book.

Let's look at an example. The following is taken from the first page of the chapter on Hearts:

"The game [Hearts] revolves around tricks. In a trick, everyone takes turns playing one card. Whoever plays the highest card in the suit led (the suit of the first card played) picks up all the cards played. The person who wins the trick leads anything he likes from his remaining cards to the next trick, and the process repeats itself until all the cards have been played."

I simply could not understand this paragraph no matter how many times I read it, until I consulted a friend good at Hearts. This is typical of the arcane writing throughout this book. It's simply not easy for a dummies. In fact my friend was totally lost when he read this paragraph. The way he described it to me was just so much clearer.

The book does cover a wide range of card games. Unfortunately it does a very poor job at teaching you how to play these games. Often the author discusses strategies without even explaining what things are and what the rules are, leaving you totally clueless and obfuscated.

I haven't read a book as frustrating as this one in a long time. I highly recommend you stay away from it.

I BOUGHT THIS FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN THEY FOUND IT FAIRLY EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE ENJOYED IT THIS SUMMER

Although an avid bridge, etc. player, I didn't know how to play pinochle. After being invited to a pinochle group, I purchased this to learn how before having to actually play. It was easy to follow, and definitely helped. It will also be a great resource if I need to learn any other card games (except Bridge, which is a separate book).

It's a little frustrating when someone at the game table starts making up the rules to the game. And no one can remember all the rules for all the card games! This settles all the arguments and gives you new card games you didn't know about to play with your friends and family! Great gift!

get this book!!!!! it rules!!!