Customer Reviews

Gambling Theory and Other Topics

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

 

 

When this book came out it garnered a lot of respect within the poker world. Even today his section on the standard deviation and it's importance to poker players understanding how good or bad they can run just as a function of luck as well as "non-self weighting poker ideas" are still considered required reading by many players..

Unfortunately, much of the rest of the book is outdated and of little use to today's players: He discusses lowball and jacks or better draw, he discusses "bingo", he talks about the "new games" of PaiGow and Pan 9. This book is almost 19 years old now much of the original text is outdated or obsolete. Another section that seems a bit suspect is his discussion of tournaments. Although it contains some interesting mathematical ideas, it seems of little use in the "real" world of tournament poker. The fact that Malmouth chooses not to play in tournaments has stirred controversy over the years from those whose primary involvement in poker is tournaments. This text( with the noted exceptions in paragraph one) is in need of an overhaul in my opinion and is not much more than an interesting philosophical or theoretical overview of gambling.

One other section that is actually of value is his review of many of the popular gambling and poker titles by other writers. A number of players I have talked with like this section the best as it gives them direction in their book reading and book buying decisions.

Enlightening book on why even though you are a winner in the long run your short term fluctuations can be so large. Great section on bankroll requirements.

Like other Malmuth books, he draws on examples from many games to prove his statements. And like in his other books, I found myself skipping over a good portion because I'm simply not interested in poker.

Yet, the book is valuable in its explanation of standard deviation (luck) and non self-weighting approaches to gambling. In areas, it was somewhat too technical to grasp for the layman.

This book may take a lot of pages to explain for the blackjack player why you should vary your bet size, but the point is made clear mathematically. I'll have at least one less doubt about my play the next time at the tables.

This book is not even worth reading, Mason Malmuth may have been a player in his day, but the game has passed him by a long time ago. This book could actually damage your poker game if you took the advice he gives. Nits no longer win in today's aggressive game and that is a fact. Mason malmuth is a dinosaur who's days are long gone.

The book gives a understanding of how gamling works. It explains the fluctation that create illusions among players. Illusions about how good they are, what card that makes a profit. If you want to be a serious poker player, this book gives you a fundamental understanding that you fail to find in other poker books.

I have many books that tell me "what" to do. This is the only one that really explains "why" to do it. While not always easy reading, there are amazing and valuable lessons in here. The topics apply directly to poker but also to Life.

i buy this one with other four books on 11/12/2008.i still don't recieve this one now.but i have recieved other four books two weeks ago.by asking support why? they let me wait untill January 13, 2008.this is weird.i am in china

While reading this book it forces you to think, which is excellent. However I found myself annoayed at some of Mason's comments as alot of what he says is semi-controversial and he seems to try to make everything over controversial, more so than it has to be.

This book helped me incredibly understand the odds and help beat the casino at their games. I recommend it.