Customer Reviews

Guerrilla Gambling

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After reading this book about 4 or 5 times over, I've come to the conclusion that this is a decent book, and I emphasize decent. It isn't anything extraordinary or amazing, it is a solid book that teaches you how to gamble smart. The common misconception that people have when buying gambling books is they think they are going to get some magical betting system that will gaurantee them a win every time they step into a casino. Sorry guys, but that's not going to happen. The sooner you you realize that, the better.

What Scoblete does is he teaches you the basic fundamentals of all the general games(and some that I've never even heard of) and provides the best possible strategies for all of them. His sections on blackjack and craps are the best. So if those are your games(which they should be if you're a serious gambler) then I would highly recommend this book to you. Some people laugh at his 5 count pass and come strategy, but after playing it and researching it, I found that it actually works. What is most misunderstood about this system is that it doesn't help you win so much as it helps you avoid losing by not betting during cold streaks. All the math jockeys out there will tell you that you can't predict when streaks will occur, that a seven can come up at any time no matter when you bet, and by using this system it will not mathematically improve your odds, and they're right. BUT, at the same time, it will not reduce your odds of winning either since his system incorporates the use of craps' basic strategy anyway by betting the pass line and come and taking the odds. It merely stretches your bankroll so you can play for a longer period of time and, as a result, rake in more comps.

Finding a biased wheel IS the only way to beat roulette and it has been proven that biased wheels DO exist by testimonials I have heard from casino managers from several Las Vegas casinos. But it sounds like too much work for a game that is so hard to beat. Especially when you can just walk ten feet away and play craps for better odds. The chapter on the 'Day in the Life of a Guerrilla Gambler' is entertaining but I wouldn't go as far to say that you could make an entire movie out of it(like some of the other reviews have suggested), considering it's only 35 pages long and the average movie script is about 200 pages long. But Scoblete is an outstanding writer. The chapters on comps, gambling myths, bankroll management, and the ten commandments of gambling are very good. The chapters on roulette, baccarat, pai gow and video poker are adequate.(I didn't even bother reading the chapter on slot machines.)

There are two reasons why I gave this book 4 stars in stead of five. The first reason is that he has a 27 page chapter on all of the junky carnival games people play(caribbean stud, sic bo, super pan nine, etc). He explains each game in light detail, tells you the optimal strategy for it, and then follows it up by telling you to avoid playing these games at all cost. It just seems like a waste of a chapter. If you're suppose to avoid these games in the first place, you don't need to waste your time learning them. The second reason I gave this book 4 stars is because it has a terrible poker section. Scoblete makes it painfully obvious that poker is not his game of choice, plus poker is way too complex of a game to be taught in a simple sixteen page chapter. His poker section is only for severe amateurs. If you want to become a poker pro, I would suggest Doyle Brunson's SUPER SYSTEM and David Sklansky's THEORY OF POKER.

In conclusion, if you want to learn how to play quick and smart at all of the general casino games, this is a very good book and I would definitely recommend it(pro or amateur), especially for its price. I know this was a long tutorial, but I thank anyone and everyone who had the discipline to sit and read the entire thing, and I hope you found my input useful.

Frank Scoblete is the best known and most honored of today's gambling writers. He understands all the games,has a firm grasp of the math behind the casinos' edges and thoroughly understands the proper strategies to employ for each and every casino game. This book should be the first gambling book you read as it explains in detail how the games are played, then goes into how the casino achieves its edge, and, finally, how to employ the correct strategy to either reduce that edge or get the edge for the player.

Since this book covers every game, you might want to pursue other reading when you are done with it. I would recommend that blackjack players get Scoblete's "Best Blackjack" and "Knockout Blackjack" by Fuchs and Vancura; roulette players should get Scoblete's "Spin Roulette Gold"; Caribbean Stud, Three Card Poker and Let It Ride players would do well with Scoblete's excellent book "Bold Card Play"; slot players must read "Break the One-Armed Bandits" by Scoblete and "The Slot Answer Book" by John Growchowski; video poker players should get Scoblete's "Victory at Video Poker"; baccarat players will love Scoblete's "Baccarat Battle Book" and John May's "Baccarat for the Clueless." Craps players must read Scoblete's craps trilogy: "Beat the Craps Out of the Casinos," "The Captain's Craps Revolution," and "Forever Craps."

I have in my library over fifty gambling books. I believe that "Guerrilla Gambling" is the best book ever written on the subject of casino games. However, Scoblete's followup books on individual games are often the best book in their individual categories with few exceptions.

If you have never read a casino games book but you want a firm grounding in the games, Scoblete is the author to read. He is first rate and deserves his position at the top of the gambling hierarchy.

In my opinion this book is the one indispensable book to read before you go to a casino. I read it before I go to the casinos because it gets me thinking in the right way. Scoblete is a dynamic writer and probably the best gambling writer of all time. This book covers all the games and has some of the best strategies I have ever encountered. What really makes the book special arehis stories. I loved his last chapter "A Day In The Life of a Guerrilla Gambler" where he recounts his adventures on a single day in Las Vegas. You must get this book if you want to be prepared to take on the casinos.

Casino players looking to educate themselves in the various casino games need a book that is authoritative, comprehendable, and enjoyable. "Guerrilla Gambling" is the best book I have ever read that fits the above three criteria. I have read many books that try to cover the casino games. Some are quite good, for example "The Idiot's Guide to Casino Games" and the "Mensa Guide to Casino Games." But neither one can really hold a candle to Frank Scoblete's "Guerrilla Gambling." If you are looking to build a solid foundation in all the casino games and want to cut the house edge to the minimum and reduce the casino's take (these are not exactly the same concept as Scoblete explains), then you must get this book.

The book also offers a very comprehensive look at the casino comping system and in that it is far better than other books that discuss the subject including "Frugal Gambler" and "Thrifty Gambling." Scoblete not only explores the math of comps but he thoroughly explores the psychology as well.

I realize that I am but one of many reviewers who are praising this work but I had to add my voice to the chorus: This is the very best book ever written on casino games.

This is without a doubt the best, most comprehesive book on general gambling techniques for all of the major casino games. Frank Scoblete truly knows what he writes about, he gives the reader more than just a generic basic strategy to follow. He truly knows how to play and win in the casino. He also knows how to explain every major casino game so that even a beginner can go to the casino with a true feeling of confidence. The author has also written other more in depth books that focus in on specific games. All of is books are written in an easy reader fiendly style. I especially liked the chapter in Guerrilla Gambling about a day in the life of the guerilla gambler. It is a true account of what happend to him on a typical day in Las Vegas. It is written in a diary like fasion and shows the ups and downs of a typical day at the casinos and teaches the hit and run method that can make you a successsful gambler. This is without a doubt, a must read for player of all skill levels, it not only teaches the basics but also teaches a few tricks of the trade that are invaluable in the casino. Don't go to Las Vegas without reading this book, its worth its weight in gold, and if a particular game interests you find one of his other books that focusses entirely on that game. It is an investment that only a fool would pass up. Frank Scoblete is truly the best gaming author that I have ever come across.

Grounded in a fundamental belief which challenges the popular marketing of casinos to the eager gambling populous (Ooh--losing IS fun!), Frank Scoblete uses common sense and the experience of some gambling friends to introduce and expound upon the most popular casino games of today. Inside are meaty sections on Roullette, Craps, Blackjack, Poker, video/slot machines and other, less ubiquitous casino gaming variations. Each game is introduced in adequate detail including table layouts, basic strategy, the kind of ambience surrounding a typical game, and some information concerning the odds. Games deemed statistically worth playing have 'guerrilla' playing strategy chapters wherein some winning strategies are posed. These tactics include ways of watching for a swing of the odds in your favor ('scanning' in Blackjack), or techniques for getting in on the action during a positive trend ('five-count' in craps, 'Big Numbers' in roullette). The book closes with a fun chapter covering 'a day in the life' which has the author and some cohorts enjoying Vegas during a day where many methods were used in action with non-sensationalistic, but positive, results. There's also a bit on money management, the guerrilla mindset, a glossary and other informative side bars. Many further reading suggestions throughout

Look no further if you are looking to maximize your casino experiences with smart play and loads of comps. This book has it all. The strategies are just great and the analysis of the casino comping system is thorough and fascinating. Scoblete shows you how to get the best bang for your buck at all the traditional games and he shows you exactly how to use the comping system to get maximum and more than maximum benefit from all the freebies. The book is a great read as well because Scoblete really knows how to write. He has some very entertaining and amusing stories about his experiences that make this book worth reading in and of themselves. This is the best gambling book I have ever read!

I love to gamble in casinos. I have read 63 books thus far on casino gambling, some single game books and some, like this one, multiple games books. This is by far the best one I have read. It covers all the games, has great strategies, and profound insights into gambling and the gambler's mind. It's also loads of fun!

I usually don't like books that cover all the casino games in one volume, so I hesitated to read this one although I like Frank Scoblete's writing. Boy, was I wrong! This book offers some of the best information I have ever read in a gambling book. Scoblete not only tells you how to play dozens of the most popular games in the casino, he also explains what your psychology should be when you play them. The last chapter of the book, called "A Day in the Life of a Guerrilla Gambler," is wonderful and would make a great movie. Scoblete honestly explores what it is like to gamble in a casino -- he makes you live it with him. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in casino gambling! Order it today.

Scoblete is not highly regarded by serious gambling writers -- he's not a big numbers guy, for one thing, and he's done little ground breaking work on finding new things to do.

However, if you're heading to Vegas for a few days, he has a lot of valuable, quick and dirty tips on getting the most value for your gambling dollar, using hit and run play, coupons, and the like. His chapter on comps is extremely valuable for the low-roller (let's face it, high rollers don't need to ask for comps -- they just get them), particularly on the foolishness of simply playing over one's means simply to get a comp worth maybe $20.

Also an entertaining writer -- an awful lot of gambling writers aren't good writers, but Scoblete is, with a breezy, personable style and lots of good stories from the gambling trenches.