American Mensa Guide To Casino Gambling: Winning Ways [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Only the top two percent of scorers on a standardized intelligence test qualify for membership in American Mensa, Ltd.; on the other hand, casino gambling involves games of chance with a built-in return for the establishment. Once a machine that issues randomly sequenced numbers is plugged in, does a genius have a better chance than you? "The indisputable reason for following basic strategy," the author writes, "is that the mathematicians and the computers have proven it's the right way to go." Mathematical theories, however, are commonly destroyed in the real gambler's world, where fate and intuition reign and, for example, the chances that dice will come up "snake eyes" three times (a 1/10,000 shot) does not improve with the player's intelligence. The book's attitude toward card counting also shows a brainy overconfidence, since all counting is based on the pretense that the counter will "know" when the deck is rich. When gambling, who really cares that out of every thousand dollars wagered the casino's percentage is X? A real-world gambling equation is igorance equals bliss. Libraries needing a new basic text would be better served by Basil Nestor's The Unofficial Guide to Casino Gambling (LJ 8/99).
-Marty Soven, Woodside, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

"...begins by acquainting you with the ambiance of the typical casino and presenting an overview of the vast gaming industry. He thoroughly explains odds, probabilities, and the casino's inherent advantage. He presents an in-depth discussion, imbued with delightful humor, of the many games offered....teaches you to gamble like an educated consumer, and following its advice will make you feel like a winner."--Games.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Sterling; Third Printing edition (December 31, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080694837X
• ISBN-13: 978-0806948379
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,047,679 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dare to be rational, June 18, 2000

By A Customer

Gambling books are like the internet: Lots of information, most of it not very reliable. If you're the type to fall for Britney Spears nude fakes, then by all means, buy one of the better-selling titles. They'll tell you what you want to hear, and you can always say "Oops ... I did it again" when you lose. If you can take the truth -- that with the exception of blackjack card counters and a few video poker machines in Vegas, the house always has the edge -- then this is a very worthwhile investment, and just a darn good read about gaming. It doesn't preach or get bogged down in statistics and probabilty, but it does provide information and sound strategies for virtually every game you'll find in a casino, allowing you to make an informed decision about your options. It explains quite well why "money management" systems don't work, and, most importantly, why a house edge of even just a few percentage points -- face it, to the novice, a difference of a 2 percent edge and a 5 percent edge just doesn't sound like much -- can eat your bankroll many, many times more quickly. The author assumes you have a brain, that the attraction of a casino is its action and its entertainment value, and provides you with strategies and expectations to either deal with a volatile game (where you can win big or lose very quickly in the short-term) or make bets that will (on average) maximize your playing time. This book will not insult your intelligence, assumes you know there is no Santa Claus, but also assumes you know that Christmas can still be a lot of fun (although costly at times). An outstanding reference for the casual gambler.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bucks the Conventional Gambling Books' Wisdom, August 27, 2000

By	Mike Gancarz (Canton, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This book contains a lot of useful information the likes of which you won't find anywhere else. Of course, it talks about probabilities, the house edge, and so on. (What would you expect from a high IQ writer?) However, the book is loaded with common sense. For example, most video poker book authors tell you that you should always play max coins. Brisman gives you pause for thought: If you're playing a game with less than 100% return, you're just going to lose five times as fast (almost) if you play five coins instead of one. Unless you're playing a positive expectation video poker game--e.g., full-pay deuces wild--you may want to simply play slower and enjoy the fun. Not a very popular idea for the high roller, but solid common sense for the recreational player.

Appendix A contains a "Master Chart of All Casino Bets". It shows the house edge on virtually every bet in the casino and how it compares to the others. It is a real eye-opener. It alone is worth the price of the book.

There are other books that are good for the fine points of specific games. This book probably ranks within the top five best guides to overall casino play. If you're going to buy one book on gambling, this one is an excellent choice.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic book., May 1, 2000

By	Leon Gross (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

I play black jack a lot (and count cards) and have a background in math and research. This is the best book I've read about casinos games. It presents how each game works in detail, including rules and strategy, along with tips, etiquittes, and pointers. Each game and strategy also has the mathematics behind the game, which is rigorous and accurate, but whose results also should be understandable to non-technical readers as well. I learned a lot about the games I have never played before. The fact that video poker has games where the expected payout is positive was new to me, as I thought that the only game I could beat was blackjack. The information about how to approach the games were also very useful. I read the book many times. For those with any interest in gambling,it is an all around great book.