Getting the Best of It

Rating:
Summary: The Math of Gambling
Review: A nice book that covers games that Sklansky thinks the smart player can win, poker, blackjack among others. Most valuable for the teachings of odds versus probability and other math equations that help the player know whether he has the best of it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent treatment of all games of chance
Review: A visionary text exploring the mechanics and profitability of gambling. Essential for any serious gambler. Sklansky's prototype work on card-counting at baccarat was an invaluable research tool in the development of my own work on practical methods for money-making at the game. The one caveat I have is that the key-card concept may well be dangerous to players not already well versed in the theory of blackjack. John May, Author of "Baccarat for the clueless"

Rating:
Summary: excellent book i love sklansky books
Review: i was able to use this to make a good amount of money online at

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Rating:
Summary: Futures and Commodities Trader gives it two thumbs up!
Review: Mr.Sklansky has written a phenomenal book. I am an 11 year veteran of the futures and commodities market. I have been a broker, investor, and I have written three books on the subject. Mr.Sklansky sheds that necessary light into the probability of gaming success. These thoughts are easily applied to my industry. Whether you are investing in commodity futures or options on commoditity futures, you have to be able to assses how successful the trade can possibly be and understand money management. This book covers it all.

Mr. Sklansky is a very astute gambling mathematician and he paints a broad swathe across the entire gaming industry and shows you what games can be worked and what games will work you. I would like to see him apply some of his knowledge to the investment arena and see what assessments he can come up with. I recommend all of my brokers read this book. For any gambler this book is a necessity for your success. Good luck and put this on your shelf.

Rating:
Summary: Best gambling book on the market
Review: This book brings dreams of professional gambling down to earth. It only skims the surface of blackjack and poker but Sklansky has a firm grasp on what's important. I met him one time and he was a bit rude. But I have over 30 gambling books and this one is the best.

Rating:
Summary: Good information, some of it needs to be updated.
Review: This book is largely composed of old essays that David Sklansky wrote during the 70's and 80's. Although he knows he stuff inside and out, this book is really not as useful as it could be. A la Stanford Wong, Sklansky wastes many pages regaling the reader with his exploits winning money from defunct downtown Las Vegas casinos during the 1970's. While these stories are interesting, they are nothing more than entertainment. He wastes a chapter telling us about a 1980's craps offshoot called crapless craps which may have been of interest to others in 1985, but no one would care about today. He also offers up a chapter on counting cards at baccarat and at the end tells us that other gambling experts have researched this matter and that it is not really feasible. He offers two chapters about beating progressive slot machines and at the end states that unfortunately progressive slots are different now. His section on poker includes a reprint of 10 pages of his book Hold Em' Poker which to me is a waste of space.
On the positive side, the area of the book on probability is well done. His poker section has some interesting insights although the examples would be better if they were updated to show more hold em' examples and less draw and lowball examples. The sports betting section has some interesting insights but is a little short. The blackjack section I feel is a waste of space. A lot of the essays seem to show the mathematics behind basic strategy which is of interest only to those trying to recreate the wheel. All in all, considering the $30 price tag, this book should get an update which makes it more relevant to today and should excise the essays which are no longer pertinent. I'm not questioning Mr. Sklansky's expertise at gambling, but I do question why certain parts of the book are left verbatim after 20 years.

Rating:
Summary: Good information, some of it needs to be updated.
Review: This book is largely composed of old essays that David Sklansky wrote during the 70's and 80's. Although he knows he stuff inside and out, this book is really not as useful as it could be. A la Stanford Wong, Sklansky wastes many pages regaling the reader with his exploits winning money from defunct downtown Las Vegas casinos during the 1970's. While these stories are interesting, they are nothing more than entertainment. He wastes a chapter telling us about a 1980's craps offshoot called crapless craps which may have been of interest to others in 1985, but no one would care about today. He also offers up a chapter on counting cards at baccarat and at the end tells us that other gambling experts have researched this matter and that it is not really feasible. He offers two chapters about beating progressive slot machines and at the end states that unfortunately progressive slots are different now. His section on poker includes a reprint of 10 pages of his book Hold Em' Poker which to me is a waste of space.
On the positive side, the area of the book on probability is well done. His poker section has some interesting insights although the examples would be better if they were updated to show more hold em' examples and less draw and lowball examples. The sports betting section has some interesting insights but is a little short. The blackjack section I feel is a waste of space. A lot of the essays seem to show the mathematics behing basic strategy which is of interest only to those trying to recreate the wheel. All in all, considering the $30 price tag, this book should get an update which makes it more relevant to today and should excise the essays which are no longer pertinent. I'm not questioning Mr. Sklansky's expertise at gambling, but I do question why certain parts of the book are left verbatim after 20 years.

Rating:
Summary: Difficult, complicated but of good use
Review: Though some of the "games" discussed by the author is out of date, his exhaustive elaboration on the direct relationship of winning with "probability" is straight to the point. About 1/5 of the book is dedicated to high maths about probability. In case you find the book too difficult, (as in my case), it shows that you (and me) dont belong to there, and we can never be pro gamblers who can win consistently in the long run against the unfavorable odds set by the casinos. But if you are determined to be successful in gambling, this book is certainly an acid test of your aptitude and talent.

Anyway, a good read, in particular for gamblers, both winning and losing ones.