(Part 2) Best card games books according to redditors
We found 203 Reddit comments discussing the best card games books. We ranked the 79 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
Nice question, I only got a lengthy answer:
Skills you need
Mathematics: Obviously the problem is mathematical. The math itself is really easy but I think you need to understand some of it. There is no book that contains everything you need to know for Soccerbetting (to my knowledge). A good guide to it, including many other games than Soccerbetting is The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic. This book is a little to much but if you go through it, you should have a deeper understanding. This will cover only the math of Gambling not of the modelling itself.
Building the actual Model: This is a machine learning problem (you could use analytical math like Poisson Distribution but I don't think that will get you far). I think if you have no skills this part is the hardest, since you need a lot of intuition for math (in my opinion). I suggest you try some examples from scikit-learn in python. Unfortunately, I never read a good book about this topic.
Betting Markets: Being successful in betting takes a little more than math an programming, you have to know where to place your bets, why betting is Europe is not a good idea etc. For this I would suggest to not hang out on this subreddit, most people get a lot of stuff wrong. Here I would suggest the first two chapters of How to Find a Black Cat in a Coal Cellar.
Programming: This part is also fairly easy. I suggest you use python, it contains everything you need in handy packages that are easy to use. I would not recommend to use Excel since at some point you will outgrow it and restart from the beginning. This part takes some work but not some actual skills.
Automation: Since most of us have a steady job we don't have time to deal with this stuff everyday. My model for example runs on a raspberry Pi and sends me a mail what I should bet on. I only check the logs on the weekend. You have to write a lot of scrapers. This part took the longest. I suggest to use Linux (I guess you have to I you don't want to pay for a sever). Here I suggest Bash and or C++.
Psychology: You will fall for all fallacies in the book, so I think knowing them makes you avoid certain things, here I can suggest The Science, Psychology & Philosophy of Gambling
The most important: Endurance, Balls and Self-Honesty: It takes a lot of set-backs and tears to get this fully working. At the beginning your model won't work and simply loose. You will think that this was a stupid idea and think about giving up. The model or the scraper breaks just as you are on vacation with your girlfriend and you spend the entire day in the hotel room fixing this thing (this actually happened to me). This needs a lot of endurance. I for example had some bad bugs in my model that cost me a little money and you really start to doubt yourself, so you need the balls to pull this through. Self Honesty is important such that you don't bullshit yourself. In that sense, that you always try to tell yourself that your model is working (at the beginning it doesn't) and you need the honesty to tell yourself that it is not fine, this is not just bad luck and needs additional work. For this part, a partner can really help. Just talking about it really makes you understand more and you can bullshit yourself but hopefully not your partner.
All in all I think having a good analytical thinking in combination with some honesty and healthy self-doubt will allow you to learn everything you need.
Skills I have:
As an example I can tell you which skills I have: I got a Masters-Degree in Engineering and am currently finishing my PhD in Theoretical Physics. So modelling stuff and math is kind of my job. I had to learn to program during my studies. I didn't know anything about gambling when I started out and did not read any books. I just try to think about it a lot and derive the math myself, that helped enormously.
Edit: I think it is also important to know what you don't need: A passion for football. I don't know shit about football and never watch it (only sometimes my local team). I even think knowing about football is a disadvantage since you open up to certain fallacies like "I know better than my model".
Is it this? Pokemon Fever: The Unauthorized Guide
Poker Math That Matters: Simplifying the Secrets of No-Limit Hold'em by Owen Gaines
A good, simple introduction to poker math.
The Mathematics of Poker by William Chen & Jerrod Ankenman
Very heavy on theory but it's good to start reading this early and going back to it occasionally as you absorb and start to understand more about poker.
Expert Heads Up No Limit Hold'em: Optimal And Exploitative Strategies (Volume 1) by Will Tipton
Expert Heads Up No Limit Hold'em: Strategies For Multiple Streets (Volume 2) by Will Tipton
These books specifically focuses on heads up but the conclusions are useful for any form of poker. The game theory optimal principles you'll learn from these books will improve your play drastically and you'll gain a deeper understanding of the game.
The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic, Second Edition by Richard A. Epstein
This book laid the groundwork for Mathematics of Poker and EHUNL. Interesting read. I wouldn't suggest reading this first though. Skim it as you read the others. Very heavy on theory.
The Mental Game of Poker (Volume 1) by Jared Tendler
The Mental Game of Poker (Volume 2) by Jared Tendler
If you're planning to take poker seriously you'll inevitably need these books, or mental game coaching. You can get away with not doing either but you'll just be leaving money on the table. Elements of Poker, listed in other replies, is a good read too.
You'll notice these books are either math or mental game focused. That's intentional. I would personally suggest to you that you avoid the vast majority of poker books. Many of them are just the author relating his experience in poker and what worked for him, anecdotally. If you really want to succeed in poker you need to learn the theory and be able to adjust your strategies on the fly. Those types of books won't help you in that regard whereas the theory books listed above will teach you how to reason about the game on a fundamental level.
Don't get me wrong, there are other good books out there besides the ones listed above. But without knowing what format of poker you want to focus on, the above are good places to start because they're generalized enough they'll help you in any form of poker.
Your best bet is to be careful about what you take from a poker book. Bad advice can hurt you more than no advice.
And please, do not read these two books that were listed in other replies.
Poker Tournament Formula 1 and 2 by Arnold Snyder
They are absolute trash.
EDIT: If you're really looking to improve consider picking up a subscription to a training site with videos. That will help a ton. Run It Once is pretty good from what I hear.
Dude, I'm only 5'6". You're taller than I am.
> I don't know of a SINGLE game to play with a regular deck of cards.
There are books for this shit. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if neither your girlfriend nor her parents played whist. Or you could learn to play bridge.
> I'm stressed out because I'm currently going through a career change and I feel like I'm failing as the provider of the relationship.
In case you haven't noticed, it's the 21st century. It isn't your job to be the "provider of the relationship". Your responsibility is to pull your own weight. Your girlfriend needs to pull her own weight, too, and not expect you to give her emotional support if she isn't willing to do the same for you.
Frankly, I think you're better off without this relationship. What is this girl or her family doing for you besides stressing you out?
Hoyles Rules of Games Many many games in one book, many editions-- old ones offered super cheap. Just watch titles carefully, some are only card games but others have additional games included can be good for variety or kids etc.
I found my favorite deck [Tarot Illuminati] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0738737909/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.aZ0AbR485KBHbecause) because I was Facebook friends with the artist as he was creating it and he would post each card as he finished them. It really is one of the most beautiful decks I've ever seen and I use it almost exclusively now for readings.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004G5ZTZQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
I like the shadowscapes and both of the Paulina decks (Paulina and Joie de Vivre )
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/children.shtml
​
Herbal Rider Waite Smith
https://www.amazon.com/Herbal-Tarot-Deck-Michael-Tierra/dp/0880793325/ref=asc_df_0880793325/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312025907670&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8920425907948347992&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021750&hvtargid=pla-459998490415&psc=1
Animal Totem
https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Totem-Tarot-Leeza-Robertson/dp/0738743488/ref=pd_sim_14_59?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0738743488&pd_rd_r=707e6cf4-2719-11e9-afa8-81715460dc49&pd_rd_w=qcCmr&pd_rd_wg=jsSVY&pf_rd_p=90485860-83e9-4fd9-b838-b28a9b7fda30&pf_rd_r=1DCR94QEA0X9MBEDQ2FC&psc=1&refRID=1DCR94QEA0X9MBEDQ2FC
Paulina Tarot
https://www.amazon.com/Paulina-Tarot-Cassidy/dp/1572816295/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1549132778&sr=1-1&keywords=paulina+cassidy+tarot
I have three.
My first deck was the Original Rider Wait Tarot Pack.
My second and main/ favorite deck is the Morgan Greer deck. I love the colors, and full bleed on the edges.
And my newest deck that I've been working with is the Golden Universal deck. I got it second hand on ebay. I customized by coloring the edges black. Looks very sleek and elegant now!
Beat the Dealer. Thorp was a mathematician who was the first person to realize Blackjack could be beaten by counting. Great story.
I'm personally a fan of David Parlett's books, the latest being The Penguin Book of Card Games.
He's pretty much our modern day Hoyle, and if you can find his out of print book The History of Card Games, it's a fascinating read. He's also created quite a few new card games of his own. Quite a number are two player games and are all worth a try. His most famous games that have entered the mainstream are 99 (best for three, a unique Oh Hell variant) and Penguin (solitaire game).
I think the best way to get in to any card game is to find someone who plays it and have them teach you the rules and give you feedback after you play a few games with them. There are a ton of resources on Bridge, and unfortunately I don't have any good ones on hand to point to, I have mostly learned from people I know.
For 500, I think I probably learned from this book, which I like a lot. Pagat is also a very good resource. With 500, we played with natural conventions for a while, and then started reading about good bidding habits around the internet. I think the only convention you really need from the start is doing a '6' bid in a suit if (and only if) you have an ace in that suit (if that is still a legal bid).
If you can find them some like this might help with inspiration. You don't have to show these to the player just draw a card and use what you see to guide your description.
https://www.amazon.com/Play-Winning-Cribbage-DeLynn-Colvert-ebook/dp/B07JC48RCM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=delynn+colvert+cribbage&qid=1554492146&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spell
the sequel just came out today as well
I’m trying to decide on my first deck as well! I think it’s between this deck, sun and moon deck, and the mystic monday deck. I just can’t decide!!!
I LOVE mine, I have the small deck in a tin.
This is the regular one:
Sun and Moon Tarot https://www.amazon.com/dp/1572816597/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_pW4hDbFHJ19M0
This was my first deck I learned a little with it but I found that I had a difficult time pulling meaning from the cards.
This is the deck I use now and I love it. The pictures are beautiful and instead of cards like "the magician" there's "strength", "prosperity", etc..
A lot easier to interpret and the illustrations are beautiful. I love that deck. That being said, it is not really a traditional deck, so while it would be a good starter deck, it might throw her off a little when she sees different cards.
Whatever deck you go with, I know she will love.
I would recommend you also get her a deck of Grace Cards. They are beautiful and finish off a reading wonderfully, they are even great to just grab one when you feel you need a little direction. They have thought provoking messages on them and really make you think. She would also love these.
Illuminati Tarot may strike your fancy. I've found that, even if I'm not 100% a fan of a particular decks art, companion books can be helpful if the creator(s) of the deck explain their perspective and what they were getting at in a deck's creation.
Illuninati uses the RWS system, I believe. This one comes with a decent enough companion book. There's also an indepth guidebook but at a separate cost.
get one of these https://smile.amazon.com/According-Hoyle-Up-Date-World-Famous/dp/0449211126
Guessing you've never heard of Thorp? https://www.amazon.com/Beat-Dealer-Winning-Strategy-Twenty-One/dp/0394703103
https://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Greatest-Blackjack-Book/dp/0385153821
Hey, I read The world's greatest blackjack book last year, which was a great introduction and teaches you everything you need to know to consistently win (long-term), provided you put in the practice. I'm now reading through Stanford Wong's Blackjack Secrets to see what he does differently.
To win at blackjack you have to be able to count cards, and there are many different counting systems out there. Won's Hi-Lo is very easy, and so is Cooper and Humble's Hi-Opt 1, but each has their advantages and disadvantages. Good luck!