Here's a chance to learn the 200 real rules of poker, including descriptions of the characters, the right food (pizza, cold cuts) and the wrong food to serve; betting strategies that keep the player from losing to much too early; dealing, talking; and the dos and don'ts of a minimal standard of behavior.

The Penguin Book of Card Games is the authoritative up-to-date compendium, describing an abundance of games to be played both for fun and by serious players. Auctions, trumpless hands, cross-ruffing and lurching: card players have a language all of their own. From games of high skill (Bridge) to games of high chance (Newmarket) to trick-taking (Whist) and banking (Pontoon), David Parlett, seasoned specialist in card games, takes us masterfully through the countless games to choose from. Not content to merely show us games with the conventional fifty-two card pack, Parlett covers many games played with other types of cards - are you brave enough to play with Tarot? With a 'working description' of each game, with the rules, variations and origins of each, as well as an appendix of games invented by the author himself, The Penguin Book of Card Games will delight, entertain and inform both the novice and the seasoned player.

Whether it's a friendly kitchen-table game with friends, or the high-stakes world of multimillion dollar tournaments, The Total Poker Manual is packed with strategies, and techniques to help you walk away a winner. The Total Poker Player Manual covers everything, from the basics of each type of game and the hands needed to win, to the insider tips such as specific strategies for different versions and how to beat the odds. These skills and many more are all accompanied by some of the most fascinating poker stories in history, from the riverboat gamblers to today's international stars players.

There are only two kinds of poker players: winners and losers. A.D. Livingston offers tips and strategies to keep all serious players on the winning side.