Over the last forty years, Cousin Sal has made bets with doctors, lawyers, teachers, agents, bookies, writers, comedians, radio DJs, tv producers, baseball players, front office executives, bandleaders, movie stars, publicists, weed lab owners, hedge fund operators, and even professional wrestlers. From his early days growing up in Brooklyn and Long Island flipping baseball cards to now hosting podcasts and TV shows and managing several offshore accounts we don't talk about, Cousin Sal has truly become the average American sports fan's go to source for gambling tips. So here's how not to do it . . . With hilarious tales of love and loss, winning and (a lot) of losing, crazy family and fatherhood, and a life saga that inspired the Phil Collins' song, "Against All Odds," Cousin Sal has now written THE Vegas super-system, MIT-algorithmic, sharp-approved book for how to gamble like a pro -- or at least not how not to go broke and lose your kids to Child Protective Services.

Old Masters Memory Game collects the most famous and beloved portrait painters from the 16th and 17th centuries in one game that is fun to play, educational, and a feast for the eyes. The task, as always, is to collect two cards that make one set: in this case, two portrait paintings by the same painter. The sets are clearly recognizable by the posture of the figure, facial expression, the style of painting, and attributes like clothes and hairstyle. To help, there is always the brochure with all the paintings in pairs and a little explanation on the painters. This is a wonderful gift item for gift shops and all museums that collect the old masters. The game consists of 50 cards of 25 sets featuring world-famous portraits by the likes of Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticello, Titian, Frans Hals, Albrecht Durer, Goya, and many others.

The Assassin's Creed Escape Room Puzzle Book is an exciting journey through history in which you must solve a series of puzzles and mysteries to save humanity. You are Joey, a museum worker who comes across a mysterious blade that sets in motion a chain of events that completely upends your life. Drawn into the world of the Assassins, you must tour through time and space - from 5th century BCE Greece to the catacombs of medieval Venice - in order to foil a malevolent Isu plot. Featuring characters and locations familiar to fans of the Assassin's Creed franchise and written by an experienced real-life escape-room creator, this immersive escape-room experience is both visually exciting and a difficult puzzle quest. Can you solve the conundrums and reveal the Isu plan in time to save the world?

This deck of beautifully illustrated, egg-shaped playing cards makes the sweetest springtime gift! Celebrate spring with this deck of sweet, egg-shaped playing cards! A distinctive, egg-shaped package with a flat base makes this deck ideal for displaying upright, perfect as an addition to Easter baskets or on its own as a special gift. Featuring 12 favorite animals (from cheerful chicks to adorable bunnies, and more!) in four beautifully illustrated floral suits (sunflowers, daffodils, sweet peas, and lavender), plus a bonus Monarch Butterfly card, these charming little eggs can be used as an artful alternative to any standard playing card deck. Play springtime twists on three classic card games (Go Fish, Old Maid, and Crazy Eights) with included instructions, or revel in hours of matching and memory game fun!

This new, expanded, fully updated and revised, edition of 'Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker' is a landmark in poker publishing. Originally published in two volumes in 2011 and 2012 this was both a critical and commercial success. Over the last decade, the understanding of poker has changed dramatically and this new edition fully reflects current thinking on the game. This book will give readers a thorough understanding of everything they need to know about playing tournaments and Jonathan Little is undoubtedly the person best qualified to impart this information. The book is split into seven sections: 1) How Tournaments Work –This explains why tournaments are a highly profitable form of poker and examines the basic concepts that need to be mastered. 2) Playing Deep Stacked –This deals with situations where (most) players have stacks of 50 big blinds or more. All situations are dealt with including pre-flop and all three post-flop streets. There is further information on general topics at this stack depth. 3) Playing Mid Stacked –This deals with situations where the basic stack depth is between 27 and 50 big blinds. These situations are tricky because with the shorter stack, players are often going all-in. This means that very clear adjustments are required compared to the deeper stack strategies. 4) Playing Short Stacked –This section focuses on play below 27 big blinds. Now play is almost exclusively focused on the possiblity of players going all-in. Knowing the correct ranges and plays here is vital to maximise your chances for tournament survival. 5) The Late Stages –As the prospect of serious prize money looms, huge adjustments need to be made. How to play on the bubble and concepts such as risk premium and the Independent Chip Model are fundamental to maximising your chance of landing a major prize and they are all thoroughly explained. 6) Hand Examples –This will test your understanding of everything you have learnt so far. 7) Other Considerations –You can improve your tournament results by also working on your general attitude and approach. This section encompasses all the non-technical aspects of playing, including learning, the mental approach, tells and practical tips. Jonathan Little has dedicated himself to educating players who are keen to improve their poker strategy, and in 2020, he was awarded the prestigious title of Global Poker Index “Poker Personality of the Year” – voted for by the poker-playing public. As well as being an immensely successful professional player with over $7,000,000 in live tournament cashes, Jonathan runs the highly respected coaching site pokercoaching.com. By interacting regularly with his students, he has developed a clear understanding of how to explain important concepts in a language that can be easily understood by players of all skill levels. The result is Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker – the definitive guide to modern tournament play.

This book explores the rise and increased acceptance of gambling in America, particularly the growth of the game of poker, as a means for examining changes to the American Dream and the risk society. Poker both critiques and reinterprets the myth of the American Dream, putting greater emphasis on the importance of luck and risk management while deemphasizing the importance of honesty and hard work. Duncan discusses the history of gambling in America, changes to the rhetoric surrounding gambling, the depiction of poker in the Wild West as portrayed in film, its recent rise in popularity on television, its current place in post-modern America on the internet, and future implications.

The digital technologies of the 21st century are reshaping how we experience storytelling. More than ever before, storylines from the world's most popular narratives cross from the pages of books to the movie theatre, to our television screens and in comic books series. Plots intersect and intertwine, allowing audiences many different entry points to the narratives. In this sometimes bewildering array of stories across media, one thing binds them together: their large-scale fictional world. Collaborative Worldbuilding for Writers and Gamers describes how writers can co-create vast worlds for use as common settings for their own stories. Using the worlds of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, A Game of Thrones, and Dungeons & Dragons as models, this book guides readers through a step-by-step process of building sprawling fictional worlds complete with competing social forces that have complex histories and yet are always evolving. It also shows readers how to populate a catalog with hundreds of unique people, places, and things that grow organically from their world, which become a rich repository of story making potential. The companion website collaborativeworldbuilding.com features links to online resources, past worldbuilding projects, and an innovative card system designed to work with this book.

In the 'Battle in America' series well-known historical illustrator Peter Dennis breathes life back into the 19th century paper soldier, supplying all the artwork needed to create the armies which struggled for Liberty across the states of the colonial new world. Here Washington's army can clash again with the redcoats of the King, using simple rules from veteran wargamer Andy Callan. Although the figures can be used with any of the commercial sets of wargame rules, an introduction to wargaming and a simple set of rules by veteran wargamer Andy Callan is included, along with buildings, trees and even artillery and brave Minute men and ruthless Hessian mercenaries.

Jonathan Adler Helsinki Peggable Chess Set from Galison is a chic and contemporary set for any game enthusiast. This set features a peggable chess construction with modernist forms for the 32 chess pieces and symbols. Adler fans and anyone who loves good design and fun will enjoy this game set! Makes a perfect gift. * Box: 7.8 x 7.8 x 2.8", 198 x 198 x 71 mm * 32 Wood Chess Pieces * 1 Portable Chess Board * Instructions are included * Perfect for playing on the go!

Number of players: 1-5 Ages: 14+ Playing Time: 30-50 minutes Components: 6 Character cards, 9 Jungle cards, 56 Adventure cards, 2 Reference cards, 2 Playing pieces, 24 Health tokens, 24 Food tokens, 12 Ammo tokens, 2 Expedition leader tokens Legendary explorer Percy Fawcett marched deep into the Amazon in search of El Dorado. He was never seen again. Your team is following in his footsteps, but in searching for riches you must be careful not to lose the greatest treasure of all - your life. Make the best of your food, your ammunition and your health, as you plunge deep into the jungle. Choose your path carefully to ensure you're ready for the pitfalls which may occur. Play solo or co-operatively to survive the expedition, or play head-to-head to see which group can reach the lost city first. From award-winning designer Peer Sylvester and acclaimed comic artist Garen Ewing, The Lost Expedition is a game of hard choices on the road to El Dorado.

Learn how to play bridge with this simple step-by-step guide. While good bridge classes are, of course, of great value, this book is itself the complete tutorial. It will help you to learn properly without other help and give you a solid foundation on which to start playing this absorbing game. Work at your own pace Understand the key basic principles Learn about the Acol system of bidding Discover how to play a hand, both as declarer and in defence

We all know that 'we only use ten per cent of our brain' is a myth, but it is true that giving our brains a workout can really help our day-to-day problem-solving abilities. In Brain Coach Intense, puzzle master Dr Gareth Moore has designed an intensive 40-day training plan to really stretch your mental agility, along with tips and tricks to help you overcome mental strain and increase your brain function and explanations of how the puzzles help your brain. Each day you'll be introduced to a puzzle format and shown how to solve a simple example, before tackling the increasingly devilish variations by yourself. Train your brain and improve and maintain your mental agility with the focused challenges in Brain Coach Intense and see a difference in 40 days.

Bring the fun and excitement of bowling right to your desk with this glow-in-the-dark, nostalgic game. Kit includes: * 11" bowling lane with glow-in-the-dark features and flashing lights and music * 6 pins * Bowling ball * Mini book on the history, setup, and rules of the game

A card game for film nerds, movie geeks, and cinephiles. One deck. 150 cards. Multiple ways to play.

This card-based party game is a well-crafted mix of sleek design, pop culture, and film--sure to be a hit at any game night, family gathering, movie night, or even as an ice breaker for your new book club. With multiple ways to play based on difficulty level ranging from casual movie-goer to bonafide film nerd, Cinephile will have you and your friends racking your brains for Sean Connery's lesser-known films, Cate Blanchett's filmography, and Steve Buscemi's most memorable cameos.

Amarillo Slim Preston has won $300,000 from Willie Neslon playing dominoes and $2 million from Larry Flynt playing poker. He has shuffled, dealt, and bluffed with some of twentieth-century's most famous figures. He beat Minnesota Fats at pool with a broom, Bobby Riggs at table tennis with a skillet, and Evel Knievel at golf with a carpenter's hammer. Amarillo Slim has gambled with 'em all, and left most of them wishing they hadn't.

The memoirs of a living American icon, Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People is the story of life as a Texas road gambler and the discovery of the Wild West. It's also the story of how Slim won the World Series of Poker at Binion's Horseshoe, became a worldwide celebrity, and brought poker from smoky backrooms to mainstream America. Just let him tell it:

"If there's anything I'll argue about, I'll either bet on it or shut up. And since it's not very becoming for a cowboy to be arguing, I've made a few wagers in my day. But in my humble opinion, I'm no ordinary hustler. You see, neighbor, I never go looking for a sucker. I look for a champion and make a sucker out of him ..."

"I'm fixing to tell you a few things that I've been keeping to myself for a lot of years. If you're not careful, you just might learn how to get rich without ever having a job."

The 125 greatest chess games of all time, selected, analysed, re-evaluated and explained by a team of British experts and illustrated with over 1,000 chess diagrams. Join the authors in studying these games, the cream of two centuries of international chess, and develop your own chess-playing skills - whatever your current standard. Instructive points at the end of each game highlight the lessons to be learned. First published in 1998, a second edition of The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games in 2004 included an additional 12 games. This edition includes a further 13 games as well as some significant revisions to the analysis and information regarding other games in earlier editions of the book, facilitated by the use of a variety of chess software.

Based on The Times Bridge column, an extensive bridge guide aimed at the less experienced or social player who longs to improve their game, with instructive deals and tips, as well as a helpful Index. Andrew Robson, The Times Bridge Correspondent, is both a champion Bridge player and an inspired teacher. He teaches and tutors at his Bridge Club and has acquired great practical knowledge about how people learn to play Bridge. Based on Andrew Robson's daily column in The Times, common scenarios are presented with an outline of what actually happened, as well as what should have happened. Along with every deal is the very popular handy tip 'If you remember just one thing...', which features throughout the book. The first section of the book, 'The Game', is a basic outline providing the key to playing a sensible game of Bridge, subdivided into 'Bidding', 'Declarer Play' and 'Defence'. The reader can either read 'The Game' first, paying particular attention to the tips, or they can dip in and out of the book, picking a common mistake at random, with the option to cross-reference to the same tip in 'The Game' section. Bridge is now reaching a new audience, and is being played by people of all ages. Let Andrew Robson help you to improve your game! Previously published in 2005 as The Times Bridge: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

World War II was truly a 'world' war, and many nations joined the fight against Germany and the Axis. This latest supplement for Bolt Action covers the armies of France, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Norway, Holland and Belgium that stood against the German Blitzkrieg, as well as the resistance forces that sprung up in the aftermath of occupation.

A New York Times bestseller * A New York Times Notable Book "The tale of how Konnikova followed a story about poker players and wound up becoming a story herself will have you riveted, first as you learn about her big winnings, and then as she conveys the lessons she learned both about human nature and herself." -The Washington Post It's true that Maria Konnikova had never actually played poker before and didn't even know the rules when she approached Erik Seidel, Poker Hall of Fame inductee and winner of tens of millions of dollars in earnings, and convinced him to be her mentor. But she knew her man: a famously thoughtful and broad-minded player, he was intrigued by her pitch that she wasn't interested in making money so much as learning about life. She had faced a stretch of personal bad luck, and her reflections on the role of chance had led her to a giant of game theory, who pointed her to poker as the ultimate master class in learning to distinguish between what can be controlled and what can't. And she certainly brought something to the table, including a Ph.D. in psychology and an acclaimed and growing body of work on human behavior and how to hack it. So Seidel was in, and soon she was down the rabbit hole with him, into the wild, fiercely competitive, overwhelmingly masculine world of high-stakes Texas Hold'em, their initial end point the following year's World Series of Poker. But then something extraordinary happened. Under Seidel's guidance, Konnikova did have many epiphanies about life that derived from her new pursuit, including how to better read, not just her opponents but far more importantly herself; how to identify what tilted her into an emotional state that got in the way of good decisions; and how to get to a place where she could accept luck for what it was, and what it wasn't. But she also began to win. And win. In a little over a year, she began making earnest money from tournaments, ultimately totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. She won a major title, got a sponsor, and got used to being on television, and to headlines like "How one writer's book deal turned her into a professional poker player." She even learned to like Las Vegas. But in the end, Maria Konnikova is a writer and student of human behavior, and ultimately the point was to render her incredible journey into a container for its invaluable lessons. The biggest bluff of all, she learned, is that skill is enough. Bad cards will come our way, but keeping our focus on how we play them and not on the outcome will keep us moving through many a dark patch, until the luck once again breaks our way.

While we already know that the 90s was the coolest decade in recorded human history, what was the pinnacle of culture in the era of CD-ROMs and Pogs, The Fresh Prince and butterfly clips? Clash of the 90s is here to decide. The flip phone or the Nintendo 64? The Spice Girls or Britney Spears? Home Alone or the Tamagotchi? What was the raddest, the most influential? Which changed the course of human history? Battle these icons to pick a victor. To play, deal all the cards equally, and no peeking! In turns, flip the card on top of your deck and choose from one of six categories: Freshness, Radness, 90s-ness, Game Changer, Influence or Legacy. Each have numerical values. Read one out, and if your icon's score beats the rest, take all the played cards from that round.

Naughty Pictionary and Sex Toy Relays? It must be a CosmoBachelorette Party! Get your girls together because we're throwing your bride-to-be a night she'll never forget! Cosmo's 25 hilariously entertaining games will have you prepping for the most epic bachelorette party ever. Featuring fun (and frequently risque) activities by the #1 women's magazine in the world, this pack includes everything you never knew you needed. From phallic-inspired challenges, to classic games with a tawdry twist, to brand-new bachelorette adventures, this deck will bring you a party you'll never be able to talk about again. What happens at a bachelorette party stays at a bachelorette party, right?

Board games have long fascinated as mirrors of intelligence, skill, cunning, and wisdom. While board games have been the topic of many scientific studies, and have been studied for more than a century by psychologists, there was until now no single volume summarizing psychological research into board games. This book, which is the first systematic study of psychology and board games, covers topics such as perception, memory, problem solving and decision making, development, intelligence, emotions, motivation, education, and neuroscience. It also briefly summarizes current research in artificial intelligence aiming at developing computers playing board games, and critically discusses how current theories of expertise fare with board games. Finally, it shows that the information provided by board game research, both data and theories, have a wider relevance for the understanding of human psychology in general.

Bridge is played around the world - and often regarded as the best of all card games. 'Many games provide fun, but Bridge grips you. It exercises your mind. Your mind can rust, you know, but Bridge prevents the rust from forming' Omar Sharif In this book David Bird builds on TEN WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR BRIDGE and presents ten further ways to increase success at the bridge table. In the area of bidding, the Jacoby 2NT convention is described - the most popular way nowadays of showing a strong major-suit raise and investigating slam possibilities. When bidding slams, it is critical to identify the presence or otherwise of the six key cards (the four aces and the king-queen of trumps) Roman Key-card Blackwood allows you to do this. Two important variations (Kickback Blackwood and Exclusion Blackwood) are explained. The Lebensohl convention is covered also, both when partner's INT has been overcalled and when you are responding to a double of a weak-two bid. On defence, the important topic of disrupting declarer's communications is explained. The book will also show how you can become an 'awkward defender', the sort of player that no declarer likes to face. Finally, five important areas of declarer play are addressed: holding up in a suit contract, using the entries provided by the trump suit, how to block the defenders' suit at no-trumps, the various ways to avoid an adverse ruff or overruff and how to overcome a 4-1 trump break.