Customer Reviews
Place your bets - By: Richard Morris, 14 Jun 2008 
I went into a bookshop to look at a number of manuals on card games before choosing this one. It's much the best I could find. Not only does it list a great variety of games (100 in alll), but at the back it indexes them by "Type" (e.g. patience, family, trick-taking, melding, casino, children etc) & by "Number of Players". So if, for example, you're looking for a gambling game for three players, a quick bit of cross-referencing will suggest that Skat is the game for you.
As well as clear, well-illustrated instructions for famous games like Bridge, Bezique, Euchre, Hearts, Whist, Canasta, Rummy (and its spin-offs) & Poker (and alll of its variants), there are plenty of unusual games for seasoned, curious players, such as Pope Joan, Schafkopf, Quinto & Calypso.
Best of alll is Peter Arnold's writing style. He is clear, but never dry. His introduction, plus chapters on card history, etiquette & cheating make for good reading. Whether you want to refresh your memory on the rules of Snap so you can teach it to a smalll child, or get a solid grounding in Texas Hold 'Em - this book covers them alll.
By the way, I bought it not only for myself, but in an attempt to persuade my two young sons that not alll the best games are on a PC. Now they're playing Pontoon, Go Fish, Rummy & a number of other games. Not only are card games more social, but are good for kids' numeracy skills.
I have to add that in my copy I have spotted just one or two typos, but nothing too serious. I thoroughly recommend this book.
Clear and concise guide to card games - By: Quitehairy, 09 May 2008 
This is an excellent book, covering 100 card games with a clear explanation of the rules & showing example hands to illustrate them. It also covers varitions of games (eg; the entry for Poker includes details of Draw, Stud, Texas Hold 'Em, etc). Great for learning new games or to put an end to arguments about the rules. Highly recommended.
