just curious

mat · #1 12-09-2004, 02:02 AM

i was thinking ordering a copy of the book "winning with game theory" by nesmith ankeny i am just curious why does this book cost 100 dollars? what the hell is in this thing. now i have to get it

Michael Davis · #2 12-09-2004, 02:11 AM

Buying this book is not +EV unless possibly if you play a ton of heads up. I'm just guessing.

-Michael

uuDevil · #3 12-09-2004, 02:22 AM

[ QUOTE ]
i was thinking ordering a copy of the book "winning with game theory" by nesmith ankeny i am just curious why does this book cost 100 dollars? what the hell is in this thing. now i have to get it

[/ QUOTE ]It's been out of print a long time. Supply and demand, I guess. Fortunately my school libray has a copy. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Michael Davis · #4 12-09-2004, 02:24 AM

Give us a review!

-Michael

npc · #5 12-09-2004, 02:38 AM

[ QUOTE ]
i was thinking ordering a copy of the book "winning with game theory" by nesmith ankeny

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting book, but not exactly cutting edge. It's about applying game theory to the game of draw poker. Think of it as an extension of von Neumann and Morganstern's chapter on poker in "Theory of Games and Economic Behavior". If this last sentence intrigues you, try to get a copy of the book. If it doesn't, you can probably safely pass.

[ QUOTE ]
i am just curious why does this book cost 100 dollars?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because it's long out of print. If you periodically check biblio.com and Amazon's used book finder, I'd expect that over the next few months you could find a cheaper copy.

uuDevil · #6 12-09-2004, 04:42 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Give us a review!

[/ QUOTE ]

You should find a better reviewer. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]
(npc qualifies.)

I have to admit I have only skimmed this book because it'd be too much work for the perceived potential benefit (i.e. I'm lazy). For one thing, Ankeny is a mathematician, and his writing is a little stiff and even though the book is not THAT old (1981), seems old-fashioned. Also, I'd have to extrapolate from Jacks-or-better draw poker to Hold'em (which he refers to as a heresy). However, the introduction (first chapter) has some good basic poker advice. The rest of the book covers draw poker rules and play, probability, and bluffing in heads-up situations. Some chapters include several problems at the end.

Mason Malmuth has a very short (2 sentence) review in "Gambling Theory and Other Topics." He says it is an excellent book and rates it a 9 (out of 10). Quoting Mason, "...I think this book is must reading for serious players." Fortunately, I'm not that serious.