Product Description

A manual to instruct gin rummy players in the intricacies and nuances of gin rummy in order to improve their knowledge and skills in the play of this particular game. It covers all aspects of the game for both face-to-face and Internet competition. Teaches how to play percentages, count cards, use of the "upcard", speculating, knocking, reading opponents' body language, cheating and courtesy. With appropriate illustrations and some interesting anecdotes. Also explains straight gin rummy, Oklahoma, Hollywood, and Oklahoma/Hollywood.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #549565 in Books
• Published on: 1999-05-30
• Formats: Large Print, Unknown format
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 95 pages

About the Author
Born Oct. 21, 1931, Galveston, TX. Educated at Catholic schools through college (U. of St. Thomas, Houston) . Korean veteran, USMC. Hairstylist 1954. Married 1954, wife Joan, 5 children, 5 grandchildren. Widowed 1993. Remarried, another Joan, June 12, 1999. Business owner since 1957, still active. Partner in health and racquet club. Played gin rummy for 65 years with total success.

Customer Reviews

A great, easy-to-read guide to play and WIN at Gin Rummy
This book is a ONE-OF-A-KIND in that it is written for either the layman or the expert. The cards that are shown are as if they were in your hand and each step is pointed out; when you look it over a second time it makes sense and if you follow the instructions, the odds will be heavily in your favor to WIN AT GIN. The author has a sense of humor and it shows in his writing. This makes his book informative AND fun. Better YET, he's an expert and wins over 75% of all the games he's ever played and most of his games are against experts. He CHALLENGES each of you (over the Internet) to play against him. There are many books "out there" that give instructions, but none in the detail as this book. Charley Killebrew is an expert because he is bright and because he loves the game of gin. Remember, regardless of the level you are as a gin rummy player, you'll LEARN from this book. Pete Billac, publisher.

Not quite as good as I expected...
Whenever I buy a book that has print as big as a childrens book, I immediately get suspicious. Maybe the font size is for the older reader, or maybe he was trying to make it seem like you were actually buying a 100 page book. This books' actual useful content would fill 30 pages in a 12 point font. I guess I was looking for some more examples of those "hard hands" and how to play them, and a little more advanced content. That being said, this book is still useful, especially for the beginner to intermediate. However, if you have more than 200 semi-serious money games under your belt and havent lost too much of your wad, you wont get too much out of this. If I were you I would befriend your local expert and watch him play.

Not a good teaching book
There is very little information in this book regarding how to win at gin rummy. For example, the chapter called "The Card Gods" encourages the player to mentally concentrate on the card they need so that their opponent will give it to them; how's that for mumbo-jumbo. Then there is the "Percentages" chapter where the first sentence reads "I'm not going to bore you with a bunch of numbers showing percentages"; the obvious question is why then did the author include a chapter on percentages? You are better off saving your money on this book.