Richard D. Harroch, Lou Krieger - Poker For Dummies

Three stars. Solid and enjoyable.

Not as basic an introduction to the game as the authors would like you to believe. Yes, it does give a plain description of the fundamental rules of poker in general, and the specifics of the most popular games (Texas Hold'em, 7-Card stud, Omaha), but it does make some assumptions about your knowledge of cards and betting in general. The first few chapters can be quite confusing if you don't know how a "betting round" works, because they never explain it. The "rah-rah!" Dummies-style of cheerleading also gets tiresome after a while, especially when you just know that if you step up to a table armed purely with the knowledge in this book, you're going to get fleeced all the way to Nebraska. As quick-start guide, though, it does the job of setting you on your way.