As part of Lyle Stuart book's Clueless Guides series, "Casino Gambling for the Clueless", Darwin Ortiz writes up a comprehensive playing and winning guide for beginners. You won't find any gambling systems in this one - only sound advice on making the most of a casino excursion, as well as some in-depth strategic advice for Craps and Blackjack.

In fact, nearly half of the book is devoted to simple and advanced strategy for Craps and Blackjack. The rest of the book covers Roulette, Slots, Keno and briefly covers the rules of video poker, Sic Bo, Pai Gow, and The Wheel of Fortune (which just about everybody has played once or thought about playing before). For all you visual learners out there, don't expect to find any charts or graphs in this book. This isn't a bad thing, however, for all the information is really easy to follow.

For anyone new to gambling, Ortiz does a great job explaining how it all works, including standard deviation and the casinos edge. In other words, how the casinos makes their money. He offers sound advice on bankroll management, buying in and conducting oneself in the casino. Ortiz also explains the essentials of brick 'n mortar casino operations, including junkets (free casino trips), comps and casino credit.

What I really like about Ortiz is that he doesn't try to sugar coat anything. He talks about sucker bets and explains why they are sucker bets. He also impressively dismantles gambling systems. Instead of just saying that gambling systems don't work, Ortiz explains how each system originated, why some players like to use them, and how each system will inevitably wipe out a bankroll. If you have gotten lucky with gambling systems before, Ortiz may just get you to think twice about using them again.

If you've ever felt unsure of yourself or lacking confidence while in a casino, "Casino Gambling for the Clueless" is a great read. Even if you just want to learn in-depth strategy for the most advantageous casino games like Craps and Blackjack (except for video poker), Ortiz's advice is solid and based in truth.