CHECK IT OUT:

Poker, blackjack and other card games have experienced a resurgence of popularity in recent years.

Digital and video games of chance have changed the way people play, so traditional gaming skills need a little updating.

New games mean new rules. Do you want to be a player? Many adults brush up on their betting and card skills by reading and watching DVDs before trying their luck and bluffing techniques in the casinos.

Plus, it’s fun to play cards when you understand the game. Improve your poker face, gaming strategies and winning hands with one of these best bets.

“Omaha High-Low Poker: How to Win at the Lower Limits” by Shane Smith and Don Vines: Just because you aren’t actually competing on television for millions of dollars in the pot doesn’t mean you can’t learn from the pros. Here is a guide especially designed for beginners.

“Girls’ Guide to Poker” by Eliza Burnett: Girls like poker night too; so slip into your cocktail dress, adorn your fingers with fabulous bling and blind your opponents with glamour. And also discover the inside scoop on how to play killer poker the sweet, ladylike way.

“Jackpot Nation: Rambling and Gambling Across Our Landscape of Luck” by Richard Hoffer: Gambling is one of the United States’ most popular form of adult entertainment. Is it also a problem?

This title examines the gambling industry, from state lotteries designed to supplement needed taxes to small-time fundraising raffles.

“Easy Casino Gambling: Winning Strategies for the Beginner” by Gayle Mitchell: Wow! This title has it all, Internet games, bingo, sports betting, roulette, slots, wager management and recommendations for the best casinos in the U.S., Canada and the international scene. Approach European games such as baccarat with confidence and the correct pronunciation.

“Hats and Eyeglasses: A Family Love Affair with Gambling” by Martha Frankel: What’s it like to be born into a family of gamblers? Author Frankel discusses the gambling landscape played out in a domestic setting where the Wednesday night poker night was sacrosanct and home was where the full hearts were.

“Winning Casino Craps” by Edwin Silberstang: One of the most popular games is craps and it’s no wonder. It’s exciting, involves many people and the allure is instant gratification or spectacular disappointment. This is the updated and revised second edition using the latest techniques.

“Women’s Poker Night: Stories and Strategies From the Feminine Side of the Felt” edited by Maryann Morrison: Compiled by the publisher of “Woman Poker Player Magazine,” enjoy short, anecdotal tales about card playing in this anthology depicting gambling by women and about women. Take your game to a whole, new level.

“Casino Gambling on DVD” presented by St. Clair Entertainment: Learning visually can be extremely action oriented, especially when it involves games of chance, deception and skill. This DVD features popular games like roulette, blackjack, video poker, craps and other games found in casinos in the United States and Europe.

CHECK IT OUT is written by Newport Beach Public Library reference librarian Mary Ellen Bowman. Use your Newport Beach Public Library card to reserve these titles at www.newportbeachlibrary.org or call (949) 717-3800 and press 2.