From: Michael Keller (Wgreview@aol.com)
Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 01:11:44 -0400
To: editor@gamecabinet.com
Subject: domino books
Michael Keller
World Game Review
1747 Little Creek Drive
Baltimore, MD 21207-5230
October 3, 1996
Wgreview@aol.com
Ken Tidwell
editor@gamecabinet.com
Dear Ken,
You wrote:
"Any chance of getting ISBN numbers for the two domino books >you mentioned (Berndt and Leeflang)?"
I went to the library to check into Leeflang's book -- neither the book itself nor the master computer catalog show an ISBN for the book. Possibly there was a later printing with an ISBN assigned, but I'm not aware of it.
The ISBN for the 1974 Thomas Nelson Inc. hardback of Fredrick Berndt's "The Domino Book" is 0-8407-6401-4. I have a 1975 Bantam paperback edition, which like Leeflang, lacks an ISBN.
A week or so ago, I bought a copy of the Muller book you recommended (through the online bookseller www.amazon.com). Unfortunately, the first page which caught my eye was "Chaos on the Square" (p.66), a rather slipshod treatment of a popular domino puzzle I've studied extensively myself (see WGR7, for example). Published puzzles of this sort generally have no single combinations, and unique solutions: Muller's two examples have 288(!) and 24 solutions respectively, and each has at least three number pairs which occur in only one place (e.g. 0-2, 1-2, and 2-4 in the 2nd puzzle).
Once I got past that, though, I skimmed the rest of the book, and it seems quite well done. I especially like the plentful examples, and the rather detailed section on the popular game of 42. Thanks again for the recommendation.
Best wishes,
Michael
In all fairness to Mr. Muller, I would like to point out that Michael is a puzzle master supreme. One would be wise to consult with both a qualified physician and a trained psychologist before attempting any of the mental exercises he advocates in his fine publication, World Game Review.
ken