You actually said what I meant, in better words lmaoIs this one of the first books you are reading? I made the same mistake, I picked it up as my first ever book. However, it is a VERY tough read, especially since a lot of things have been given new names, new handling, etc. It is definitely a great book, but not the best one for complete beginners. I would pick up something like the Royal Road, which is a much easier read.
That being said, if you are going to read the expert at the card table, the easiest thing to do is to go into each section as if you have no idea what he will be talking about. If you start with a blank canvas, it will be much easier to pick stuff up. You will need to read over everything you don't understand 2 or 3 times, maybe even more. And at the end of every explanation, try it out, see if you can get the basics of what he was trying to say.
Oh yeah definitely.Get an annotated version.
This is kind of what I was saying, with a mix of what Maaz said. I think no matter how you slice it, when we say those things, it runs the risk of implying that the reader is "stupid." lol Although I'm sure neither of us meant it that way. It's just a truth, that older books are generally understood better, when you have a better grasp on literature.I don't mean to sound rude, but if you're not understanding older books, studying English more will help. Reading more is a big help. You don't have to read Shakespeare or anything, but it just helps to read more, even if it's online news articles or something. With Erdnase, it helps to follow along with cards in hand and look up words when you're unfamiliar.
Get an annotated version.