Customer Reviews:
From beginner to average.......2007-10-18
Outstanding book that will take you from watching it on TV to making it deep in tournaments. Dan recommends a very basic tight and conservative approach but then again what beginner book doesn't. If you are new to the game then this is the place to start.
Many practical lessons. Much practical analysis........2007-10-12
This is a very good book. It is well organized. It provides exactly the type of analysis that you can use to improve your poker game. The author provides several methods of analysis. He gives play by play analysis. In one chapter he focuses on how to analyze that round of betting that happens before the flop. In another chapter he focuses on how to analyze your fellow players. In another chapter he show you how to focus on how the other players see you. Knowing how they see you will help you to analyze what you should do based not on how YOU see yourself but on how OTHERS in the game see you. I repeatedly find myself replaying in my mind my own previous losing hands. I see that I made mistakes that I would not have made had I known what I know from reading the examples in this book. Well worth the money.
Best Detailed Hold'Em Book Out There.......2007-09-21
We Bought all Three Harrington on Hold 'Em books and I'm still reading through the first one. There are real examples that you can read through and decide if the way you would play them matches how they should be played. He'll tell you precisely why the hands should be played that way. I can't wait to read the next two. There are excellent insights into starting hands, playing against aggressive players...well you just have to get the book to find out all the goodies inside. I have many other books on poker already (Super System I and II, etc.) but this book by far is the best one out there for No Limit Hold 'Em. Especially if you want to refine your play. I'm an advanced player but this is great for beginners too. It brings you back to basics. Enjoy!
Great book! Don't buy this if you are going to play against me........2007-09-17
This book has really helped me improve my game. It is very thourough, and gives you example hands with detailed explainations as to why you should play them a certain way. Don't read this if you want to stay mediocre in your Texas Hold-em game play.
Harrington on Hold'em Vol 1.......2007-09-16
Helpful, essential; valuable information. Not boring or hard to read, but delightful, enjoyable, easy to read, understand, and apply. One of the best books available.
Product Description
Poker has taken America by storm. But its not just any form of poker that has people across the country so excited its no-limit hold em the main event game. And now thanks to televised tournaments tens of thousands of new players are eager to claim their share of poker glory. In the first volume of this series, Harrington on Hold em: Volume I: Strategic Play, Dan Harrington explained how to play in the early phases of tournaments, when most players at the table had plenty of chips, and the blinds and antes were small. This book, Harrington on Hold em: Volume II: The Endgame shows you how to play in the later phases of a tournament, when the field has been cut down, the blinds and antes are growing, and the big prize money is within sight. Harrington shows you how to make moves, handle tricky inflection point plays, and maneuver when the tournament is down to its last few players and the end is in sight. Hes also included a whole chapter on heads-up play, whose strategies up to now have been a closely-guarded secret of the games top masters. Dan Harrington won the gold bracelet and the World Champion title at the $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold em Championship at the 1995 World Series of Poker. And he was the only player to make it to the final table in 2003 (field of 839) and 2004 (field of 2,576) considered by cognoscenti to be the greatest accomplishment in WSOP history. In Harrington on Hold em, Harrington and two-time World Backgammon Champion Bill Robertie have written the definitive book on no-limit hold em for players who want to win and win big.
Customer Reviews:
The best of the best.......2007-10-18
This book is outstanding just like his first one. You can't go wrong with Harrington. This book will take your game to a whole new level.
The Bible of all Poker Books.......2007-10-11
I have read several poker books since i picked up Harrington on Poker Vol 1 and Vol 2 and I most say that they pale in comparison to this masterpiece.
Both books are exceptionally organized, welll written and the examples with commentary are worth their weight in gold. Harrington talks about several complex topics but distills the theory with scenario examples to demonstrate the proof of concept. Every practical engineers dream. The fact that he has a math background serves well for a player like myself.
My poker play has improved tremendously because of this book. I used to play 2/4 limit poker but have now progressed to Sit and Gos and Tournaments. Of the last 9 Sit and Gos i have played in a card room, I have won three (shared first twice), came in 2nd or 3rd on the other three and lost three times (although i was usually 4th or 5th when such happened). The stats speak for themselves.
Thank you Dan!
Harrington continues.......2007-09-14
Excellent continuation of vloume 1. I know that reading these books will improve my game with time, it's a lot to learn and try to implement. Anyone can improve using the guidelines and tips given.
Great Book.......2007-09-08
Strategy illustrated in the book seems to work well. This is a definite need for any poker player. Highly recommend.
Terrific Book.......2007-07-25
I've now read both Harrington's Volumes I & II on Texas Hold em - terrific books. This volume (II - Endgame) is an essential follow up to Volume I. I've read Brunson's Super System. He's got some good insights, but alot of rambling too. Alot of these poker books are about the authors philosophy of poker and the great accomplishments they had - who cares? Just tell me how to make good bets! And that's just what Harrington does. Harrington's book really gives you the nuts and bolts of good poker. When I was at my first tournament, I remember most of the time not really knowing what decisions to make, whether it was pre-flop, post-flop etc. I was always going by my "instincts". Well guess what? My instincts suck - as do most people's. Yeah, you may get a good read once in a while, but that's it. I finally feel like I can make good decisions. I never had any idea the game was so complicated, but I have a much better appreciation for it now. One of the best things it taught me, and that I wasn't doing, was to try and figure out what the other players had based on their betting and their styles. If you do read this book, I hope I never have to play against you!
Customer Reviews:
You must have this book!!!.......2007-10-18
A complete workbook that reinforces all the lessons taught in the first two. This book is outstanding.
A Must for the Serious MTT Hold 'Em Student.......2007-10-11
This is a workbook of problems from actual hands that were played. This is not a quick read, and you need to think about what you would do in various scenarios and why. Harrington then tells you what he would do in those situations and why, and then gives you a "Score" for your answer. At the end of the book, you can evaluate your play. In general, you can total your score and see where you stand, but you can also categorize your errors, and see if you are too passive in certain scenarios, too aggressive preflop, etc.
Sometimes the reader may be tempted to choose a play he knows that Harrington thinks is right, just to get a good score, yet he wouldn't actually make this play in a real MTT. This is the only danger the reader must avoid when working through these problems. Choose the answer that best represents what you would actually do in the scenario.. that way, you get proper feedback when you finish the book.
Harrington's Great Works!.......2007-08-01
Another Super Harrington Work!
Great workbook format!!
Helps organize the way one approaches tournament no-limit hold-em poker!!!
Very well written........2007-07-09
It must be difficult to write a book to a market of poker players of greatly varying skills, but I feel Harrington has done it masterfully. It educates without pandering, and amuses enough while making the reader think and rethink moves that he might otherwise perform on auto-pilot. Pot odds (a now abused catch-phrase amateurs spit out at the table tautologically to compensate defensively for their bad play) are gone into in depth from both points of view (the player and his opponent...i.e. pot odds given and pot odds offered), and rationally shows that no-limit doesn't have to be all about mindless chip-shoving. Looking very forward to his other books. Do me a favor and don't read it.
Good Hold'em Workbook.......2007-07-03
This was a great book with real-life examples. Dan shows all points of views for each of the hands (not just what he would do). Talks about ramifications about different ways to play each of the hands. Good for the intermediate to advanced player.
Customer Reviews:
Opens up a new dimension of the game.......2007-10-18
This book is great. Well written, it clearly explains how now limit works. It is not for a beginner. I keep stopping and trying out the concepts before going on to the next. I am using implied odds and bet sizing to maximize my expectations. There is not as much math as some of his other books which is better for me.
this is a beginner's book.......2007-08-01
See Wookborm's review for a more complete discussion of what is wrong here. I don't mind beginner's books, but they should be marketed as such. I think you'll be hard pressed to find anything new in this book, if you have spent any time reading up on no-limit on any of the popular online forums. Mastery of the material in this book does not look sufficient to beat the 25 cent big blind game online. I could only recommend it if you have no other no-limit book at all; but then, why not buy Harrington volume 1 or something else? This book is superfluous. I felt ripped off.
Book needs more practice and less theory.......2007-05-31
This book gets a three star rating because it does some things very well whilst omitting some critical details. The first portion of the book talks about bet sizing. It gives some very practical advice about how much to bet to encourage your opponents to make mistakes, how much to bet when bluffing, how to size your "blocking bets", how much to bet preflop and so forth. This section is excellent.
Some of the other topics are covered in a rather haphazard manner. In the check raising chapter, he covers the very specific case of check raising heads up on the river. For other situations, the book says "Only expert players recognize the best opportunities for the play...A book really can't do the subject justice". Sometimes the calculations are based on figures that in real life are simply prohibitively difficult to obtain. One example begins "So if you have one chance in three of stacking your opponent if you catch a straight...". How exactly one deduces the probability of stacking an opponent when you river your straight is never quite explained, perhaps because it falls into the "A book can't really do the subject justice" category. The second section of the book is titled "Concepts and Weapons" and it does provide useful and practical tips that should improve anyone's game.
The main shortcomings of the book revolve around the topics it doesn't cover. The book does not mention concepts such as pot equity and hand ranges, two ingredients that I believe are critical to today's game. Sure it's important to know how to price your opponent out of a flush draw if you're sure that is his exact holding. However, real life scenarios are rarely that simple. What happens if there is a flush draw on the board and an opponent bets into you and you suspect he's holding a flush draw half the time but will be holding top pair top kicker the other half of the time? This book does not provide the tools for dealing with this type of problem and others like it that no limit players face repeatedly on a daily basis.
To wrap up my review I will use a medieval analogy. If you're already well equipped to deal with the battle that is no limit hold em, this book will certain give you some extra weapons and patch up some holes in your defence. However, if you're looking for your sword, shield, helmet and body armour I would recommend starting with other resources.
Good theory poker book.......2007-05-13
A very good book on poker. Be prepared to learn!
Great Read for Serious Players Only.......2007-05-02
Read this book only if you are serious about improving your game. Sklansky did a good job in capturing into words the intuitive nuances that I have come to recognize after so many hands of playings, and take them even further to horizons I have yet to explore (and can't wait to try). It is not a book for beginner and you are expected to be somewhat a good player already to even start reading this. A "fish" would most certainly get lost within a few pages. A lot of the math in the book is probably not going to be too applicable while you're at the table, but rather just as his way of showing that the decisions are mathematically correct. There is a list of tips at the end of the book that sums up everything quite nicely. To me, the Sklansky-Chubukov rating is unheard of before and it will take me a while to digest its significance and importance in improving my play.
Book Description
Phil Gordon plays poker with the best players in the world. He has won -- and lost -- in tournaments and cash games around the globe, all the while studying the game and learning from every hand dealt. As the resident expert and cohost of Celebrity Poker Showdown, Phil has quickly become one of the most sought-after teachers of No Limit Texas Hold'em. It's a tough game. But anyone can become a winning player with the right amount of courage, patience, aggression, observation, and, perhaps most important, dedication to becoming a better player.
After fifteen years of keeping notes on the things he's learned, the greats he's played with, and the celebrities he's taught, Phil Gordon has poured every single thing he knows about No Limit Texas Hold'em into this little green book. Taking a page from Harvey Penick's bestselling book of golf wisdom, Phil plays the role of both teacher and student, offering up insightful tips on how to think about poker and how to develop a singular style of play. Through philosophy, psychology, strategy, math, and the knowledge gleaned from playing poker with everyone from T. J. Cloutier and Phil Ivey to Hank Azaria and Ben Affleck, Phil breaks down the game into enlightening instructional tidbits and illustrative anecdotes that inspire the kind of persistence and motivation necessary to improve your game.
A book to rank with Doyle Brunson's Super System and David Sklansky's The Theory of Poker, Phil Gordon's Little Green Book deserves a spot on the shelf of every serious student of the game.
Customer Reviews:
Great Little Green.......2007-09-22
I have read quite a few books by the pros. However, this one is clearly the best so far. He speaks in terms that are understandable and he explains things well. I recommend this book for anyone in their early years of competing.
Gives you good advice.......2007-09-01
When you start playing Texas Hold'em, this is a good book to read now and then.
If you never read a poker book, this is a great first read........2007-08-29
If you've never read a poker book, this is one of the first books you should read. It will tell the novice how to start thinking about the game. If you ar fairly new to the game, then you will find this book a wealth of information. An intermediate player will find alot in this book as well, although it may never be 'cool' to quote Phil Gordon. Unfortunately, I think Mr. Gordon explains Pot Odds poorly. SUMMARY: For the player who wants to improve but doesn't want to get too deep into poker theory, there is no beating Phil Gordon. The Audiobook version is great for long car rides or subway commutes.
Thumbs up for Gordon's green book.......2007-07-04
Found this to be very educational and easy to follow. Actually listened to it typically driving out to a poker tournament and was able to apply some of the topics immediately.
good mix of theory and play.......2007-05-23
If you like the scenario type reading this book will help you. I get bored with just calculations so knowing the though process was helpful.
Book Description
In Poker: The Real Deal and Phil Gordon's Little Green Book, Phil Gordon -- a world-class player and teacher -- shared the strategies, tips, and expertise he's gleaned during his phenomenally successful career. Now he shows players how to apply those theories to actual hands in order to make smart, confident decisions with every move.
Gordon walks readers through hands that he's encountered in cash games; early, middle, and late tournament play; Sit & Gos; satellites and supersatellites; and the final table of the World Series of Poker, revealing not only what plays he made but also why he made them. He relates what goes through a pro's mind in every situation, whether it's a timely bluff or a questionable call, and helps players calculate their own best moves in the most pressure-fueled of situations. In analyzing specific hands, Gordon also imparts important lessons in key poker skills such as calculating odds, shorthanded play, and discovering tells. And he discusses memorable plays -- the good and the oh-so-bad -- explaining why certain moves were made and, in many cases, how the hands should have been played differently.
Insightful, witty, and filled with real-life pro secrets, Phil Gordon's Little Blue Book is required reading for every player looking to make a profit and raise his game to the next level.
Customer Reviews:
Not my style..........2007-10-18
When learning something like poker I like my information straight foreword, not with a lot of embellishment. While studying each hand I had to remind myself what I was trying to learn that particular hand without being distracted by the anecdotes.
I'm sure many students will find this makes the learning more interesting but my goal when studying poker is to improve my game with the least amount of effort.
About a quarter of the way into this book I asked myself how would I be better served? Should I continue with Little Blue or would I get more out of re-reading books I had already studied like Harrington Vol I or Little Green.
About 5 problems into Harrington Vol I...there was my answer. Goodbye Little Blue.
Bottom line...maybe this is a great book but if your learning style is similar to mine...take a pass.
Basic, but good. Short and Informative.......2007-08-29
If you have basic poker knowledge (read the Phil Gordon's Green book) then this is a great follow-up. Even if you didn't read the Green book, you'll learn something reading this book. It's an easy read, entertaining, and has some good info. For a casual player who wants to get better but doesn't want to get too involved in poker theory, there's no beating Phil Gordon's Green and Blue book. For a serious player, it's still a good read if not a bit fluffy, like Phil Gordon himself. READ IT!
Occasional gems but few and far between.......2007-05-15
Phil Gordon claims that "The Little Blue Book" will teach you how to think about poker. I do not think his work lives up to that claim. The book is dedicated primarily to tournament analysis, with the first quarter of the book dedicated to cash game play.
If a book claims to teach you how to think about poker, then it firstly must provide a generic framework for thinking about poker problems and then it should use specific hand examples to show you how to apply that framework to make profitable decisions.
Gordon's book is a haphazardly assembled collection of hands along with his analysis, some of which is insightful and some of which is not. Some of his advice includes:
"Be careful when playing hands that are easily dominated - even drunks can play top two pair effectively"
"Do not underestimate the power of implied tilt odds. You can at times take the worst of it if a monster suckout will open a fire hose of angry tilting money"
"It's usually correct to slowplay when you flop an absolute monster"
"When a player who never bluffs makes a bet or a raise, you have to put him on a big hand"
To be fair to the book there are some good points inside but nothing that a solid intermediate poker player would not understand already. For a more comprehensive treatment of tournament poker, I would definitely recommend Harrington's three part poker series. I can't really recommend Gordon's book to any type of poker audience.
Phil Gordon.......2007-05-13
I have all of MR. Gordons books (3)....I enjoyed all of them...anyone who plays poker....should add them to their poker library...shari
Real Poker Stories.......2007-05-07
This is a great book for someone who knows the basics of Texas Hold 'Em, who has read some books on poker but found it hard to put their general rules of advice into effective play. Phil has found a form for combining real situations with the advice -- his stories around particular hands. Thoroughly enjoyed reading these stories and suspect you will as well.
Product Description
- How often does each starting hand win against a specific hand or random hand? - What are the odds of your opponent holding a pocket pair when he raises? - What is the probability that an over-card will flop when you hold JJ? - How do you determine if drawing is profitable or not? Texas Hold'em Odds and Probabilities answers all of these questions and more. Every single decision you make at the poker table is in some way related to odds and probabilities. Whether you are deciding to bet, call, fold, raise, or even bluff, odds and probabilities are an integral part of the decision-making process. Texas Hold'em Odds and Probabilities covers all forms of the game, including limit, no-limit, and tournament situations. This book does more than just show you how to calculate the odds - more importantly, the focus is on how to apply odds to make better decisions. Hilger's approach shows that you do not need to be a math wiz to be successful in poker. Simple concepts and strategies that anyone can learn will have you matching wits with the top players in no time. Some of the topics include: raising draws for value, backdoor draws, facing all-in decisions before the flop, protecting your hand, the impact of stack sizes, and much more. In addition, the most comprehensive collection of Texas Hold'em charts and statistics ever put in print is provided as reference. Poker is a fun game, but it is even more fun when you win. Expert players understand the simple math behind every decision they make - now you can too. Matthew Hilger is also the author of the best-selling Internet poker book, Internet Texas Hold'em and is coauthor, with Ian Taylor, of The Poker Mindset.
Customer Reviews:
Too basic -- too little content.......2007-09-26
If you had trouble with math in grade school, then this book may be just right for you. But I personally found it was too elementary. Come on--do you really need to explain how to add fractions and how to convert 1/3 to decimals? If you are THAT math-challenged, you probably can't count outs either! By spending so much time on remedial arithmetic, he doesn't cover a lot of ground.
If you've never heard of implied odds and don't have a clue how to size your bets, then by all means buy this book. For anyone who has read one or two poker books, this stuff is too basic--and nothing is new.
This book WILL improve your game..........2007-09-20
Unless you're a math genius or your name is Chris Ferguson, you need this book.
Top-to-bottom odds and probabilities for limit and no-limit hold'em.
Loaded with charts and explanations. I purchased this book after seeing the charts in the back of the book ... unlike any I've seen elsewhere. You can't go wrong with this book ... it's one of my top favorites.
Good book; Great vendor.......2007-05-16
Looks like a good book. I have not made it through the whole thing yet, but I can definitely recommend this vendor.
slow start, ok finish.......2007-01-20
This book will boggle your mind in the beginning with terms and number crunching that probably will need a second or third reading to fully digest ... That is not necessarily a bad thing as long as you don't get frustrated trying to get the the 'meat' of the book. The book gets rolling with more 'advice' and good scenarios from the middle to the end ... although the author does favor certain types of hands. I would not recommend this as a first read for a novice player, but is a good addition to gain this author's prespective on the game.
Everybody Respects Matthew. .......2006-08-15
At least all the players I know do. Matthew Hilger, as both a player and author, has been greatly admired since his very clear and excellently organized, Internet Texas Hold'em, came out in 2003. He also has a website that's very popular with a forum discussing all kinds of issues which arise in poker, gaming, and life. With this book on Odds and Probabilities, he has added to his stature as an advisor because he expands his focus by addressing limit hold'em, no limit hold'em cash games, and no limit hold'em tournaments. He actually fills in nicely for the (very few) areas King Yao does not cover in his book. Hilger's approach is ideal for beginners because he not only explains pot odds, implied pot odds, and effective implied pot odds, but also rudimentary concepts such as adding and multiplying fractions along with probability. These are the types of questions that many newbies swept into games by the poker popularity explosion may be too embarrassed to ask on their own. Hilger made a good decision by sticking with the same type of organization he had in his first book. Every idea is followed up with sections called Test Your Skills and Chapter Review. Most players, I have found, really improve by studying expert hand analysis which is something Hilger performs many times throughout these pages. Although for me, my favorite section was the one concerning probability of winning with particular hands. Overall, Odds and Probabilities was invaluable.
Book Description
Thousands have paid big bucks to learn winning poker strategies from Angel Largay – one of the world’s most consistent winners in maximum buy-in no-limit games. Now, Largay offers a wider audience his poker teaching expertise in No-Limit Texas Hold’em.
Although millions play, only a few have the skill to cash in on the explosion fueled by maximum buy-in no-limit games. Whether you’re a novice or a veteran, an online player, casino regular, or home game specialist, Largay’s progressive teaching method takes you step-by-step through the intricacies of the game.
Largay shows students what works and what doesn’t, common mistakes, and how to get beyond them. Today, many of his students are full-time professional players. If you’re aspiring to become a professionalâor simply to play like oneâNo-Limit Texas Hold’em will help you make it happen.
Customer Reviews:
best 100 blind book out there.......2007-09-27
This is absolutely the best book in the world for 1-2 and 2-5 live NL games with a 100 blind capped buy in. Period. It's not for online, it's not for higher stakes, and it's not for uncapped games. For the standard low limit NL games spread in B&M, this is the best. Anybody who doesn't think so is probably playing a style with a winrate less than half of what I or Angel make.
fantastic!.......2007-09-19
this is the last poker book i've bought and read. my game matured and plateaued a few months ago, especially regarding low limit no limit holdem. i wasn't really getting ahead, and all my plays were becoming predictable. my plans for poker wealth were being thwarted well, this book took me to the next level.
tonight, i just had my best night of holdem. my best win. over $500 in about 3 hours. nobody could put me on a hand all night! deception is key and the author explains how to use it.
thanks, Angel
D
Great for intro to Pot Odds, Implied Odds, Expected Value.......2007-08-29
Read this book if you don't understand Pot Odds, Implied Odds, and Expected Value. These sections are 'nut and bolts' and very direct. Many books over emphasize the odds with two cards to come (all-in after flop) but this book explains things 'more' correctly. Yes, overall this book is just okay (3 stars), but the first sections are invaluable and actually make this book a "must read" for those who do not understand the basic math ideas behind NLHE. I will probably purchase any follow-up books.
Okay for general overview of small stakes no limit holdem.......2007-05-12
This book is good but rather short. I purchased it because it deals specifically with small blind no limit holdem (which is what i play locally) ($1-$2 & $2-$5 tables). It has great info about not-so-obvious techniques u can use to improve your game, and in determining what your amateur opponents are holding. Overall, i would consider this book a requirement for anyone just getting into small stakes no-limit holdem.
Not recommendable.......2007-04-23
In this book, the writer advices you to limp with QQ preflop, regardless of position. That kind of advice is dangerous, and could be harmful to your game. He also has some ideas about limping with even higher pairs in early position. Then he tells you to checkraise the flop, if you have a hand like 10,9 offsuit, and you flop a pair of tens with that kicker..also dangerous - there are many better situations where you could bluff or semibluff instead of this kind of overbetting. He calls NL a game of deception, and it sure is, but not like this. There are many better NL books on the market. If I could, I would have returned this one for a refund.
Book Description
Written by World Champion players T. J. Cloutier and Tom McEvoy (8 titles between them), this is the definitive guide to winning at two of the world's most exciting poker games! All the answers to players most important questions are here: How do you get inside your opponents' heads and learn how to beat them at their own game? How can you tell how much to bet, raise, and reraise in no-limit hold'em? When can you bluff? How do you set up your opponents in pot-limit hold'em so that you can win a monster pot? What are the best strategies for winning no-limit and pot-limit tournaments, satellites, and supersatellites? Rock-solid and inspired advice from two of the most recognizable figures in poker.
Customer Reviews:
Meh.......2007-08-10
I'm not sure who this book is intended for. The down home, folksy style of writing makes it easy and accessible, like a good beginners book. But some topics that beginners absolutely need to learn, like pot odds and implied odds, are skimmed over and barely touched on. Other times, they'll simply repeat the same thing over and over again, with different ways of phrasing it. I get that you need "iron balls" to play hold 'em; no need to word it 5 different ways in the span of two pages.
The authors also like to make grand pronouncements and hold fast rules, as if they're reading from a stone tablet or something; "Thou shalt not draw to a flush unless ye have the nut flush draw AND two overcards!" Ignore, for a second, the absurdity of that statement; I just hate it when poker players say things like that as if they're the gospel truth. There are going to be times where you should put money into the pot with a non-nut flush draw or even simply two overcards, let alone both of them. The overall strategy described in this book is uber-tight, to say the least. They're much more concerned with protecting their own chips then taking them from others. At a table full of weak players (i.e. your average home or online poker game), I'm not sure why you would want to play in this manner.
This book is not without it's highlights. The discussion on how to play small pairs is refreshing, if only because two dissenting viewpoints are discussed. T.J. doesn't really like them, Tom will play any pair. Personally, I agree with Tom, especially if the stacks are deep. The implied odds you get from hitting a set make it a very profitable hand to play, as long as you can get some action when you hit it. If you're at a table full of nits who don't pay off (players like T.J., for example), you probably shouldn't waste your money with the small pairs unless you're simply trying to steal the pot pre-flop (basically playing it like a semi-bluff.)
Overall, I was very disappointed with this book. I think the main problem is it's target audience. It seems like the authors wrote this with serious poker players in mind, but it reads more like a beginners book at times. If I had read this a few years back when I played ATC (any two cards) this would have been exactly what I needed. Now that I know how to play the good kind of loose, this book does nothing for me. If you're a real tight player, you may find this book comforting. Everyone else should move along, there's nothing to see here. If this is "the bible of poker", as the back cover claims, then call me an atheist, cause I ain't buying it.
I was hoping for more..........2006-05-11
This book contains many stories and not that much poker-tips.
The tips are pretty basic and many of them are told repeatedly throughout the book. The result of that is a book with 304 pages that contains a net total of maybe 100 pages of poker-lessons. Not good. Sure, the stories are very entertaining to read and the authors both have a LOT of experience, but I got this book to get better at tournaments. Not for entertainment reading.
I regret that I bought this book. Recently I threw myself into Dan Harrington's vol.1 and vol.2 and they're great. I highly recommend them. Actually I can't even think of a single bad thing to say about them.
Sorry T.J.!
Great book for reference!.......2006-05-10
I must admit this is one essential poker book that should be in every poker player's library. Tj and Tom give you expert analysis on the proper way to play particular hands. I really value their experience given all the bracelets and tournaments they've both won. Tj Cloutier gives great advice on knowing your opponents and tendencies to make your decisions at the poker table. Even though much of the advice in this book at first look can be interpreted as conservative, its really the best book on tournament poker strategy. Tj stresses no limit holdem is all about survival and making smart decisions where you don't have to take too many chances will ensure you do survive. For example Tj states "In the first round of the World Series, as well as in the first round of the smaller buy-in events at the WSOP, a pair of kings is not a big enough hand to get broke with. The only hand that is big enough to get broke with before the flop is two aces." Who'd a thought that at first glance!
Not the best available.......2006-04-11
As the title implies, the authors discuss every hand that [they] think is playable in a tourney and describe how to play them in limit, no-limit and pot-limit events. There's also a discussion of some important hands that were played in past WSOP championship events. However, I found the information and discussion to be a bit shallow.
McEvoy and Cloutier seem to take a cookie cutter approach when describing how to play the hands. When you have hand X you do action Y. While they [somtimes] modify the action to be taken based on position, there is almost no discussion of the changes that your stack size would dictate. Nor is there much discussion of how hands play differently early in the tournament at full tables vs. late at short tables.
Discussion of how to play various hands on the flop and later are seldom given much in-depth discussion.
Anyone following the advice would be fairly predictable.
Lastly it should be noted that the authors are two long-time successful players. While overall I was disappointed, there were a few points that struck me as very useful. Hence the two stars instead of one.
championship no limit&pot limit hold/em.......2006-02-25
there is some good stuff in this book and written in simple terms
Book Description
BREAK THROUGH TO A LIMITLESS YOU
Long before his blockbuster bestsellers The Power of Intention and Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer touched the lives of millions with a series of breakthrough masterpieces of personal development that empowered a generation. Now one of his most beloved and influential classic audio programs, Transformation, is offered to the retail market for the first time in its original, full-length edition.
In Transformation, the man known to his fans as 'the father of motivation' will teach you how to use the powerful connection between thoughts and reality to break from the roles that control your life, and become what you were truly meant to be. By following his seven principles for personal transformation, you'll discover a clear path from negative to positive thinking, and will learn how to:
-
Use thoughts to see and feel the positive in all situations
- Let go of power struggles and give without expectations
- Realize a way of enlightenment through being and believing
- Tap into the powerful energy of synchronicity and the new way of networking
Beginning with a single thought, and opening up the whole universe, Transformation is classic Wayne Dyer at his life-changing best.
Customer Reviews:
Part practical, part metaphysical, and enjoyable........1999-02-18
Wayne is one of my favourite travelling companions on my long commute to work.
This double cassette set ranks amongst my favourites. It presents a good balance of practical and metaphysical observations. Some of the newest self-help products, I find, spend too much time on metaphysics - and right now I don't seem to be evolved enough to play that game. This set, however, reached me where I'm at and has given me a couple of new insights to help me along in my personal growth.
His observation that cancer patients and schizophrenics seem to be at two extremes on a scale of how they think is food for thought, as is the crucial importance for health and success of being "in harmony".
Well worth listening to
Books:
- Hearts Divided: 5-B Poppy Lane\The Apple Orchard\Liberty Hall
- His Rules: God's Practical Road Map for Becoming and Attracting Mr. or Mrs. Right
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- Hope Rising: Stories from the Ranch of Rescued Dreams
- Horton Hears A Who! (Classic Seuss)
- Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You
- Kerosene Cowboys: Manning the Spare
- Kingdom of Shadows: A Novel
- Kiss Theory Good Bye: Five Proven Ways to Get Extraordinary Results in Any Company
- Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning: 1977, Baseball, Politics, and the Battle for the Soul of a City
Books Index
Books Home
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Gambling
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Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 2: Endgame
Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategies for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. III--The Workbook (Harrington on Hold'em)
The Theory of Poker
Caro's Book of Poker Tells
Phil Gordon's Little Green Book: Lessons and Teachings in No Limit Texas Hold'em
