My 50 Most Memorable Hands
An absolutely well laid-out book, narrated in a totally effortless fashion, this book is definitely a good buy. Doyle does not starts out explaining every detail, hence when you get this book, be sure that you know the basics of the game of Texas Hold ‘em. As it is, there are around, 10 hands of 50 that are not about hold ‘em hands. Be aware of them.
As Doyle elaborates the several hands, you are available with nicely detailed photographs of the cards. This way, you can get a feel of what has been shown on the table, with the story being told. This is the most amazing aspect of the book, i.e. the ability to see the cards and taking it all in. The flop, turn, and river are displayed almost all of the forty or so of the hold em hands; there are some times where he goes about telling the story sans the pictures of cards. A trivial inconvenience.
Doyle is definitely a poker legend, and it is great to now about his memories pertaining to these hands. A brilliant book, and I know that he may come up with fifty more someday!
Subscribe to the comments for this postPoker Winners Are Different
There are a large number of books on poker strategies, and most of them are quite good and have been quite useful in helping you to learn the tricks of the trade. But equally important are aspects such as your fears, your motivations, your reasons, or your responses to particular situations.
This book by Al Schoonmaker can be of great help in this regard. As a matter of fact, this new book with the title “Poker Winners Are Different” sets the bar even higher than his previous books. He identifies, as well as articulates the features of winners, as he helps you in determining whether you have those characteristic features or may cultivate them. As a matter of fact, the most powerful aspect of the book is its “interactive” approach, which helps you in self-evaluating your attitudes as well as your game for determining whether you may indeed be a winner or not.
Cash Games (How to Win at No-Limit Hold'em Money Games) Vol. 1
As you fall short of the tournament series that would always happen as the cash games are far more complex, these books are definitely best for people wishing to set the transition from tournaments to cash games.
One of the most prominent advantages of the book, is that it shows as to WHY the two kinds are different, and the alteration in insight, which needs to be made.
In case you happen to be a tournament player this would certainly introduce a few ideas that you would not be at ease with and hands which you have been a bit happy to get all with in a contest are now hands which are often beat by the turn as well as beyond. However, in case you are open to new ideas and try out the concepts introduced in the book, you will definitely see an upgrading in your results. As far as the previous books are concerned, the hand problems are definitely fascinating and offer some major insight…
They will probably not be of much use for the experienced or successful cash game players, but everybody else would learn a lot. Along with these Professional No Limit Poker Vol 1 would also be a good reading.
Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategies for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. III–The Workbook
This book comes out with Dan Harrington in the best way till date. Amazing as it might sound, finally we have a whole book devoted on the analysis of pre-flop as well as post-flop actions across each decision point of hand. More so, Harrington has got rid of the pure orthodox approach of the initial volumes. In this book, he focuses on a variable style of the game, which includes slackening against more aggressive opponents, who are hell bent on pushing you over the table. The first two volumes would give you a basic mathematically sound orthodox game. This volume focuses a lot with aggressive, “play your opponent” types of moves. This is definitely a brilliant analysis.
I simply cannot have enough of this book. Harrington literally does some spoon feeding as he takes you step by step along the decision-making processes. During the process, he improves the quality of the decisions. Although he may remain orthodox, play a hand considerably according to the potential, he focuses on more aggressive games. He addresses the merits and demerits of other kinds of games throughout, and also tells you, as to what he shall do and why. A remarkable show of poker analysis.
A few books are so brilliant, that they tend to define their field. Each book that comes thereafter might agree, disagree, or may clarify as to what a definitive book would say on the subject, yet there is definitely one thing that the subsequent books would not be able to do: they can not simply ignore it. In case you are a serious tournament poker player, then in that case, you can not ignore the Harrington series. As it is, this is a classic text dealing with Texas hold em poker tournament strategies.
The second Volume continues with the good work, moving away from the conservative approach of the first volume. And by the time you are done with reading this book, you are ready for the big games.
Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. II: Endgame
Another great work by Harrington and Robertie! In fact, this book is even more powerful than the earlier volume. The book presents the authoritative text on how to think about as well as play a final table of a no limit hold em tournament. In this process, they have further redefined the game.
These two gentlemen introduce an entirely new lexicon about no limit poker: red zones, inflection points, green zones, dead zones, probe bets, as well as continuation bets.
The book has several terms and phrases, which help in clarifying the various intuitive concepts related to no limit tournament play, which are explained in a very simple manner. As a matter of fact, you may never have read a simpler or clearer book, with more powerful explanations for them. As it is, players enter the various stages, with the stack size growing and lowering the final table of a tournament. Quit like this, with other critical conceptions in no limit plays like final table play, continuation and probe bets. The authors take the ideas that exceptional players have instinctively recognized but till now have never totally expressed as well as compiled them in clear, simple language, which any player with moderate experience may readily grasp and inculcate. The hand examples that the authors think us through add to a better understanding of the game.
Even saying that this is a must-read book for each serious hold em player would be an understatement in itself. As a matter of fact, this book is cheduled to change the way, the entire game would be played in future. As a matter of fact, this book has the potential to direct further texts on the subject, to come up in the times to come.
Doyle Brunson's Super System: A Course in Power Poker
This is considered by pros to be the BEST POKER BOOK EVER WRITTEN. A classic book on each major no-limit game, which is played today and deals extensively with poker games, this book offers a number of advanced strategies, tactics, theories, as well as money-minting techniques. So, if you are serious about poker, then you should have this book. Available in paperback edition for the first time, Super System covers 608 pages of amazing information and includes fifty pages on the most accurate poker statistics that has ever been published. It also features chapters, which have been written by the superstars of the game, the best theorists as well as the best poker players of the world, like Mike Caro, Dave Sklansky, Chip Reese, Doyle Brunson and Bobby Baldwin.
It covers three world champions and is addressed by two master theorists, providing valuable winning advice on minting money on the tables. These poker superstars address the important games in depth. So, you get draw poker, 7-card stud, 7-card low stud, lowball, high-low declare, high-low split and of course hold’em. The crucial winning concepts as well as strategies have been clearly outlined as well as explained, which enables you, to be a big winner. Serious poker players should always have this book. It is more of a mandatory reading for the aspiring tournament players, or poker pros, and is simply great for players who are moving over to higher stake games. This is definitely one of the best books every written on poker- Absolutely indispensable for any poker player.
Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 1: Strategic Play
The No limit hold’em, is definitely a complex game. It is so complicated, that there has not been a worthwhile comprehensive treatment of the game in the form of a book; I believe that this might be due to the fact, that it involves more of the “table feel”, experience as well as intuition, which can not be easily taught or may be expressed in a suitable format.
Harrington along with Robertie have done just that. Harrington has been the 1995 world champion, apart from being the only player to be in the final table in both 2003 as well as 2004, coming over the two biggest fields in the history of the World Series i.e. 839 and 2,576 players, respectively. On the other hand, Robertie is a famous backgammon player apart from being an author of a number of excellent books on the game.
This book does a great job of discussing the relative advantages of different styles, playing against every kind of opponent, as well as even selecting one for you. This definitely makes sense; irrespective of his own style, for becoming successful he is required to spent quite a lot of time pondering about, observing, as well as combating all different kinds of players. More so, a playing style can not always be rigid and even the most orthodox players need to switch gears and get more aggressive as and when time demands.
This can be further explained: first, Harrington’s own game as described is not as orthodox and watchful as many might think. Second, a fairly conventional approach is obviously the sounder one for the apprentice, and anybody without lots of experience. Overtly aggressive game would be a lot harder to teach properly, and also a lot harder to pull over successfully. The players who flourish playing such aggressive, gambling techniques have outstanding talent apart from lots of experience as well as a feel for the game and the opponents. More so, they have usually been faced with difficult decisions and have undergone a lot of pressure situations more often. As far as those who insist on going for it, the best thing to do is to learn a fundamentally better style first and thereafter proceed from there on.
The book has been laid out well for reading. All the chapters start with a discussion on the topic and touching of the theory. There are several example situations along with the answers as well as detailed reasoning. These are further accompanied with discussions on merits of alternative games. Following every chapter there are several problems, usually from real hands. It offers a diagram of the table, your knowledge of your opponents, the chip counts for every player, and so on, i.e. all the necessary information. The problems generally provide all the information even though some of it might not be relevant to the problem. A major part of the decision making process in a game of poker consists of recognizing as well as eliminating the extraneous details for making analysis far more managable.
For those who are new to poker, for getting the most out of the book, it is recommended that you read a few other books at the same time. Some other worthy readings include “Small Stakes Hold’em” by Miller, Sklansky and Malmuth, “Winning Low Limit Hold’em” by Lee Jones and “The Theory of Poker” by David Sklansky.
The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide: Tournament
This is definitely one of the “must have” books on poker that you should always carry. The Brunson’s Super System (I and II) throws light on the game of poker as played in the ring games at various casinos. This quantity is the complement for the tournament games.
The title hints at a deep link with the web portal. This appears very much true, as the basic connection which is visible, is that the book deals with the games that are available on the portal, and the portal deals with the games that are played in casinos or other such places.
Michael Craig, the famous author, has done the great job of managing the book. Although a few negligible grammatical mistakes are there, none of them interfere with either the message or the flow of the book.
The games, which are discussed in the book include Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, Pot-Limit Hold’em, Seven-Card Stud, Omaha Eight-or-Better, razz, Stud Eight-or-Better and of course No-Limit Hold’em. Quite a few years ago I was a Draw Poker as well as Five-Card Stud player myself. The tricks, which I learned playing those games made me a better Hold’em player. In case, you learn a bit about the other variations of the game of poker, you will find know, that your game improves.
A story that has been a part of the folklores is about Andy Bloch and Chris Ferguson, wherein Ferguson met Bloch in a restaurant. When Ferguson went over to Bloch’s table he saw that Bloch was poring on a binder of computer formatted tables, as a result of the extensive simulation of Bloch’s hand versus table, hand versus hand, etc. Chris had done exactly the same kind of calculations before launching his successful career in No-Limit Hold’em tournament. The similarity in their style of play apart from their success was largely due to the mathematical analysis apart from the table. In a chapter of 57 pages of facts and concepts Bloch puts forward a series of tables, which show a few results pertaining to his simulations. The chapter itself is far more valuable than the price that you have to pay for the book.
Other significant chapters are that of:
- A cram session on Razz strategy by Huck Seed and Ted Forest.
- Rafe Furst and Andy Bloch on Pot-Limit Hold’em
- A chapter on Seven-Card Stud by Keith Sexton.
- Chris Ferguson on Pot-Limit Omaha.
- Limit Hold’em by Howard Lederer.
- A few tricks for Big Stack Play at No-Limit Hold’em by Gavin Smith.
- Phil Gordon discusses Short Stack Play in No-Limit Hold’em.
- And more.
Every Hand Revealed
This is definitely one of the most important poker books.
As the pros making videos of the poker tournament victories, the way to learn poker has become easier. This is perhaps the first time that a serious player has put forward an entire tournament published, i.e. live brick-and-mortar tournament!
As it is, the narration is detailed as well as honest; and shows that even Hansen nods with some far off decisions. This forthrightness only enhances the utility of the book since other pro poker players seem to gloss over their own trouble hands in their scripts. Most of the time, they would show the Phil Hellmuth attitude. So, players like Mr. Hellmuth would get uncanny reads on the hands of the opponent, but are not ale to explain the thought process.
Despite that, sometimes Mr. Hansen is able to make the right decision. However, the cards do not seem to cooperate. It is amazing to find him handle this and win without being tilted off his game.
The book is absolutely uncomplicated and easy to read. So, you do not have to slog through the complex mathematical analysis, yet the player is still aware of the numbers that are involved in the crucial decisions.
This weeks book – Mike Matusow: Check-Raising the Devil
Spend some time with Mike and know how to survive the onslaught by the greats in the game.
This book is simply great. Even though you may be a casual poker player you shall definitely love this book. This book is also recommend for anyone who wishes to understands as to how the human brain reacts to conditions of extreme stress, mental illness, as well as drug abuse.