Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments: Strategic Play v. 1

Rarely are we fortunate enough to come across someone who is extraordinarily good at what he does and also intent on sharing every bit of his knowledge with us. Unlike other poker champions who are just trying to brag, Dan Harrington is not trying to bask in past glory. He is an honest-to-goodness expert who has the audacity to think he can teach the rest of the world how to play poker as well as he does.

The depth of detail this book delves into is quite amazing. The how's and why's of expert play are not only explained in great detail but they are explained well enough to make the book a good read. Very few people will ever have the opportunity to play big-time, no-limit Hold'em, but reading this book will give aficionados an inside look at what is really going on with the Big Dogs at the center table.

There is an old adage that says sequels are never as good as the original. For the most part this saying holds true but then there is the exception. Back in 1974 a sequel came out that broke the mold of how a second movie was expected to turn out. There will be endless discussions regarding which of the 2 films was superior, but there was no denying that when the second film was made, it not only was a success, but one of the greatest movies ever made.

That film was The Godfather, Part II

With 'Harrington on Hold'em Volume II: Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments: Endgame', Action Dan has managed to make the impossible possible. He (along with Bill Roberte) have written a sequel so good that it is hard to distinguish the two books and easily point to a reason why the first book is better than the sequel.

With the focus being how to play the middle to end stages of a tournament, Harrington has written a book that even the most experienced of players will be able to profit from. My favorite 2 points made in this book are as follows:

1. The concept of M and why it is so important to always know where your stack is in relation to the antes and blinds.

2. When heads up, nearly any 2 cards are worth playing and you are never that far behind.

I really hope that Dan Harrington doesn't sell a lot of these books, because anyone that reads, learns, and follows the advice within is going to become a much better poker player. Employing a writing style that makes even the most difficult concepts easy to understand and follow, the end result is incredible.

This book is REQUIRED reading for ALL Hold 'Em players.

Wonderful, wonderful poker book by one of the best players in the world.

***** HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONAbsolutely the best book on no limit tournament play. It is the greatest!I well thought out exceptional book on advanced moves and more importantly, thinking. It moved my game up by years. A great read and a must for any library.

Poker has taken America by storm. But it's not just any form of poker that has people across the country so excited - it's 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.

No Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice

David Sklansky is well known in poker circles for writing books that are considered by many to provide the most thorough analyses and detailed strategies available. Others would claim that his books are dense to the point of being inscrutable. Regardless of which side one supports, Two Plus Two rarely produces light reading, and No Limit Hold'em Theory and Practice is no exception to this trend.

It's likely that some will criticize No Limit Hold'em Theory and Practice will be poorly written. I would admit that reading this work requires a great deal of effort and that the flow of the book feels abrupt and disjointed. However, I don't believe this is due to bad writing. The authors have elected to omit much of the background material that would provide a broader context for their strategies and make the book flow better. Of course, adding this material would have greatly expanded a book that is already thick compared to most of its peer group. I don't believe the opacity of No Limit Hold'em Theory and Practice is due to bad writing, but because it contains only the information the authors consider important. Consequently, this book must be studied rather than read for the reader to obtain maximum benefit from it.

Putting forth this effort will be rewarded, though. Sklansky and Miller have written a book that contains a great deal of thoughtful information on a complex subject. This isn't a thorough explanation of every aspect of no limit hold'em, but it does contain an abundance of excellent strategic examinations of some of the game's most difficult and perplexing aspects. While I don't believe this book's treatment of no limit hold'em is as definitive and exhaustive as some of Two Plus Two's better books, No Limit Hold'em Theory and Practice is a very good one that contains excellent information.

I know few no limit players who I believe are expert enough such that they won't benefit at least somewhat from reading this book. Only the best books on the market fit that bill, so Sklansky and Miller's latest effort has to be considered a success. I believe that those who study this book will likely improve their game, and many will improve their game considerably. The problem for the poker book reading public is that it really will require study rather than casual perusal, and I predict that relatively few will put in the necessary time and energy. However, I believe that the wisdom that is contained here will be worth the effort.

This book is not for beginners. Those who are fairly new to this game will need to build up a general understanding of the no limit before they will fully grasp what Sklansky and Miller are saying. Moreover, I'd also suggest that significant table experience would prove invaluable before tackling this book. Therefore, I recommend No Limit Hold'em Theory and Practice to intermediate and advanced no limit players. It will be more valuable to cash game players than tournament players, but both will benefit significantly from it, and I strongly recommend it to both groups.

The Theory of Poker: A Professional Poker Player Teaches You How to Think Like One

David Sklansky is generally considered the number one authority on gambling in the world today and this book is regarded by many as being the best general poker book ever written. The main draw of this book is Sklansky?s ability to put forward mathematically complex ideas in a simple and logical way. Even if you don?t grasp all the maths in the first read, you will have a clear idea of the thinking principles involved in becoming a great player.

Sklansky?s ideas are detailed and thoughtfully laid out, but perhaps one of the most appealing points of this book is that the principles discussed can be used across all poker forms. This book will not teach you to play any particular game of poker or tell you which hands to play or how to play specific situations. What this book does is to explain the value of certain types of play and to give specific examples from different games, especially Hold 'Em, Omaha and Seven Card Stud, and to illustrate how the theory changes in practice if you're playing in limit or no-limit games.

Sklansky's book gets you strategizing correctly and thinking about proper play.

Phil Hellmuth Presents Read 'em and Reap: A Career FBI Agent's Guide to Decoding Poker Tells

Former FBI Agent Uncovers Mystery Of Tells Serious poker players who do battle face-to-face across the green felt have harbored a precious secret for a long time - something that ensured they would have a big edge over their competition. They didn't necessarily have a word for it but what they now refer to as tells, the rest of the world would eventually call body language.

From time to time, different players provided information about this powerful piece of ammunition in their arsenal. Caro's Book of Poker Tells; The Ultimate Guide to Poker Tells and Beyond Tells did a more-than-plausible job of introducing readers to this powerful weapon and now Joe Navarro, in cooperation with Phil Hellmuth, teaches players how to decode poker tells in Read 'Em and Reap.

What makes this book unique is that Navarro is a retired FBI agent has been studying and using his ability to read "non-verbal behaviors" to detect deception and solve cases involving criminals and terrorists for more than two decades with the FBI. Even more interesting is the fact he consults with top poker players worldwide letting them know what tells they project. (But if you're looking to see what those tells are, forget it. He does not reveal those specific tells to opponents).

Fifteen chapters, illustrations and a nice index to topics, along with a reasonable price make this one of the bargains of the year. Those chapters include learning to conceal, not reveal; high and low confi dence tells, tells of the hands, tells of the mouth and movement tells such as touching the neck the back of the neck, exhaling, face stroking and pacifying moves.

It doesn't matter what level you play, if this book teaches you one or two things to watch for or avoid doing yourself in a game, it has paid for itself immediately. It will pay for itself so it's a must-have book!

Killer Poker Online: Crushing the Internet Game

Killer Poker Online provides advice to help online poker players beat their games by helping them avoid beating themselves. Like most of Vorhaus' writing on the subject, the main theme is one of self-control, but suggestions on other ways to gain an edge at Internet poker are also provided for those players who are sufficiently motivated to adopt them. As we would expect, this book provides plenty of entertaining moments, although for the first half of the book I don't think Vorhaus isn't quite at the top of his game. Many players could benefit a great deal from following this book's advice, and those who won't will likely still be entertained. Killer Poker Online isn't a masterpiece, but those interested in the subject will probably find it worthwhile, at least in some form. I liked it.

Killer Poker Online: Advanced Strategies for Crushing the Internet Game: v. 2

Take control of the most popular game in the world with the 4th killer poker book. This work presents a revolutionary new approach to poker, taking advantage of the extraordinary developments in the style and rules of online play. Online poker is the most popular Internet gaming experience in the world - and it has changed dramatically in just a couple of years, exploding from fairly simple beginnings into a global phenomenon with multiple incarnations. "Killer Poker Online 2" teaches players how to take advantage of these changes, exploiting patterns, tendencies and weaknesses of online players (many of whom are new bugs attracted by the ubiquitous gaming posters and late-night adverts); how to play winning strategies that simply aren't possible in real-world games; how to beat the unique sit-and-go tournament; and how to navigate and dominate full-field online tournaments. With indispensable tips for dealing with the harder, more savvy experienced online players as well as those for skinning the newbies dry, "Killer Poker Online 2" represents maximum knowledge for anyone wishing to take advantage of the 100 million plus players sitting at the online tables today.

Doyle Brunson's Super System: A Course in Power Poker!

Considered by pros the BEST POKER BOOK EVER WRITTEN. This is the classic book on every major no-limit game played today and is considered by the pros to be one of the best books ever written on poker! Jam-packed with advanced strategies, theories, tactics and money-making techniques - no serious poker player can afford to be without this essential book! For the first time ever in paperback edition, Super System is packed with 608 pages of hard-hitting information and including fifty pages of the most precise poker statistics ever published, this is truly a must-buy for aspiring pros. Super System features chapters written by game's superstars, the best theorists and the best poker players in the world, such as Dave Sklansky, Mike Caro, Chip Reese, Bobby Baldwin and Doyle Brunson. Three world champions and two master theorists cover the essential strategies and advanced play in their specialties and provide no-nonsense winning advice on making money at the tables. These poker superstars cover the important money games in depth: You'll learn 7-card stud, draw poker, lowball, 7-card low stud (razz), high-low split (cards speak), high-low declare, and the most popular game today, hold'em (limit and no-limit). The important winning concepts and strategies are clearly outlined and explained so that you'll become a big money winner. Serious poker players must have this book. This is mandatory reading for aspiring poker pros, tournament players or those ready to play no-limit and is ideal for players moving to higher stakes games. This is the best poker book every written - period - acknowledged by pros and knowledgeable players alike as the classic book on every major no-limit game played today. Absolutely indispensable reading for any player.

Doyle Brunson's Super System II

The original Super System, written and edited by Doyle Brunson, the acknowledged "Babe Ruth of Poker," is hailed by players as the single most influential book ever written about the game of poker. Now, Super System II pushes the envelope further, expanding on the original with new games, new strategies, and new experts. This is a brand new book - not an update. The who's who all-star studded lineup for SSII includes Chip Reese, who Doyle recognizes as one of the top three players in the world, if not the best; Johnny Chan, two-time WSOP champion and tied with Doyle for the most world series bracelets with 9, Doyle Brunson himself, two-time WSOP champion and the greatest poker player of all time, Lyle Berman, founder of the World Poker Tour, the world's best Omaha player, and owner of three WSOP gold bracelets; Bobby Baldwin, former WSOP champion and CEO of the Bellagio; Mike Caro, the greatest poker theorist and best-selling author; Jennifer Harmon, the best woman player in the history of poker and one of the top ten overall; Todd Brunson, winner of more than twenty tournaments and the future successor to Doyle's throne; as well as Danny Niegro, and Barry Greenstein. Super System II covers the essential strategies and advanced play on the most popular games played today - No limit Hold'em, Limit Hold'em, 7 Card Stud, 7 Card Stud 8 or Better, 7 Card Stud High-Low Split, No Limit Omaha, Omaha 8 or Better, Limit Lowball Draw, High Draw Poker, Chinese Poker, Triple Draw Lowball - as well as important sections on professional poker play and poker psychology. Doyle Brunson has gathered the greatest players, theorists, and world champion players for the second installment of the all time poker classic, Super System.

The Mathematics of Poker

The long awaited book that will do for poker what the "quants" did for bond and option trading. The intent of this book is to provide an introduction to quantitative techniques as applied to poker and to a branch of mathematics that is particularly applicable to poker-game theory. There are mathematical techniques that can be applied for poker that are difficult and complex. But most of the mathematics of poker is not terribly difficult, and the authors have sought to make seemingly difficult topics accessible to players without a very strong mathematical bankground. Dr. Chen has just won his first World Series of Poker bracelet utilizing some of the concepts from this book.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the bond and option markets were dominated by traders who had learned their craft by experience. They believed that their experience and intuition for trading were a renewable edge, that they could make money just as they always had by continuing to trade as they always had. By the mid-1990s, a revolution in trading had occurred; the old-school, grizzled traders had been replaced by a new breed of quantitative analysts, applying mathematics to the "art" of trading and making of it a science.

Similarly in poker, for decades, the highest level of poker have been dominated by players who have learned the game by playing it, "road gamblers" who have cultivated intuition for the game and are adept at reading other players' hands from betting patterns and physical tells. Over the last five to ten years, a whole new breed has risen to prominence within the poker community. Applying the tools of computer science and mathematics to poker and sharing the information across the Internet, these players have challenged many of the assumptions that underly traditional approaches to the game. One of the most important features of this new approach is a reliance on quantitative analysis and the application of mathematics to the game. The intent of this book is to provide an introduction to quantitative techniques as applied to poker and to a branch of mathematics that is particularly applicable to poker, game theory.

There are mathematical techniques that can be applied for poker that are difficult and complex. But most of the mathematics of poker is really not terribly difficult, and the authors make seemingly difficult topics accessible to players without a very strong mathematical background.

Caro's Book of Tells, the Body Language and Psychology of Poker

Mike Caro's classic book is now revised and back in print! This long-awaited brand new edition by the Mad Genius of Poker takes a detailed look at the art and science of tells, the physical giveaways by players on their hands. Featuring photos of poker players in action along with Caro's explanations about when players are bluffing and when they're not, these powerful eye-opening ideas can give you the decisive edge at the table! This invaluable book should be in every player's library! The powerful and groundbreaking book on the art and science of tells, the body language of poker, shows how players can use their opponents' gestures, words, and body language to win all their money!

Phil Gordon's Little Green Book: Lessons and Teachings in No Limit Texas Hold'em

Poker is hotter than ever. Tens of millions of people shuffle up and deal, log on and play, and tune in to watch televised tournaments on a regular basis. No Limit Hold'em, known as the 'Cadillac of poker', is widely considered to be the purest form of the game and is by far the most popular, given that it is featured in the World Series of Poker and on Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown. In PHIL GORDON'S LITTLE GREEN BOOK, world-class poker player and co-host of Celebrity Poker Showdown Phil Gordon does for poker what Harvey Penick did for golf, sharing both his technical expertise as a seasoned veteran of the game and his insights as one of poker's most visible teachers. He provides players of all levels with invaluable tips, expert advice, and bits of poker wisdom. Gordon's accessible explanations, conversational approach, and easy-to-read diagrams make LITTLE GREEN BOOK a must-have reference for anyone interested in learning No Limit Hold'em as well as the millions of players who have already gone all-in.

Phil Gordon's Little Blue Book: More Lessons and Hand Analysis in Texas Hold'em

In POKER: THE REAL DEAL AND PHIL GORDON'S LITTLE GREEN BOOK, Phil Gordon - co-host of Celebrity Poker Showdown and 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 six different scenarios, from an online cash game to a World Series of Poker match, 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-fuelled, lightning-paced 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 - from Celebrity Poker Showdown, explaining why players made certain moves and, in many cases, what they should have done differently. Insightful, witty, and filled with real-life pro secrets, LITTLE BLUE BOOK is required reading for every player looking to make a profit and raise his game to the next level.

Tournament Poker for Advanced Players

The poker playing public's appetite for bigger and higher-stakes poker tournaments seems almost insatiable. As these events have become more popular, several authors have taken a crack at writing the definitive book about tournament poker, and to date, none have excelled in this task. Now David Sklansky, a supremely talented poker writer, makes his attempt to tackle this topic.

As this is part of Two Plus Two's "for Advanced Players" series, the reader is assumed to be familiar with basic poker tournament protocol and understand how to play ring game (non-tournament) poker well. While some introductory information is still included, it is kept brief. Less experienced players would be well advised to read books such as Texas Hold'em for Advanced Players and a more introductory tournament book, such as Poker Tournament Strategies.

After the introduction, Sklansky starts with new material, including an explanation of an important principle he calls "The Gap Concept". Simply stated, in a tight game it is often correct to fold hands to a raise that a player would have raised with if nobody had already raised before it was the player's turn to act. While this principle has been written about before and will certainly be familiar to any winning mid-limit poker player, this is the best explanation of this phenomenon, why it occurs, and how to use it to advantage. It is especially important here, because poker tournaments tend to feature tighter play than ring games.

Sklansky then moves on to discuss some general tournament ideas, including how to adjust one's play at various levels of a tournament, how players might adjust their play depending on when or whether their table will be broken up, and playing (and playing against) short stacks versus large stacks. Some of this advice has been discussed in other books or articles before, but much of it hasn't, and Sklansky always provides strong arguments to support the positions he takes.

Next, Sklansky addresses other tournament issues including deal making, last longer bets, and special circumstances surrounding no-limit events. This last topic includes an explanation of a no-limit Hold'em strategy he calls "The System". This is an intriguing simple strategy for playing in these events. All of these topics in the book thus far cover 134 pages in the book.

Next, the author provides a set of hand quizzes. This is less of a review than an extension of some of Sklansky's key principles found in the book, so it should be thought of as more information, just in an unorthodox format. However, these quizzes are followed by more than 35 pages of questions and answers (assembled by Mason Malmuth) which are designed as a review tool for the rest of the book.

Sklansky's ideas are always well thought out and usually thoroughly explained. However, there is more that could be said about many of the topics he discusses. For example, he explains how to evaluate whether a two-person deal at the end of a tournament is fair or not, and why there can be no single fair deal when three players remain. However, there is a great deal more that could be said about this. This is an area where simulations could provide some additional suggestions, and formulae for coming up with ranges for appropriate deals for multiple players could be worked out. I would have appreciated it if this topic, as well as others, had been dealt with in more depth. Depending on how one wants to count it, there is about 130 to 190 pages of original material in this book. I think even more information would have made this book better.

Nonetheless, the information that is contained in this book is very good. This is simply the best single source of information on poker tournaments written to date. Tournament Poker for Advanced Players manages to be the first book on this topic of which any gambling publisher can be truly proud. More could have been said about many topics, and this is by no means the last word on the topic, but Sklansky's effort is a very valuable one for tournament players, well worth its price.