2 comments about The Portable Poker Pro: Winning Hold'em Tips for Every Player.

1. 
   If you're serious about wanting to learn how to play Texas hold'em, this book is an ideal place to start. Krieger and Bykofsky examine the game from just about every angle --- from basic strategy to some of the more advanced concepts and plays, as well as game selection, money management, dealing with tilt, shifting gears, and so much more. All throughout the book their "amateur alerts" warn the reader to avoid some of the most common, and costly, poker mistakes. And it's all put across in an easy, conversational style that's always a pleasure to read. Highly recommended!



2. There is very little here for players with any experience, and the word "Pro" in the title is completely inaccurate. Now if you are pretty new to the game and want a very approachable read, then this will do the job. It's almost like a condensed, dumbed down, super system 1, which most self-respecting players have read. I have been playing for about 7 years, so this was pretty much worthless to me, but it might be of great value to someone just learning the game. May you pocket aces not get cracked!

5 comments about Win Your Way Into Big Money Hold'em Tournaments: How to Beat Casino and Online Satellite Poker Tournament (The Championship).

1. If you have never been to the WSOP and plan to play a satellite for your entry you should read through this book at least once. While the online sections can leave a little to be desired, there isn't much difference it strategy or information, I recommend this book to anyone with questions about satellite play. It will cover your basics and break down each tournment into stages so you can focus on one piece at a time.



2. This is mostly a rehash of general tournament advice. If you read everything, you will want to read this, since it is good advice. But if you are pretty experienced, you probably won't learn much.



3. I am a big fan of McEvoy's books, probably because I tend to play poker in more or less the same fashion that he does and also generally specialize in tournament play. This book is good, but not on par with some of his other books, such as Championship Poker, etc. I think my biggest disappointment was two-fold: There was a substantial chunk of the book devoted to satellite and super satellite play for limit events (which I don't play at all, and seems on the fringes since most premier events are no limit), and the section on internet satellite play was small. I would have liked to see more content there, especially since this is where most people buying this book will be playing there satellite play. Yes we all know how Moneymaker turned $39 into $2.5M, but it would have been nice to have more in-depth discussion about accomplishing that, especially in extremely low-buy in super satellites with large fields. I did find some useful information in this book I hadn't found elsewhere (the mark of a good poker book in my opinion) so I would recommend it to anyone thinking about using some portion of their poker bankroll as a springboard into large, big-money tournaments.



4. Don't bother spending your money on this. The five pages on satellites in Lindgren's book far outweigh any content in this...its mostly just stories of past satellites with some obvious advice thrown in (auto-checking online is a tell!!! thanks for that)



5. Relays basic strategy but doesn't tell you how to satellite in other than how to enter

No comments about Phil "Tiger Woods of Poker" Ivey (Superstars of Poker; Texas Hold'em).

5 comments about Performance Poker - No Limit! Hold 'em: 2008 Guide to Online Hold 'em for Profits.

1. This book is a total joke. Buy this if you want to become a losing player. as Sir Charles Barkley would say, "terrible, terrible, terrible".



2. I've been acquainted with the author of this book for a few years as part of an online discussion forum for poker players. His advice has always been awful, and in my judgment, he is not remotely qualified to teach beginning players how to play Texas Hold'em.
   
   First, let's consider Mr. Okrongly's qualifications. As I mentioned, he has been a member of a poker-related forum for a number of years. Unlike most members of the forum, I have never seen him ask for advice on a hand that he played or post any long-term results showing that he won money. In fact, I don't believe I've ever seen proof that he even plays poker at all. Most of the poker literature on the market was written by successful professionals who know what it takes to win; what has Mr. Okrongly ever done that we should listen to his advice?
   
   As for the content of this book, anyone who wants to make serious money playing this game should ignore it. It teaches people to play poker on autopilot, playing the same hand the same way every time, giving no heed to what their opponents are doing. It even tells us "you don't have to make reads to make money" -- an extraordinary statement to make when the whole point of the game is to observe what your opponents are doing, and adopt a strategy that exploits their mistakes. Anyone who follows the "19 Hand" system has no chance of success against even a marginally competent opponent.
   
   I expect Mr. Okrongly to discredit this review as "spam" from someone who "hasn't read the book," as he has done to the others who have submitted a negative review. He has even threatened to accuse those reviewers of libel. I promise that I have read the vast majority of the material in the book already; after all, it was publicly available on the Internet for years until it was recently taken down. Instead of attacking the messenger, Mr. Okrongly would do well to explain his qualifications for writing a book about poker, something he has yet to do.
   
   In summary, don't buy this book unless you want to become a weak poker player who loses to everyone but the very worst players at the very smallest stakes online.



3. I have read the book and I have actually put into practice the techniques from the book. They work. I recommend it to any person that wants to play Full Ring (9/10 person tables) No Limit Hold'em profitably at low stakes (up to $2/$5).
   
   I have bought more than a dozen poker books and mostly I end up disappointed. They either are too theoretical or they talk about playing Limit Hold'em when of course most people want to play No Limit Hold'em.
   
   This book is very practical. The section about conversations is one of the best things you will ever read. Also the 19-hand playing guide really works.
   
   I personally have been using the techniques from the book since November of last year and I can honestly say that I now consistently make money from playing No Limit Hold'em.
   
   The Pareto Principle applies. There may be ways to make a little more, but they are probably a whole lot more complex than what a part time hobby player like myself can master.
   
   Thank you Anthony. I recommend your book!



4. 
   At the time of this writing, there are a couple of emphatically negative reviews and one equally emphatic positive review for this book, the latter by someone who says he tried the 19-hand system. My opinion falls somewhere in the middle.
   
   First of all, the author's goal is not to provide a deep and subtle analysis of high-stakes, or even low-stakes poker. It is not to tell you how to play multi-table tournaments. It is not to tell you how to play sit 'n' gos. It is not to give you special strategies for shorthanded games. His goal is to systematize online low-stakes no-limit play (from micro games up to $2/$5 blinds) for multiple-table ring games (nine or ten players), period.
   
   If you have played multiple tables online, then you know the action can get pretty hectic, with windows popping up constantly, forcing you to make rapid decisions, which can induce errors. In no-limit play, errors are exaggerated and may become disastrous in a single instant. Because this is an "automatic" system, it reduces decision time and cuts errors. The starting hand selection -- 19 hands only -- is designed to exploit the most common error found in low-stakes games: weak starting hands played with excessive optimism, in a word, loose play. Quoting the author: "...the betting, calling, and folding strategies are designed for low buy-in NL ring where typically the pots are 2oxBB [sic] and the % of players who see the flop is 40% or higher. That's the 19-hand strategy."
   
   Obviously this book could have used a good editor (it is a self-published book with good quality binding and paper, plus an ISBN number). However, that doesn't mean that it isn't well-reasoned. I think we all hunger for a "system" that generates money as if from a spout, and if you select your target carefully, it is possible to come up with a system for exploiting it. That's what this author does. I have not given the system a rigorous test, so I can't say for sure whether or not it works. However, the advice it contains is basically sound, as far as it goes, and for some people it will improve the bottom line.
   
   A word about the style: it is a bit overbearing, but I enjoyed it anyway. The author is touting the system as well as describing it. I think the right place for advertising is up front or on the back cover, but not inside. However, his purpose is probably to pep talk his customers and to warn them against deviating from the system. Since such a system is going to depend on small percentages multiplied over many tables, this is a worthwhile use of rhetoric.
   
   One of the criticisms leveled at the book is that it does not alter its strategy based on observation of opponents. This is true, up to a point. He does advise altering your behavior based on the betting, that is, by weighing the average pot size, the percent of the players seeing the pot, the size of the current pot, and interpreting the betting "language" (this is an excellent chapter). Taking all of these things into account gives an index of hand strength. For example, the Contested Pot Rule (p. 132) states that "The more 'contested' a pot is, the more likely someone in the hand has a Nut or Near-Nut hand." Applying the Contested Pot Rule leads to profitably folding pocket Aces, Kings, or Queens when they're not the nuts. This is good advice. However, he does not suggest modifying any of his rules based on whether the opponent is loose or tight, passive or aggressive, or just "tricky." For example, if you were observing opponents, you might notice that someone on your left was likely to fold his hand in the big blind if there's a raise in front and you could steal more blinds from this player. Or, taking the opposite point of view, if you noticed a player with position on you was addicted to blind-stealing, you might call his raise in the big blind, check on a raggy flop, and push when he bets into you. It's somewhat risky, but it will cure all but the most chronic blind stealer. You will find a basic discussion of position in the book, but nothing about the type of play just described, which other players will be using on you, and which you want to learn to use yourself as well as defend against. To quote another poker author, "Poker is not a card game played by people. It's a people game played with cards." This motto cuts both ways: if you are playing a system, you can depend on the better players figuring you out after awhile, and adjusting their strategy accordingly. The author claims that in the lower stakes games, the players aren't all that observant, which is true of some, but not all. It's those exceptions that I would worry about if you were never mixing up your play.
   
   The book has many good points, particularly in the area of self-observation and self-correcting. For example, he recommends keeping a journal -- a paper journal, not an electronic journal. In your journal you write down lessons learned and identify and correct your errors. Coincidentally, I applied a similar rule to myself a few years ago, before reading this book, and it led to a dramatic turnaround in my results. Most players will NOT follow this advice, which is good for you, if you do. Imagine, for example, that you play a lot of tournaments, and every time you bust out, instead of slamming the screen shut, kicking the dog and grabbing a beer, you write down EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED and assess your errors, if any. I mean, we all get sucked out on, but sometimes you're helping the opposition suck out on you by, say, giving them a free card or limping in with those pocket Aces, which happens quite a lot these days, incidentally. Within a couple of months you will have quite a catalog of your sins and you will be able to correct them. Since poker profits are eked out of a very small margin of money bet, even for the best players, you could well reverse your losses and enter the winners' circle. On this I am in total accord with the author.
   
   Another good point is that it takes much of the confusion out of no-limit play. Your betting, raising, and folding decisions are all determined by the system, so there's no more guesswork. If you're new to no-limit or confused by the apparent total freedom to bet any amount of money at any time, then this can be very useful. Having a system protects you from gross errors and allows you to get a feel for the game. But again, watch out for players who make adjustments to your style. You may want to leave the game, rather than fight back. Game selection is quite important, and the author has some sound rules for selecting a profitable game.
   
   My rule with a poker book is that if it can win one pot, it's worth the cover price. This is undoubtedly such a book, though one must not think of it as a total, comprehensive answer. As noted earlier, I have not tested the 19-hand system, so I can't comment intelligently on its effectiveness or lack of it. However, I have followed the author's suggestion to keep track of the hands I played OUTSIDE the system and observe the results. In every case, his predictions were correct, and my errors were costly -- around 20% of my bankroll during the observation preiod. So, if I'd followed his advice, I would not have "known," but I would not have lost, either. A dollar saved being almost the same as a dollar earned, this book would have been worth the price -- if I'd followed the advice. It's not enough to make a convert out of me, but it's enough to give me some respect for the system.
   
   One of the other criticisms leveled at the author was that he had not stated his qualifications or even shown that he plays poker. That's not quite true. In the Introduction, he says, "I invented the Performance Poker model (although I didn't know it at the time) and 3 weeks later I quit my job and made online poker my bill-paying job. It took three weeks to go from break-even to thousands of dollars per month playing poker online. Did it make me rich? No. But I went from 'breakeven' to thousands of dollars per month in poker profits in three weeks, and that's no small feat. Over the years I continued refining Performance Poker; my wife quit her job; I wrote poker articles, tutored players around the world and served as a poker consultant for poker sites." Of course, he doesn't include a photocopy of his bank records or cite newspaper articles about his success, but news stories are for tournament players and who can believe those bank account reports, anyway. I'll take him at his word, though in the end, the only question is whether there's something of value in the book. Given its premise, I think the answer is "Yes."



5. It's not just the 19 hands it has great advice for afterwards. This book is so much more. It talks about the discipline needed for doing the system. It talks about learning and making adjustments. It talks about what bets say and the psychology behind them. I think this is a great book for beginners who want to get serious. It provides a framework to help establish their own system. I really enjoyed reading this book.

No comments about 'Texas Hold'em -- An In-Depth Study'.

1 comments about Uncle Chester's Texas Hold'Em Secrets.

1. The poker advice in this is sound, but there are no big secrets as the title suggests. The author endorses classic, tight-agressive strategy. However, the thing that sets this book apart is the humor. The chapters: "Every Man for Himself" "Poker Etiquette" and "Messing with your Opponents" are particularly funny. I've never had so much fun with an instructional manual. The glossary in the back of the book is excellent, perhaps the most comprehensive I've ever seen on the topic. The only criticism I have is the section on poker odds is simplistic and may not be satisfying to the more mathematical player. Overall, a fun and informative read.

No comments about The Basics of Winning Hold'em Poker (The Basics of Winning).

No comments about Hold'Em Poker for Winners: "Gamesman Hold -'Em".

4 comments about How to Win No-Limit Hold'em Tournaments.

1. Of the 10-15 poker books I have purchased, this is easily the biggest waste of money. The practice questions were fit for a 3rd grader and I can honestly say I leared less than nothing. I take that back, I learned that I know a little about poker already.
   
   Save your money, purchase dan harringtons books instead.



2. Got to agree with the other reviewer(s), if this had zero starts, that'd be my rating.
   
   I'd like to encourage Tom to continue writing, as his articles published in well know trade magazines are quite good.



3. I've been playing poker since 2003, and I've faired pretty well. I realize that I still have a lot to learn, but I've won a few local tournaments and made some money here and there.
   
   I purchased this book to accompany me on a business trip last year, and I had not really got very far through it. Recently I picked it up and started to work my way through the book. I got about half way through and realized that this book is by far the worst poker book I've ever read. Actually, I think I read one that was slightly worse, but this is darn close.
   
   In the last section I was reading that professional players use advanced math and clever calculations to figure out if they are getting the right pot odds to make a call. Now I already know that, and have for some time. In fact watching poker on TV will teach you that. Heck I even know how to do this math in my head. But for some reason this book neglects to cover these skills.
   
   Having read this fact I began to realize that this book tells you that stuff is going on, but gives you no tools to realize how to do it yourself. It's like saying, "Tiger Woods hits the golf ball with tremendous accuracy and power, allowing him to drive the ball great distances and more often than not he gets it to land very close to the pin. You will want to do this too if you expect to win a major golf tournament."
   
   The book is full of pearls of wisdom like this. I came here to read the other reviews, since I have only read half the book. But unless the other reviews are wrong, and the back half of this book is completely different this book is a total waste of time.
   
   I suggest you read the Harrington on Hold'em set of books if you really want to do well in a tournament. The only thing this book might be useful for is letting a newbie player know that poker is harder than it looks. Of course it won't tell you how to improve, merely that you need to.



4. Tom McEvoy is well-known as the one-time WSOP Main Event champion and author of many poker books. The question surrounding him is it quantity over quality? Considering the less-than-stellar reviews of many of his books, it seems most people think it's the former.
   
   This is the first McEvoy book I purchased and read cover to cover. I will agree with his critics that his advice is often too simplistic and gives the reader no sense of context. When he advises that a top NLHE player learns all he can about the math of the game, but offers no insight into that area, one is understandably left wanting.
   
   However, if you had nothing but this book to use as a framework for developing a strategy for micro MTTs ($10 and below), I think you would find yourself being very successful. By simply following his starting hand suggestions, utilizing position, and implementing the key concepts and plays from the "playbook" chapter, you will be far ahead of probably 90% of any field in these tourneys. The problem arises once you are in the money and must be a master of push/fold/call in just the right spots, a highly crucial aspect of tourney play that is hardly addressed.
   
   In other words, McEvoy's "How to Win" will get you into the money fairly regularly, but to close the deal you will need experience that only another source or, even better, actual game play can provide. If you are new to the game and play low stakes tournaments, I definitely recommend this book as it will help you beat your opponents, against whom fancier playing strategies would be completely useless. Once you get ready to move up to higher stakes and better competition, you will be ready for something a little more advanced like the HOH series.
   
   In short, I think this book is great for new tournament players or those playing the micro MTTs...not so much for anyone else.

No comments about Performance Poker - No Limit! Hold 'em.