5 comments about Kill Phil: The Fast Track to Success in No-Limit Hold 'em Poker Tournaments.

1. For those that say this works in on-line SNG's, don't buy into the hype. It doesn't. I tried it in one table, 5 table, and 10 table SNG's and cashed once at a one table out of 5 tries and NEVER at the 5 or 10 tables. I play mostly low buy-in tourneys ($5 and $10) and people are too loose when you finally play a hand.
   
   Generally you only play hands when you are down to medium and low stacks, when the criteria to play a hand are relaxed. By then, you are one of the small stacks and the large stacks will find it easy to call you. If you do happen to get a playable hand early, even if you follow the 1/6th rule and don't go all-in, its still uncommon to get a call because you've already established yourself as a tight player.
   
   Lastly, if your strategy for winning tournaments is to win a bunch of coin flips, think about your odds. The odds of winning 3 consecutive coin flips are one in eight. You'll need to win a lot more than that to have any kind of success. You need to have a better strategy than going all-in every time you play a hand.



2. I found this book very interesting. Not a bible, however, an interesting read that may well help me in future, I don't think it's the ultimate info, but another piece of artillary!
   
   Like all 'how to' books, no one, no one would give up 'the nuts' of a system. They would keep it too themselves!



3. The first time I used the strategy in this book, I won a 180 player tournament. Hard to argue with those results!



4. While reading this book, the reviews, online message boards, and playing constant online tourneys, it has occurred to me that there's a very important concept here. Namely, is there a mathematical basis for going all-in anytime you deside to play a hand?
   
   I can see how these ideas were derived. For instance, suppose I have AK, and you have QJ, well since the status quo is for me to win, if neither of us improve, I'll win. On the other hand, IF you pair Q or J and I don't pair A or K, then you'll win. The same is true whether or not you hold 8 5. Also, obviously, if either of us draw to a straight or a flush we'll win, but if we both do, I'll win. And so on.
   
   So, I can see how there might be some logic to going all-in with 8 5 as easy as one would go all-in with AJ. But here's where it comes back to reality. Even though it's true that if no one has a pair we both have the same odds of pairing something, that doesn't mean that the better hands won't win in the long run.
   
   It just throws a giant monkey wrench into the picture in the short run.
   
   So, what's the moral of my message? This book presents a legitimate point describing a way to try and win a tournament. Whether or not it works is debatable, so go ahead and try it if you like.
   
   I think the better players will come out on top anyway, and shouldn't be so quick to condemn this method.



5. I found the information contained in Kill Phil useful & productive.
   It can provide another weapon in the arsenal of a serious poker player.
   No system of play can substitute for hours of practice, lots of reading,
   and constantly striving for improvement in your game. I experimented with Kill Phil in the recent WSOP Ladies circuit event in Tunica and went from placing 27th last year to placing 18th this year. Aside from the basic Kill Phil system, the book contains advice & a tournament overview
   from two people who have been there. Of the many poker books I have read,
   I found this one very worthwhile!

5 comments about Winning Low-Limit Hold'em.

1. One of the first poker books I ever bought, six years ago, was the first edition of this book. Now it has been updated a couple of times and has definitely improved. The preflop standards are pretty tight, and this will pay off under the proper conditions.
   It seems that limit Hold-em games are slowly dying out online. They seem to be tightening up little by little, as well. But if you take advantage of the best rakeback programs (where you get a piece of the rake, whether you put money into the pot on that hand or not), and if you play tight preflop as recommended in this book, you should make a solid income with very little risk. I originally built my bankroll using the advice in this book, but have switched to the no-limit sit and goes now because they are so juicy. Limit tables are tougher to find now, especially during non-peak hours. Still, if you are just starting out at poker, and want to build your bankroll with minimal risk, I suggest you buy this book. But buy the most recent edition! There have been substantial changes.



2. This is a solid book on poker. The book assumes that you know how to play poker - and focuses on teaching you the strategies to use to beat opponents. Everything you need to know is here - in an understable form. I recommend this book.
   --- Glenn G. Thater - Author of 'Harbinger of Doom'.



3. In a sea of poker books this stands tall as the best introduction and strategy to the most popular poker game of them all Holdem.
   
   This book is the first step on the journey to becoming a winning poker player.



4. Read this along with Warren's book and you'll have most of the basics for low limit HE down pat. Play solid hands from the back and let the sheeple donate their cash to you. Also prepare to be drawn out on a whole lot!
   Low limit players bitch about all the "suck-outs", but that's what gets you paid after a few thousand hands even out the luck factor. Just be ready for variance and lots of it when you start out. If you can't stand the swings, try chess....or play higher, where a raise means something (at least that's what they tell you, until they play the 40-80 at the Commerce).
   You'll be a good tight player once you put this book's advice into practice, but you'll still be a long way from truly solid. Until you can shift gears hard and fast, you won't ever run over a game like you should when you're running good.
   Start out here, though, and you'll be well-prepared to get to the next level or two. Then you'll learn to read players well, or go broke. Simply playing tight only goes so far...but you need to be good at it before you move up.



5. I started playing Texas Hold 'em about a month ago. I consistently lost money until I started reading this book. Now I'm winning consistently, and I'm only halfway through it. I don't mind the term "low-limit" being considered synonymous with "beginner-level," because that is what I am. I play 10¢/20¢ tables online right now. I "graduated" from 1¢/2¢, then 2¢/4¢. Next month I hope to hit the 25¢/50¢ tables.
   
   The point is that I haven't deposited a penny from my bank account since I began reading and applying the words of Lee Jones.
   
   The two best pieces of advice I could possibly give to a new player are to read this book, and never sit at a table with more than 10% - 20% of your money. If you can't afford to lose and have another five or 10 chances to play again another day, you're giving your money away to people like me. This may mean playing for pennies (like I do). Don't feel low-class. Let the bad players build your bankroll to prepare you for the big tables -- not your paycheck.
   
   I guarantee I will re-read this book enough that I'll want another copy -- so I just placed one in my Amazon cart. I hesitated to write a review at all -- thinking that I could only help other people take my money. Then I realized that there are already a ton of positive reviews, and I'm still winning barely a month into the game. So if you're smart enough to actually read a book instead of watching tournament play for your poker education, good for you. I hope to see you winning at the next table over.

3 comments about Practical Poker Math: Basic Odds & Probabilities for Hold'Em and Omaha (Ecw Press).

1. Finally, a book that makes odds, probabilities and expectation easy to understand. The book is well written and the math is easy to follow. Also, it is the only book I know of that deals with the odds in Omaha. Well worth the money!



2. I started playing poker with some friends about 1 1/2 years ago. After going through a learning curve I was winning more than I was losing. I then thought I'd try online poker and found that the caliber of players was higher than I was used to and realized I needed to improve my chances. I happened upon Pat Dittmar's book Practical Poker Math and thought I'd take a look at it. I'm a computer professional and the book struck a chord with me because it's very logical. It also doesn't get so complicated that you lose interest and put it aside. After putting some of Dittmar's ideas into play I soon found I was holding my own with the online players. As I get more disciplined about sticking to the math and not letting my adrenaline carry me away I'm winning more and more. This book has paid for itself many times over.



3. This is the second book I have read about poker odds and the first I could understand. It is easy to understand, easy to read and best of all I have been winning more since reading it. Well worth buying.

5 comments about Texas Hold'em Odds and Probabilities: Limit, No-Limit, and Tournament Strategies.

1. 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.



2. Looks like a good book. I have not made it through the whole thing yet, but I can definitely recommend this vendor.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. I previewed this book before I bought it and it seemed like a good value and now that I have it, I still feel that way. The poor reviews from other customers must be from know it alls because unlike many poker titles, it delivers exactly what it says.
   
   If you already know the odds then you dont need this, but I already knew how to calculate with the 2-4 method but it expands on that to add implied odds, and douts. Thats how far I am into this book so far, and I expect the rest of it to be worth the time to read it and the cost.
   
   Do not be misled by the haters. If you are shopping for a book on the subject of texas holdem odds, I would say its worth it. Many poker books are convoluted and this one is perfectly readable. So the people who said it is too basic might be fans of the convoluted books that I dont fully understand, but I found this book useful to re-enforce what I already knew and to help me expand on that knowledge.
   
   Last comment, the book wasnt the holy grail that I couldnt live without, but it definitely gave me a deeper understanding of the subject and I would certainly reccomend it.

5 comments about Texas Hold'em For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies)).

1. As a reference that covers all aspects of the game, this book cannot be beat. It is easy to read, yet packed with information, and everything is here, including pre-flop, flop, turn, and river play, the importance of position, pot odds, raising, check-raising, bluffing, semi-bluffing, starting hand values, analyzing and playing to your opponents, the different types of players (tight vs. loose, passive vs. aggressive), bankroll management, internet vs. casino play, and more.
   
   There are other books that cover some of these aspects of play, but I have found no other book that describes them in a manner that is this easy to understand while having plenty of detail at the same time.
   
   This is definitely one of the first poker books that you should read, and I am certain that you will find this to be a useful reference. I can see this as being a resource that I will refer to often as I continue to learn the game and build my experience.



2. Prefacing these remarks with the fact that I know very little about any type of card game (except Crazy Eights, Old Maid and Gin Rummy) I found this book both informative and entertaining. Mr. Harlan has a way with words that educates us Dummies in a manner that is not condescending in the least. His stated assumptions that we understand the basis of a normal deck of playing cards, plus simple but detailed descriptions of how play advances at the table, make this volume an enjoyable read. The sidebar stories and trivia tidbits are classic Harlan; in fact, the reader could ignore the main text and just read the anecdotal information to learn a LOT about the game. I received the book as a gift; it is a welcome addition to my library.



3. This book was a nice read and I really enjoyed some of the information that was presented in this one. Some information was new that other books, including ones that claim to teach you the secrets of the pros, decided to leave out. My only complaint is, that it being a For Dummies books makes a lot of references to "We'll cover this later" or "Head back to Chapter 7 for a review on this "



4. A great boof for beginners! I have just started plating poker and this book has really helped me understand the game!
   
   Also, provides some neat strategies.



5. Harlan's text is light and fun to read, yet very useful, concise and to the point. Differently than other poker books that scare you away by starting off with a lot of math and statistics and pot odds, Harlan goes through many other important and interesting poker stuff such as optimal starting hands, betting strategy for each round and table position, reading your opponents, different sorts of game - home, online, casino - before spaeking abouth the math (which, byt he way, he does in a very agreeable way, keeping it simple and straightforward - maybe because he knows his stuff - he is an applied math degree). the book also has easy to follow examples and real life anecdotes, keeping all that poker theory closer to what the average player will encounter at next Saturday's $10 poker night over his friends. It's definitely the first book on Texas Holdem you should buy, and you'll learn an awful lot from it.

5 comments about Small Stakes Hold 'em: Winning Big With Expert Play.

1. this book is great. it really does a great job of teaching simple and advanced concepts in an entertaining way. I was actually laughing out loud thru some parts of the book.
   
   after reading it thru twice my game has drastically improved.



2. Mistakenly I took this to be a no limit book about small stakes tables. This book only discusses limit hold 'em strategy. As a result I started playing limit hold 'em and use the strategies with success. Unfortunately, I really want to be good a no-limit (as TJ calls it, "the Cadillac of poker"). I think having read this book will help my NL game, but only by abstraction.
   
   Make no mistake, this book is for the limit player. I think any limit player will find this book a must read.



3. This is not a book on No-Limit Hold'em. I think the title is a little deceiving. It should be called Small Stakes Limit Hold 'em: Winning Big With Expert Play. This book is about LIMIT Hold'em. I am a small stakes NLH player and was looking for a book on NLH. There is a lot of good advice on how to play Limit Hold'em in this book for beginners. However, most of the stuff in this book a good player will all ready know.



4. This is a great book for those who already have some experience playing Limit Texas Holdem. It takes your game to the next level. Sometimes you should go for that gutshot straight. Fit or fold is not always the best option. Always know the pot size and your break even odds. This book is not designed to keep you safe and away from traps. It is designed to get you the maximum profits from aggressive play. Advanced concepts include partial outs and outs for backdoor flushes and straights. What is your hand really worth. Other concepts include starting hand evaluations, overcalls, counterfieting, reverse domination, hidden outs. You were always aware of reverse domination (A2 beating AK on a flop of A Q 2), Counterfeiting (A2 vs AK, board of A Q 2 5 Q - AK wins as the pair of Queens counterfeits the pair of 2s. The second Queen was a hidden out). This book gives you plenty to think about and apply in you lifelong game of poker. Here are the essential concepts to raise your game to the next level. Happy fishing.



5. This book is excellent for the small stakes player. There is lots of good information. It can get a bit complicated with all the stuff you have to learn and remember from the book -- but failing to follow the strategies outlined in the book will result you in being a long term loser in small stakes poker.

5 comments about Hold'em Wisdom for all Players.

1. Harsh reviews for this book are hardly accurate
   You can't read a book called "Hold'em Wisdom for all players" and expect to get caro's book of tells and psycho analysis details summarized.
   Anyone in any sport or game of skill realizes if you stop "working out" you become weak. This book is an easy read and a quick reference as a reminder to not repeat past mistakes. It keeps the basics in your head with a quick "cliff notes" format of pretty good. Only Liars and 5+ year poker player veterans would say they never make mistakes that this book points out.



2. This book is easy to read, but offers little new advice. No new ideas like i was hoping for but maybe his next book will be better. Its a tweener book because its not for people who are starting to play holdem and its not for people who have been playing for awhile.



3. Like most of the other reviewers, I'm impressed with Negreanu's poker play. His ability to put opponent's on a hand and to win with such frequency is astounding. I picked up this book hoping for some novel insights. Negreanu, after all, claims it contains wisdom for all hold'em players. Not only does Negreanu provide nothing new or incisive for those of us with an advanced understanding of the game, the book doesn't even qualify as a something useful for beginners.
   
   Negreanu's "advice" boils down to: be nice at the table, don't tell your bad beat stories, mix up your play and try to put your opponents on a hand -- and, oh by the way, I'm wonderful. Although he covers a number of important topics (pot odds, reading opponents, playing a short stack, etc.), he doesn't cover them in enough detail to provide a reader of any level with any insight into the game. It seems as if he spent no more than an hour writing each chapter. Indeed, most chapters are only a few pages long and too many contain his recollections of hands he's won. Worse, the tone of the book is often didactic -- don't softplay, be friendly, don't get angry, blah, blah, blah. I finished the book, but it wasn't easy.
   
   If you're just starting out, Phil Gordon's "Little Green Book" is well-written, insightful, and with enough analysis and real advice to help a beginner or intermediate player take his game to the next level. Moreover, Gordon is never didactic or condescending. If you're a little more advanced and have the time, I recommend Dan Harrington's three-volume set on playing no-limit tournaments. Maybe the best series ever written on No Limit. Truly an outstanding piece of work.



4. If this book were titled "Hold'em Wisdom for New Players" I would have given it 5 stars, as it does provide a lot of answers to questions a new player faces. For advanced players the book doesn't offer that much. I will say this is probably the easiest of all poker books to read and is suggested reading for the newby before you delve into the meat and potatos of poker theory and mathematics. I would recommend this book to a new poker player to be followed by Phil Gordons little Green Book. The information combined in both books will get you to the final table. They did me, since reading these two I have final tabled 7 times and still progressing.



5. Daniel is on fire, this book is one of the best I have read so far!!! Visit SuperAggressive.com for free bonus money if you want to play there.

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

1. The What, How, and When for common situations. Concise and info packed chapters you can immediately apply. This is a book of instructions, usable piece by piece; as opposed to books on theory where you may forget the first chapter by the last. Nothing forgettable here.



2. Lessons and Teaching in No Limit TexasHold'em.
   
   I have only been playing poker a year and have read a number of books relative to play. Phil's style of play is aggressive which for someone new to the game might prove intimidating to employ. I have slowly integrated aspects of his play into my game and indeed they are effective. But as Phil teaches you have to play the player and not the cards, being able to switch gears. I really liked the ease of reading, the mathematics of poker, and the charts at the end of the book. For those interested in improving their tournament play this book should prove helpful.



3. This book contains very basic information which is not presented any better than the many authors who have written about these concepts before Phil Gordon wrote this book.
   The "analysis" of the super unbelievable play of the online superstar Prahlad Friedman [who since this book was published proceeded to go broke in high stakes games and has since not been seen playing in them] is highly flawed.
   In an effort to make his point, Phil greatly exagerates the percecntage of the time Prahlad had a big made hand such as a set for those times he made his trademark overbet. Maybe that is one of the reasons why really great online players [certainly not including Phil Gordon] subsequently figured out how to exploit Prahlad and soon had busted him for all his money.
   The reason I only mention this section specifically is because it is the only part of the book that even resembles a concept that had not been previously written [and better, at that]
   I am not a friend or relative of Phil Gordon. Find a real high stakes professional and ask them how long the waiting list would be if he sat in a 25-50 NL game online. There would be a waiting list of about 100 people. He's not a great player and his books are a waste of time and money.



4. I'm not sure what this book has that isn't covered in books like: "The theory of Poker" or "Super System." In fact, it might just be better to read those two and Mike Caro's "Poker Tells." This is a how to book based on how Phil Gordon would play a certian hand in a certian situation. Its a good beginner's book but not quite as good as Sklansky's or Doyle Brunson's books. It's a fairly quick read and doesn't offer much that can't be acquired elsewhere.



5. I picked this book up after looking at a bunch of the other ones out there. I've played for many years, but never really analyzed the game in detail. It seems to give good solid advice in short sections without all the fluff. The day I picked it up I read the first 4 chapters and came away with some solid impressions on how I should improve my game. That night I played in a local bar tournament and won it. My wife (who's won 2 herself) was very happy. This was the first time I've won a tournament and I have to admit the cards were definately coming up for me. People started kidding with me that I was a "bully" at the table. They were impressed with how my play had improved and how I had correctly bluffed them out of some major hands. I can't give Phil's book credit for the cards I got, but I was much more confident and solid with my play after reading the first part. I've since gotten more and more great tips from the book and really enjoy it.
   
   The only thing I have to criticize is minor. I don't really care for the Sun Zu quotes in the book. I've seen those in everything from self help to computer programming books, and they are really becoming tired.
   
   I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Hold'Em Poker for Advanced Players (Advance Player).

1. Sure, there are tips in the book - but there isn't any supporting...anything. You are expected to just take things on face value. Also, it is TERRIBLY written. I think I read the word "finally" 4 times in a chapter. It's terribly nonsensical at many times. It needs a complete re-write and edit.
   
   The thoughts are chaotic and presented sloppily. It takes 3 reads to understand paragraphs most of the time...
   
   TERRIBLE READ.



2. 
   I was constantly breaking even before getting this book on online poker sites. After reading it, I took nearly all of the guesswork out of my playstyle and recently just bought a new guitar entirely with winnings.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone who already considers themselves decent at poker and already has good intuition as to spotting how others play to determine what they have... or don't have. This book will not probably help you with those things. This book is best for those who are already good at poker but either have their game strategy wrong or off a little.
   
   The best part of this book is it makes it much more easy to spot poor play from other people at your table and thus allows you to profit hugely from that.



3. I really am not a fan of the reviews, but I feel that I have the obligation to recommend this book because if you read it, you will understand better the others players' game, and the best of it you'll get a big edge over them.



4. Hold 'em Poker for Advanced Players is simply the best single volume study of Hold 'em as it is played today that I have ever read. It is endlessly informative, rich in detail and illustrations, complex in its treatment of complicated concepts, and insightful in every important way. It omits nothing of any importance to the game.
   
   The book begins with a consideration of general starting hands requirements, adjusted for playing style, position, etc., and follows through on the play of each, as well as general considerations for each type or class of hand, and its relation to the innumerable factors impacting expectation or the play of other. Once this analysis is dealt with, Sklansky deals with a whole series of more individual or isolated cases or concepts and miscellaneous topics. The important details considered are too many to list here; Hold 'em played well is an enormously complex game, and Sklansky addresses it from every angle.
   
   Sklansky's writing style is very dense. He does not blather on about his personal experiences, drop names, or chat; he instructs in the style of a particularily dry math or statistics professor. He is direct, thorough, and exhaustive (sometimes exhausting). You will not read this book in one sitting and become a professional caliber player. You need to play, then return to the book and read much of it again; upon doing so the reader will find, again and again, that now he finally really understands some new concept. It is a work of extremely subtle and complex analysis.
   
   Nobody playing Hold 'em for money today can do without this book.



5. This book is extremely good for gaining a solid foundation of Texas Hold 'em. I read it on and off for around 6 months and realized that while I learned some valuable lessons and picked up important bits of information I need to read it over and over again to truly take in everything that is being said. For me it is like a good movie that you see once and figure you saw it all only to watch it again and pick up something new, then a while later watch it again and see even more that was missed.
   
   I highly recommend this book for students of the game. This is essential reading if you want to compete seriously. Even if you think you know it all and the book makes sense, read it carefully and understand that many serious players have read, re-read and learned significantly from this and the other classics. It will help your game.

5 comments about No Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice.

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. Excellent book for the beginner to intermediate player to learn more about poker concepts. Well written and will definitely help your game.



4. I think this book gives a solid primer on no limit holdem, especially to the neophyte (like myself). I feel like there is some very useful information, such as when to call an all in from a short stack based on how you would profile the opponent (loose, tight, very tight, etc).
   
   The Sklansky Chubukov ratings are nice to know (even though the numbers can only be used for one small situation in the small blind)
   
   When I buy a poker book I am primarily looking to glean one or two important concepts and I think this book has done that.



5. This book is the book your looking for on no limit strategy. It explains many concepts that may not be clear to the starter player who wants to get deeper in knowledge. Many holdem books apply to limit poker but this book goes further into concepts that are started in supersystem and why doyle can makes certain plays.