5 comments about Poker Tournament Strategies.

1. While this is a little useful info in this book, it was really not what I was looking for. It also repeats the same information several times.



2. Suzuki is not a well known or successful tournament player and this book will probably not help you become one either. I got my copy as a freebie, and would have been unhappy if I had paid for it.

   If you want to learn about or improve your tournament play, I suggest "Tournament Poker" by Tom McEvoy.




3. David Sklansky has a tournament poker book coming out in late April 2002. Though he's not the most organized writer, he knows poker very well. Also, he gives plenty of specific examples, which Suzuki fails to do.

   BTW, others rag on Suzuki for not being a known tournament player. The book quite clearly states that Suzuki is a pseudonym. So maybe he is a known, successful player. But this book has about 20 pages worth of content repeat ad nauseum, and precious few examples. The most non-obvious section (on the mathematics of final table negotiations) originally appeared in Sklansky's book anyway.




4. If you are looking for a book that promises to teach you how to play poker like a professional then this is not the book for you. This is a book not about poker per se, but about playing in poker tournaments.

   The book describes various types of tournaments and explains why differences in payout and rebuy structures dictate how each type of tournament should be played. For example, it explains why it is wise to play a strong starting hand aggressively in some instances and why in other instances it is wise to play that very same hand conservatively. The book also includes a chapter on how to determine the value of your stack of chips at the last table and how to negotiate a favorable deal to "chop" the money remaining in the tournament.

   In summary this is not a sophisticated "how to" book for scholarly poker theorists who thrive on charts, graphs, or complex mathematical formulas. This is a plainly worded primer for "us dummies" who just want to learn the basics about the rapidly growing world of tournament poker...




5. This book is obviously not intended for the professional but is intended for the small stakes recreational player who plays in the daily tournaments that many large casinos sponsor as a promotional tool.
   
   The book describes the different ways in which tournament chips are acquired and explains how this affects the play in the early stages of tournaments. For example, in a progressive stack rebuy tournament, the number of chips that a player receives increases as the tournament progresses. Because nobody wants to get less than the maximum number of chips for his rebuy, players tend to play conservatively during the opening stages of these tournaments.
   
   However, in a constant stack rebuy tournament, the number of chips that a player gets remains constant throughout the rebuy period. In the early stage of play in one of these tournaments, because the opening limits seem small and unlimited rebuys are permitted, some of the players will be throwing money around like a bunch of drunken sailors. What these drunken sailors don't seem to realize is that what they are actually doing is adding chips to the stacks of rivals and then replenishing their own stacks by buying more chips. One of the keys to success in any poker game is having knowledge of how others are playing. This give you that information.
   
   The book also describes how the tournament pool is distributed to the last few player and how this affects the manner in which a tournament should be played. For example, a Sudden Sayonara Tournament ends when the number of players remaining in the tournament declines to a specified level. In most Sudden Sayonara Tournaments, the last few players are paid a predetermined percentage of the tournament pool. Thus if the last four players are to be paid; first place is normally worth 40% of the tournament pool, second place is worth 30%, third place is worth 20%, and fourth place is worth 10%. In this scenario, a player who finishes fourth with only one chip will have a nice payday. On the other hand, if the last four players are paid on a chip count ratio based on the size of the ending stacks, finishing fourth with only one chip might be meaningless.
   
   Notwithstanding what some earlier reviewers have written, for the targeted audience, the book has much useful information. In fact, because the book discusses some tournament formats that are not often seen today, this simple little book which was published by a widely respected Las Vegas firm that specializes in books on gaming, might someday become a collector's item.

No comments about Modern Day Pirates--Don't play Poker, DO THEY?.

3 comments about Poker Tournament Tips from the Pros: How to Win Low-Limit Poker Tournaments.

1. This book is very poorly written. It is as sickening to endure as a high-school pep rally. "You can do it! Keep trying, you'll get there! Rah Rah Rah". There is a lot of useless blather and no real content or strategy for playing in poker tournaments, just lists of general and vague advice. It is mostly just a bunch of quotes from professional players taken from other books, magazines, etc. I don't think the author interviewed any of the people she quotes in the book, and if she did, it is not apparent. Also, this book addresses mostly re-buy tournaments. Freeze-outs are mentioned in passing, but not really discussed. Then again, nothing in this book is really addressed anyway. If you are a beginner do what I did: Go to your local bookstore, buy a cup of coffee and read this thin tome (140 pages or so) in about an hour and put it back on the shelf. If you are an experienced tournament player, just get the coffee and skip the book.



2. I agree with the previous critic. Anyone looking for specific tournament poker tactics with example hands will be disappointed. The book amounts to nothing more than the type of common sense, but practically useless, advice that a father might give his young son before his very first tournament. Anyone who finds this book insightful instead of thinking "Duh!" at every turn of a page, should probably not play in poker tournaments just yet, since all the information given is purely and exclusively common sense advice.



3. I disagree with the other reviews on this site. This book is targeted for the tournament novice. If you are out there winning thousands of dollars in poker tournaments, then you obviously don't need this book. However, for someone who has no idea how a live poker tournament works, this is an excellent reference guide. Yes, some of the advice falls under the category of "duh" (e.g. "Fold marginal hands"), but I've played in several tournaments and many live games, and have made a lot of money off of the people who don't follow the advice outlined in this book. Notice the subtitle is "How To Win at Low Limit Poker." The key word is "Low Limit." This book is not for high rollers. However, it does provide sound strategies that, when coupled with experience, can produce winning results. I've won two online tournaments employing some of the basic strategies in this book. I'll admit it is a bit pricey for the content, but it is a cheap investment if you make the cost back with a winning hand or two. This book coupled with Larry Phillips "The Tao of Poker" forced me to look at how I was playing and my decision making process. What might be common sense advice to one player may be news to another.

5 comments about The Intelligent Guide to Texas Hold'em Poker.

1. This is one of the most readable books on Hold'em that I've encountered. It has clear logical explanations of Hold'em fundamentals. The mathematical tables are very useful, and the books is filled with valuable reference and resource information. I'd recommend this book to anyone getting started in the game as a good all around guide for Hold'em.



2. This book was written for newer players that want to develop and extend their game. It contains a section discussing the different types of games that you might run into. The examples and simple suggestions on how different styles affect the game are great for the new player.

   The best part of the book is the tables that give you the correct pot odds for your bet. They are great to commit to memory until you can calculate the odds yourself. I found that expected value and calculating pot odds are important in lower limit games and having these tables helps your stack from shrinking.




3. This was a very Enjoyable Book. It provided important and useful concepts about the game of Poker. I learned new concepts, which identified some leaks in my game. Leaks in your game can come from anywhere!!! Leaks can originate from lack of aggression, overcalling raises, misreading opponents and any other number of ways. So this book helps. Many people look at poker the wrong way. They think to win they need to do all of this super fancy plays and mindblowing stunts. Well folks...there are not that many options in poker...you fold, call or raise. So its really hard to do thinks that will just fool your opponents all the time. To win at poker it is mostly limiting your mistakes and getting all that you can from winning hands and minimizing losses on losing hands...that's it
   Ive been playing for about 5 years now and love the game. Ive read many poker books and found this one to be very good. So I would suggest you buy this book and maybe a couple others and get to playing. There's really no excuse anymore - since anyone can access the internet...



4. I picked this book up and leafed through quickly. I should have taken more time. I have about 6 or 7 poker books so I think I have a pretty good perspective on what is helpful and what looks like somebody trying to turn a quick buck.
   
   Where do I begin. In a nutshell the author touches on most of the basics; pot odds, probabilities, starting hands and some strategies for turn and river play. But it's all cursory and even if you're a beginner and you should really be learning the basics of learning the difference between good starting hands and trash. Whereas every decent poker book will discuss at length which combination of starting hands should be played and which should not (as well as when) the author spends about 2 pages discussing maybe one of the most important considerations for a beginner.
   
   
   The cover says "includes detailed instructions for Online Poker". Listen to me, you will not learn enough from this book to be successful at online poker. The online poker section is a bit of a joke really.
   
   About 60 pages of this 175 page book are devoted to a glossary and a list of internet poker sites as well brick and mortar poker rooms.
   
   If you already know the basics I would recommend any books by Sklansky, Malmuth or Kreiger. I especially like "Small Stakes Hold 'em" by Sklansky and Malmuth. I also liked Lou Krieger's "Hold 'Em Excellence"
   
   Pass this one up. There are just too many good books out there than to waste your time with this.



5. The fact that the cover of this book has a chessboard on it shows that the author clearly has no understanding of either game. If you think I'm joking then just look--the pieces are in an illegal (and ridiculous) position! And wouldn't we all be big winners if royal flushes came as often as he'd have you believe.
   
   Mr. Braids may have a PHD... well I think we all know what that stands for.

2 comments about The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Tournament Poker (The Pocket Idiot's Guide).

1. I can believe Mr. Apostolico would make a tough tourney opponent.Unfortunately this isn't The Idiot's Guide, it's The
   Pocket Idiot's Guide. It's not everything, it's everything that fits in your back pocket.
   
   The whole thing runs about 200 pages and there's an awful lot of the basics covered here: examples of HE poker hands, a glossary, where to find poker tournaments, and on and on.
   
   I'm looking forward to his book later in the year on the Pro Poker Tour. That may well be a worthwhile read.
   
   For now, read one of Dan Harrington's tournament poker books instead. He knows his stuff. (If you know the ranking of poker hands and have played a few times, you can follow it.)
   
   For HE in general, read Getting Started in Hold 'em by Ed Miller for basics and the mindset needed for Texas Hold'em.



2. Tournament poker, especially that form called "No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em" has become something of a national phenomena over the past few years. Now tournaments are played in every major American city, are all over the television airwaves, and easily available online. David Apostolico has won poker tournaments in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, online gaming websites, .and writes a monthly poker column for "TopPair Magazine". In The Pocket Idiot's Guide To Tournament Poker, Apostolico draws upon his more than twenty-five years of experience to introduce the reader to the rules of poker, layout basic tactics and strategies, find a suitable tournament, and become a better poker player -- especially in a tournament setting. One of the principle advantages of The Pocket Idiot's Guide To Tournament Poker over the many "how to" books on poker that are now available, is that this one is quite literally "pocket sized" and can be slipped into the shirt or coat pocket and taken along to the tournament table for reference. Offering a wealth of advice, counsel, warnings, suggestions, strategies and tactics on every aspect and sequence of tournament play, no novice poker player or aspiring professional can afford to be without their own well read copy of The Pocket Idiot's Guide To Tournament Poker.

5 comments about Stepping Up: The Recreational Player's Guide to Beating Casino and Internet Poker.

1. While there are excellent beginner books on playing tactics, this is the first I've seen that focuses on the other aspects of poker. Concepts like tailoring your play to specific types of opponents and types of games, reading hands, odds and outs, tells and tilt and even addiction to poker are generally dealt with in more advanced books and at a level that assumes you already know something about them. This book introduces these concepts, which are critical to winning and includes some excellent hand-reading examples. It also recommends the best basic strategy books, Web sites and other resources. I don't think a very advanced player would get much from this book, but for anyone who's played mostly in home games or who has played for fun in casinos a few times, it's a winner.



2. i hadn't heard of this guy before so was a little skeptical. he's not exaclty a famous author. but it has made a 100 percent difference in how i apporach my favorite game, hold'em.

   differences between this and other poker books: first, the writing is ten times as good so everything is extremely clear, second, you learn not just what to do but why. the chapters on reading hands and players are sensational and i say this eveno though i own 4 or 5 hold'em books alone. also the odds chapters are very clear. the only reason i don't give it five stars is you
   do need other poker books besides this one, for hold'em maybe the lee jones or kreiger books. like roy west says in the intro this is a thinking man's poker book to improve your overall game.

   i would say try it out and see what you think but if you are like me, a low-limit player trying to get good and move up, it's well worth it. it's better than pokertracker for helping, and that's saying a lot!




3. This book takes a different approach then your typical beginner to intermediate level guide that teaches you how to play (memorizing starting hand requirements, basic and intermediate strategies like raising for a free card, raising for value, isolating loose raisers, blind stealing, etc.). What this book does do is focus on the factors that you need to master, especially for online play where you are isolated from other players physically. The psychological aspects... the game within-the-game, etc. are factors that are magnified for online play. You are your own worst enemy (and since the same applies to your opponents), understanding theae nuances are key to a successful transition from live to online play. Good read and recommended.



4. I bought this book because it had four ratings of 5 stars. This is the first review I have ever written, and I'm doing so to warn others that this book is TERRIBLE. It is poorly organized and has very little meaningful information of any type. The author repeatedly trashes almost all other poker books, calling them "garbage". I've read ten poker books now, and only one of them is truly BAD. Guess which one.



5. I noticed that this offering got savaged by a reviewer below. Let me address that criticism right away, Stepping Up is a worthy read but it is in no way a complete poker book. By itself, it cannot teach you the game. It's an accoutrement for intermediate rounders. Of course, the author admits this truth in the very beginning. He also recommends reading Small Stakes Hold Em and Theory of Poker before buying his contribution to the poker world. The thing I found most valuable about it is that Burgess is a regular guy who played the small limits before rising to the high stakes levels. He did this via effort and study, and he really does provide some inside-"been there, done that"-type of advice. You also learn quite a bit about the lower limits in a brick and mortar setting as so many of us play online exclusively. His references to stud were educational as well. I definitely got something out of Stepping Up, and I think that you will too if you view it with the right perspective. If you haven't studied the big important manuals already, pick them up first.

1 comments about What No One Else Is Saying About Online-Poker.

1. This book is basically a rant by the author on bad beats. How poor players luck overcame his "skill", how people cheat, bots and how much better online poker would be if only people knew how good he was and respected his raises.
   
   Stick with books by David Sklansky, Dan Harrington, Phil Helmuth, Phil Gordon, Colin Moshman.
   You can get bad beat stories for free.

No comments about Gus the Great Dane Hansen (Superstars of Poker).

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.

5 comments about Last Call.

1. When I read "Declare" I thought 'Alan Furst meets Charles Williams;' certain of the themes of "Last Call" remind me particularly of "The Greater Trumps." It's difficult to imagine Mr Powers being unacquainted with the 'spiritual thrillers' of friend-of-Tolkien-and-Lewis Williams; those who enjoy Powers are likely to be in for a treat should they give the neglected Williams a try. (The 'other,' pulpier Charles Williams, the American caper writer, is also great fun.)



2. This book is definitely not for everybody. The story places a battle of mythic proportions (literally) on the tawdry streets of Las Vegas. I got a big kick our of the way Powers combined the banal with the mystic (e.g., in one scene, two characters find a location in Vegas by shaking silver dollars in an empty vanilla wafers box, and seeing if they turn up heads). The dialog has the tough-guy quality of a roman noir, but they are discussing tarot cards and moon goddesses. If you like that kind of thing, then you will probably enjoy this book.



3. The Last Call is the most recent Tim Powers book that I read, and the oldest one chronologically (it was written in 1992, The Anubis Gates in 1997 and Three Days to Never in 2006). Power's trademark blend of fantasy, the occult, magic, conspiracy and suspense are very much in evidence here, in this tale of Scotty Crane. Abandoned as a young child and raised by Ozzie a professional poker player and master of so much more, Scott, now a 46 year old ex-professional Poker player and recent widower, finds himself caught up in a web of magic, murder and mayhem surrounding a very special game of Poker, played with a Tarot deck, that he took part in 20 years earlier against Ozzie's desperate pleading. Now Scott finds himself literally playing for his life against his true biological father who tried to co-opt him as a 5 year old and then won the rights to his body in the poker game 20 years ago in which neither was aware of the other's identity.
   
   There are many references, both clear and obscure, to T.S. Eliot's "The Wasteland", Arthurian legend, The Fisher King and more, but it is not necessary to be familiar with any of these works to fully appreciate or enjoy the novel. Nor is it necessary to be a poker player, although poker players and/or gamblers will get a kick out of the well-written poker scenes even though they are little more than background scenery for the main story.
   
   The characters are well-developed, believable, and except for the baddies, likeable. The writing is excellent and the Las Vegas scenes and descriptions are great. If you like at least one of poker, Powers or magical fantasy, you will like this book. If you like more than one, you will like this book a lot.



4. What a change of pace! Tim Powers reenvisions the great western epic with tbis book. It's interesting to me that one thing that never seems to come up in the reviews for this book is the overt link to truly great western cinema. Powers has a knack for drawing characters as intrisically flawed but strangely charming, much like the central characters of Leone's masterpieces or Clint Eastwood's "new" classic, Unforgiven. Much like the William Munny character of the latter, our hero Scott Crane is a retired "card"slinger with a weakness for booze that really sets him apart from the Mary Sues of the genre.
   Aside from that, most of these reviews are spot on. Powers finds a way to tie together poker, Eliot's The Wasteland, the tarot, Jung, and mathematics. The only thing I would reccomend to any reader starting this out is if possible become acquainted with the basic symbolism of Tarot cards and the ranks of poker hands. Being a tarot enthusiast and amateur poker player myself, I know it certainly helped enrich and enliven the story for me, and helped me from getting lost in some of the intense poker scenes.



5. I loved Anubis Gates and several other Tim Powers novels. This book seemed to be a perfect combination for me: Powers + mystique of cards + seedy underbelly of Las Vegas... but unfortunately it failed to impress.
   
   I bought this book when it first came out. The first time I read it I felt it dragged on and didn't deliver to my expectations. Because I wanted to dive into the other 2 books of the loosely connected trilogy (Expiration date & Earthquake weather), I thought I'd give it another chance. I'm sorry to say, that it still left me wanting more. Not much really happens, especially compared to the brilliant plots of other Powers novels.
   
   Some reviewers commented about needing a sense of humor to read this. The truth is you just need to have the patience to endure really corny humor (lots of puns!). Disappointed to say the least.