5 comments about Doyle Brunson's Super System: A Course in Power Poker.

1. Super System is a little dated as I suspect Super System II is as well. I say it's dated because poker is a bit different now than it was back in the day, and Doyle's day was a looong time ago! The part about learning to play aggressive still helps me get fired up though. Another good feature of this book is it covers games other than Hold'em.



2. If you are into poker and you're serious about money, this is the book for you. Learn the basics from the pro that started it all. Great buy!!



3. The sections on no limit holdem are great. Since not many cardrooms play the other games, a large part of the book isn't really that applicable today unless you are in Vegas and have access to the other games.



4. Well, I've only read about 90 or so books on poker, most of them written pre-boom (2002 or earlier; the newer ones have a lot less character, 'twould seem), so I don't know if it's fair to say this is the best all-around poker book of them all, but it's easily top five. It's the Cadillac of poker books, to paraphrase Doyle.
   This would be the nuts even if it was ony comprised of the introduction to poker "basics" (actually very advanced in some respects). Brunson lays out much of the stuff that takes some players years to figure out, and in only a few pages. Having played many thousands of hours of poker since first reading this in 2000, I can say that he hits the nail on the head as well as anyone ever has. Read that section alone and truly digest it and you're already half way home.
   This book changed the poker landscape in many ways. Few were playing small suited connectors until Doyle made their value clear...no one but the top pros and "crazy gamblers", at least. Yes, he overrates J-10, but we weren't in his games back then, and I'm guessing he made a LOT of cash with it...and a man as crafty as Doyle knew that he had to write SOME misleading stuff here. You can't give away ALL your secrets!
   Add to that excellent thoughts on many different games (if you can't play at least a half dozen games well you're hardly a real player), and what is still the best no-limit guide around, and you've got a book that truly lives up to its long-time nickname, the Bible Of Poker.
   Haven't read the new edition, but going back to this one after some years made me realize that some of my more advanced poker thoughts and moves had their genesis right here.
   This is a great read as well, not perfectly written but done with much feel and loads of understanding of what makes poker players tick. For those who play hold'em only, this is an excellent introduction to games like lowball and seven stud, the precursors of HE. It never hurts to have a larger skillset (and if you can play a good tripledraw game, you'll be sitting pretty when it breaks out in that Vegas hotel room game you stumbled into with your old buddy's wife's brother). Baldwin's limit HE section is solid as are all of the others. Add in the various anecdotes, told by men who are still some of the best to ever play their respective games even 30 years after publication, and you've got what is probably the most important poker book of them all.
   If Yardley's Education is the granddaddy of poker books, then this is without doubt the Big Daddy.
   
   [PS I'm no Doyle, but I have a column at pokerpagesdotcom where I share my thoughts on hold'em, PLO, strategies and gambling in general. My old articles are archived; if you've seen some poker on tv you might especially enjoy "Poker Needs More Sponsors", one of the few things I've written that makes me laugh every time I read it. Feel free to stop by and share your thoughts.]



5. Condition of book was perfect. Purchased this book for my son's birthday. He loved it.

5 comments about Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 2: Endgame.

1. This book was recommended to me after I finished in the top third of a tourney. I've read Vols 1, 2, and 3 - and I've learned so much from these books. Easy to read, easy to understand. I'll be going back in a few months to pick up anything I may have missed. Highly recommended.
   
   Finished in top 15% in another tourney after reading this book - easily accounted by the stuff I've learned. Looking for better results I apply the knowledge.



2. This is a great series of books for anyone who is fairly new to the game of No Limit Texas Hold'Em. Volume I provides some basic concepts that every player needs to know. From which hands to start with and pot odds, to raising, to how your seating position affects your play, this series is a great introduction. And the more table experience you gain, the more his discussions can help your game. Highly recommended. Also, the workbook, Volume III is great to test your decision making within his framework.



3. This book does a fantastic job of discussing the pressure of late stage tournament play. Want to know how to react when the blinds are eating your stack and other players are moving all in on you constantly? Get this book!



4. There have been many in-depth reviews of this book so I will make this short. This book builds on the concepts in Volume 1 to further improve your playing. Some of the concepts and strategies are not as intuitive but make perfect sense and are statistically sound (e.g., As your M and the M of your opponents decrease - avoid playing small pairs and mid to low suited connectors since the implied pot odds can not reach a level to make these hand profitable late in a tournament). Many, many, many advanced topics covered to improve your game late in No Limit tournaments. Mor great insight from a top poker pro.



5. Got this book for my husband, an online poker fan. He loved the first one in the series and doesn't like to put this one down either. Reads them multiple times to get the most out of them.

5 comments about Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions.

1. This is a great story and the writing stands up to the quality of the story itself. It leads the reader through the rise and ultimate fall of a team that approaches Blackjack as if it were a sport that can be trained for and mastered rather than a game of chance. Absolutely great. Could have given greater perspective on those who developed the card counting methods that the MIT team built upon, but that's just a nit pick. Read this book if you have any affinity to playing games!



2. Loved ths book! I thought it was even more thrilling than the movie. Lots of fun and kept you enthralled and rooting for the "good guys".



3. The reason why I'm focusing on the way the book relates to the movie is because this is the movie tie-in edition. After watching the movie I decided to read the book. I normally don't watch a movie unless I've read the book first. In this case, I'm glad I watched the movie first. The movie made it easier to understand the nonverbal and verbal cues they used to count cards.
   
   It seems to me like the producers and writers just took the idea of counting cards and how the MIT kids did it and then Hollywood-ized the rest.
   
   As a standalone, the book was good. Not only did they hit Vegas but they also a steamboat casino in the midwest, an Indian casino on the east coast and Atlantic City. The main character, Kevin joins the team because he is tired of his ho-hum life (because I'm sure life at MIT is so ho-hum).
   
   Anyway, if you've watched the movie and are interested in a more factual and realistic setting in how they earned millions, you should read the book. Plus, there's an essay at the end by Kevin who teaches those who wish to learn how to count cards.



4. I don't read much since it's hard to find something that keeps me interested. I couldn't put this down! It's an amazing story, especially considering it's true. I didn't think there would be much suspense to the story, but man was I wrong. The way the author tells it, he hints at something that could be coming, and sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. I loved it. For those looking to buy a book to learn how to count cards...this isn't it! This isn't even really a book about basic strategy. They talk about it VERY little since it's needed for the story, but the book is focused on the journey of one young man (20s for most of the book...my age) through Vegas, Atlantic City, and finding himself and his place in the world.
   
   I can't recommend this book enough. I loved it!



5. Rhis book needed to have more umph, more dynamite suspense. more of a sense of 'will we get away with it' to it. No pictures also makes this book lacking. I wanted to see the people who pulled all these card counting routines off. Pictures of the eye in the sky cameras. Pictures of casino bosses.

5 comments about Kill Everyone: Advanced Strategies for No-limit Hold 'em Poker Tournaments and Sit-n-go's.

1. After reading Kill Phil, I knew this book would be really good. What amazed me was the amount of theory and math loaded in this book. Aside from 2+2 books, I have never seen a poker book with so much indepth analysis. The book has solid advice for all stages of any types of tournamenets. The calculations and decisions that have to be made very quickly will likely become second nature over time. I know it didn't take me long to get very comfortable with the KILL PHIL system and it worked out really well.
   
   There are a number of study groups and Q & A forums on the web to help people understand parts of the book. It will probably not be the easiest poker book you've ever read. A lot of people are taking their time to ensure they understand each chapter before the go on to the next chapter. We can always use more books where the authors take the game and their writing seriously in an effort to help the readers. With effort on your part, you will see improvement in your game using the concepts explained in Kill Everyone.
   
   I'm in agreement with the other reveiwers here, this is a 5 star book and is definitely worth your consideration if tournaments are your thing.



2. If you play freeze-out tournaments (Anything else played today?) you'll find this book to be an essential source-book and reference. An understanding of the concepts and examples presented will give any player a better foundation from which to make decisions - and from which to approach the optimum decision at critical points.
   
   The discussion of play on the bubble is alone worth much more than the price of the book. For example the authors present analysis of how often you should push as a function of your bubble factor (ratio of equity loss from losing to equity gain from winning the confrontation) and your opponent's calling frequency. Most players know intuitively that you should push more frequently when (a) your bubble factor is greater and (b) your opponent is more likely to call. But a chart showing the results of the calculations gives insight that can't be gotten otherwise.
   
   One short section attacks the myth that the big stack should call liberally to knock out small stacks. That discussion alone can make the difference between just finishing in the money and making a big win. If you have ever called or raised a bit loosely to knock out small stacks only to find that you've doubled up one or more and made them into real competition while crippling yourself then this section is must reading.
   
   I could continue with examples, but the book is only 348 pages - probably shorter than my examples would be.
   
   I do have a single criticism. The authors (properly) use the Independent Chip Model but without fully explaining the assumptions on which it relies. Like most other authors they do explain that it assumes equal skill for all players. However, they neglect to mention that it also relies on two other assumptions: (1) that all players will receive equivalent hands over the limited time of the tournament, and (2) that play is based on only your hand and statistical behavior of your opponents. If you're in the middle of a tournament, assumption (1) probably doesn't apply for the limited number of hands remaining, and in any given hand other things - tells for lack of a better word - frequently become more important than either of these assumptions.
   
   Do yourself a favor and buy this book. But, be prepared to study rather than just read for it contains more, much more, than a list of starting hands and advice to play a tight aggressive game.



3. This is a great tournament book! They discuss so many new concepts that hasn't been mentioned before in book form. These concepts can be found in different poker forums as in 2+2 forum. One of the concepts that is mentioned is bubble effect. They will discuss how to calculate the real value of your chips in different situations in a tournament and how it will effect your decisions. Many of the concepts are very helpful for sit and go as well, especially when you want to squeeze in to the money often. I highly recommend this great book. The authors have done a great job writing this.



4. I think this book will help anyone. From a beginner to someone who has played in tournaments. It's more appropriate for those with some knowledge and strategies of their own, but really anyone can benefit from this book.



5. I was a little skeptical, if not curious as to what would be written in this book and as to how useful the advice would be. I had read Kill Phil and thought that the ideas were very basic and not very applicable to intermediate and advanced players. When I spent my money on Kill Everyone and read I could not stop reading. Why? Because the 2008 Aussie Millions main event was coming up and the book focuses on bubble play, equilibrium strategies and prize pools and equities; concepts which are very important in the major events. All the money in poker is to be made in or around the bubble and when approaching the final table. Kill Everyone is the best for these situations and therefore very much worth the read. Part one of the book shows how to accumulate chips early on and I found a particular example useful for me in the 2008 Aussie Millions Main Event. For No Limit Hold'em Tournaments this book sets the new precedent. Lee's latest book Let's Play Poker is brilliant for sit and go's. Use these books to improve your skills and reach your poker playing potential.

5 comments about Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 1: Strategic Play.

1. What's your bottom line? What were your results? My results after reading Harrington on Hold Em Volume One, I finished 22nd and 13th in the 1st two tournaments I entered. I like his style of play and I see a lot of what I do in poker as the same. I believe this book is worth every dime and finish in the money like I have and it's already paid for itself. Just started Volume II.
   
   Keep writing them Dan, thanks for the insight and go Sox!!!



2. This is the best poker book i've read so far. Very well written, cover all the aspects of the game, specially No Limit Tournaments and SNGs. Everyone who wants to play really well should read this.



3. I think Harrington's book and it's sequels are the best books ever written about no limit hold'em tournaments. The first part of the series covers strategic concepts about tournament poker, the second part tells how to play in the ending of a tournament, and third part is the workbook for reviewing the concepts of first two books.
   
   Before reading this book (and the sequels), I have been mostly playing online cash games and occasionally some sit'n'gos, but I am still a beginner in NL hold'em (mostly concentrated on limit games). Totally I have read some 10+ books in poker. Well, after reading this book series I finished 14th out of 2000 players in my first large NL hold'em tournament simply by following Harrington's advice, and slightly adapting in some points.
   
   What's best here is that Harrington is quite a practical guy, and practical guys win. For example, compared to Sklansky, one of the finest authors in poker, Harrington is actually able to teach how to play poker in practical level. In my opinion, Sklansky provides theoretical foundations for some very advanced strategic concepts, but more responsibility about how/when to utilize them is actually left to reader. I think these approaches complement each other very well, and both are great poker authors.
   
   I would say that the first book is also good reading for NL hold'em cash games, especially if you're a beginning player (I am not sure anymore though, since Harrington's cash game series is now out as well). The second book (excluding first chapter) relates only to tournament concepts.



4. There have been many in-depth reviews of this book so I will make this short. If you spend time going through this book it WILL improve your game. The strategy is well laid out and the explanations in the examples gives insight into a top poker players thought process. Many examples state that some of the other answers are also plausible for certain reasons, but he states clearly why HE thinks one play is better than another. A must read for any No Limit Poker Player. str



5. All 3 books in this series are great. I wish it was possible to award more than 5 stars because these books are much better than the typical book that gets a 5 star rating.

5 comments about Crazy Good: The True Story of Dan Patch, the Most Famous Horse in America.

1. THIS BOOK TAKES YOU BACK TO A TIME IN AMERICA WHEN HORSE WAS KING,THE AUTHOR REALLY DID HIS HOMEWORK AND THE RE-CREATIONS MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE THERE.EVEN A BIG DAN PATCH FAN LIKE MYSELF,LEARNED A FEW NEW THINGS ABOUT THE HORSE,HIS OWNER AND THAT TIME IN AMERICA.ITS A VERY GOOD READ AND COULD EASILY BE SCRIPTED INTO A MOVIE.DAN PATCH WAS REALLY THE FIRST ATHLETE MARKETED TO SELL PRODUCTS AND SELL HE DID,YOU WILL WANT TO READ HIS AMAZING STORY.



2. The story of Dan Patch is a terrific one, and deserves to be told for many reasons, but this book unfortunately reads like an SI article on steroids (no surprise, really). Leerhsen's "pop" bend simply doesn't serve the subject well. (As homework, I'd suggest that he re-read Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" for a master class in how it can be done.)
   
   Also, it's too bad that Leerhsen isn't more able to downplay his apparent distain for Midwesterners throughout the narrative or control his snarky "insider" asides. It just doesn't add to the tale.
   
   My biggest fear is that this is a simply story that waited too long to be fully told...eyewitnesses are dead, earlier attempts to chronicle the life and legend of Dan Patch are woefully underwhelming, records (and memories) are sketchy.
   
   Dan Patch deserves better.
   
   "Make your blood boil?...Well, I should say."



3. Crazy Good is a wonderful insight into life that is very different than today, but also in many ways, still the same. I am an avid harness racing owner and hands on participant in the sport, therefore I found the story fascinating. There are many parallels in today's world with the same types and personalities of owners, drivers, and trainers and I found this very entertaining. Any fan of horse racing will especially love this book. If you're looking for a Disney ending, beware, this one doesn't end quite the way you would like.



4. Best of the many Dan Patch biographies. Charles Leerhsen brings out the real story, warts and all. He uses his experience as a sports writer and author to tell the story in such a way that it can be understood by everyone, harness racing fan or not. It also tells a history of an America almost no history classes touch on. America was on the edge of going from a rural to urban nation. Horse ownership was far greater than automobile ownership and everyone knew who Dan Patch was.



5. It can be a little bittersweet for a big harness racing fan to read this book. Realizing that the sport was, for a while, the most popular sport in America is sort of jarring to your psyche as you look at the empty grandstands and the same aging faces you have seen for years.
   
   The book does a splendid job of capturing the lost history of Dan Patch, a pacer who set the world on fire during that time and is now all but forgotten by the public, as is the sport he dominated. I am a college history instructor, and as a test I asked my class to raise their hand if they knew who Dan Patch was...nobody did. One of the strengths of the book is that it is in the end a story about people more than about horses. Not an uplifting story though, as Dan Patch's owners and trainers were a sordid and greedy bunch. Supposedly there is a movie in development starring Emilio Estevez...if they try to make this a happy story like Seabiscuit, they will be missing the point entirely.

5 comments about Harrington on Cash Games, Volume II: How to Play No-Limit Hold 'em Cash Games.

1. This is a fantastic book on how to make money playing hold'em cash games, it specifically covers the turn and river, and as always Dan Harrington does a magnificent job of explaining the concepts, as well as having a lot of problems to practice to let the concepts sink in.
   
   If you want to make money playing hold'em cash games, this is one book you have to have.



2. Harrington señala, con mucho tino, las diferencias necesarias e imprescindibles que separan al juego exitoso en torneos y mesas de efectivo. Es claro, directo y sencillo de entender. Quizás haga demasiado hincapié en las cuestiones estadísticas y matemáticas. Pero, el jugador despierto entenderá que son la matriz de inicio que separa al jugador desordenado y con destino incierto del que intenta desempeñarse con claridad.
   No se puede dejar pasar por alto.



3. This volume completes the series. I play only on-line. The whole section on tells is about betting patterns. On-line thats all you have to go on. So this works great for me. Combine that with the board reading skills I picked up in the first volume and my NL cash game has improved a whole lot. I think anyone that has some basic skills in poker and is a break even or loosing player will improve to a winning player after a couple of reads.



4. Whit this book, I improved my skills on cash games, and learnt how to avoid mistakes. Recommended reading for beginners.



5. DAN HARRINGTON IS A VERY SMART MAN WHO HAS DONE FOR DEEP STACK CASH GAME PLAYERS WHAT HE ALREADY DID EARLIER FOR TOURNAMENT PLAYERS. THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ FOR WINNERS.

5 comments about Cash Games (How to Win at No-Limit Hold'em Money Games) Vol. 1.

1. While expectedly falling short of the tournament series which was always going to happen do to cash games being a much more complex topic, these books are perfect for someone wishing to start the transition to cash games from tournaments from a tournament player's perspective.
   
   I for one have been reasonably successful in tournament play for 2-3 years, but have always struggled with cash game play and could never figure out why. This book was very helpful to me in that it explains WHY the two types are different, and the adjustment in perception that has to be made.
   If you are a tournament player this will definitely introduce some ideas that you will not be comfortable with and hands that you have been quite happy to get all in with in a tournament are now hands that are very often beat by the turn and beyond. But if you are open minded and try the concepts introduced here, I think you will see an improvement in your results...As with the previous Harrington books, the hand problems are fascinating and provide a lot of insight...
   These books will likely not help the experienced and successful cash game player much, but everyone else should learn a lot. Coupling reading thse books along with Professional No Limit Poker Vol 1 will improve your understanding. Well worthwhile



2. Whit this book, I improved my skills on cash games, and learnt how to avoid mistakes. Recommended reading for beginners.



3. This book is equally suited for novice and expert player alike. I have not finished reading it, but I can't put it down because every page is full of valuable information that is easy to follow and understand. Congratulations for a job well done!



4. I've played poker of one kind or another for 40 years. Before the "Moneymaker Cascade Event" that propelled tournament poker into the mainstream, I was playing tournaments...and doing well. Got the previous 3 volume series by Dan and immediately improved my tournament results. My cash rate from 2004 to current is 31%. That's up from the 20% I THOUGHT was pretty good! I credit Dan's books for a lot of that success.
   
   This last year, I've been so busy with business, a touring band I'm in, and other things, that I haven't had the time to play tournaments on either circuit. So, when I do have time, I've started playing cash games at a local casino that's 5 minutes from my home. While I generally do well, I was having some pretty big swings.
   
   Finished Volume 1 of Dan's new books, and headed to the casino to play. I feel like a kid in a candy store, and no one's watching me steal the chocolate! Last time out, I got myself seated at a table with 6 sharks and 2 fish. 3 hours later, I've tripled my stack. One of the biggest sharks folded to a raise from me with the statement "I can't beat this guy...he's killed me in every hand today", which was absolutely true. I was getting good cards, to be sure, but I only had the mortal nuts once all day. (Raised pre-flop with JJ, got reraised by KK, hit a set on a flop of J-5-2 rainbow, and got the case J on the turn which got the KK hand's whole stack on the river)
   
   Because of Dan's insights, I felt I knew where I was in virtually every single hand. And indeed, I had no surprises. Just started Volume 2 last night, so I'm anxious to finish it and see what fun I can have on my next trip to the aquarium, err...casino.
   
   Highly recommended.



5. As a low-limit, casual online player, I've been making a reasonable profit on tournaments only to be punished whenever I try to move into ring games. One thing Harrington does a good job of (not surprising given he literally wrote the book on tournament play) is clearly describing how and when the two games diverge. On just the first read-through of this book I was able to spot a number of gaping flaws in my cash game that I didn't even know were there.
   
   I can see how the book would be less valuable to a more experience player, but it was exactly what I needed.

4 comments about Power Hold'em Strategy.

1. With the game growing so rapidly, there is always a need to get that edge on your opponents. Daniel is a master at his craft, teaching the lethal low ball strategy. I play online, home games, and casino. This book caters to all with sections on online, deep stacks, short stacks, high stakes, low stakes, on and on... it has it all. In my mind, this book is better than Super System I and II. A real must have for any serious poker player!!!



2. I pre-ordered this a long, long time ago and had almost given up on it when I got the the email that it was being shipped.
   
   The funny thing about this is that the most important thing I learned from this book wasn't in the book at all..
   
   First of all: this really isn't a book for beginners. There is a chapter by Evelyn Ng that lays out a strategy for beginners, but that's not the main thrust of the book. This is about power tournament no limit poker and it's the absolute best book I've read yet.
   
   The problem with many other poker books is that you sometimes can't tell what game they are talking about: pot limit, limit, cash games? The strategies for all of those are much, much different than those for tournament NL so the lessons learned can be very harmful. Daniel makes it very clear what he is talking about.
   
   Here's another thing: most poker books aren't really written well. The authors aren't writers, and it shows. Daniel Negreanu writes very, very well and that makes a big difference. I really appreciated that.
   
   There are several other chapters by important players: Brunsen, Lindgren, Ng, Williams and Wasicka all contributed material. Frankly, they could have left all of that out and I would have been just as happy. I don't mean that those are bad chapters, but for me the meat of this book is Daniel's.
   
   So what's that most important thing I learned here? Simply, that I was right.
   
   That is, over the few years that I've been playing, I have slowly come to the same place that Daniel outlines: "small ball" is the path to winning tourneys. But every time I'd express any opinion along those lines, the old-style Doyle Brunsen high-aggression players would insist that I was wrong. Well, if I'm wrong, so is Daniel and I don't think many are in a position where they have any claim to question his play.
   
   Not that I'm in Daniel's league, of course. But so much of what he said caused me to say "Yeah!" and feel vindicated and of course the rest helped me refine and improve the things I have been thinking about.
   
   Of course the thing about poker is that if "everyone" started playing small ball, the old style Doyle Brunsen aggression would once again be the best play. You always have to remember that primarily you have to "play the player" and be ready to switch your style as circumstances dictate. However, right now a lot of the lesser wannabees still know nothing about small ball so the few that really apply these lessons will benefit greatly.
   
   I feel a little funny recommending this book. If everyone I play with read it, I might not do as well as I do. Well, unless they all took this as cookie cutter recipes (something Daniel warns against, by the way). The big lesson here is that good poker is smart poker - that it's not about "always do this if that", but only about looking for (and creating) opportunity.
   
   I'm not a great poker player. I've only been playing NLHE a few years and may never get beyond mediocre, but if I ever do, I know that Daniel's book will have had a lot to do with it.



3. All things considered, I was a little disappointed with this book. I was hoping it would focus on Negreanu's unique style of poker and that it would present ideas not yet covered by the other great poker books (like the Harrington series of books on tournaments and cash games). But it's a 485 page book and Negreanu doesn't even pen a word of it until the last 200 pages.
   
   There are 5 chapters before Negreanu's, each written by a different pro: Evelyn Ng, Todd Brunson, Erick Lindgren, Paul Wasicka, & David Williams. Ng's chapter presented an interesting strategy for beginners that made a lot of sense to me and that I hadn't heard of before, which was good. But the other 4 chapters by the pros were a waste of time. Brunson, Lindgren, Wasicka, & Williams all wrote about very basic concepts that I'd heard of a million times before.
   
   Brunson's chapter was on cash games, but he didn't even scratch the surface of cash game strategy in the way that Harrington on Cash Games did. He spent an entire chapter talking about re-buying, not bluffing, & trap hands.
   
   Lindgren's chapter was about online play. The major flaw with that chapter was that it was written for players that cut their teeth playing in casinos and are now moving online. In reality, I think most of us start online and work our way towards casinos if we succeed online, so the whole chapter felt "backwards". He provided a little more actual in-game strategy than Brunson, but not much.
   
   Wasicka's chapter was about short-handed tables. Outside of Ng's chapter I found this chapter the most useful. Wasicka presented some ideas which were new to me and even the ones that weren't new were at least logical and presented well.
   
   Williams' chapter could have been written in 1 sentence: "Mix up your play so your opponent can't read what you've got." It's the first rule of poker to not let yourself fall into the trap of being predictable and Williams some how rambled on about this for a whole chapter.
   
   With all that being said, Daniel's chapter was great and I thought it was good enough to stand on its own. About 200 pages in length, he describes in depth his small-ball strategy, the math that makes it work, and how to master it. He guides the reader through starting hand selection and position all the way thru flop, turn, & river play, making lots of easy to understand analogies along the way. Although I think the rest of the poker world as caught on to Daniel's methods since his immense success in 2003 & 2004, this strategy is a useful weapon for any poker player to have in his arsenal. Daniel's strategy, when properly employed, should allow the reader to pick up lots of uncontested pots and should keep pots small unless the reader has a big hand.
   
   Taken on a chapter by chapter basis, I'd give the following ratings:
   
   Ng: 4 stars
   Brunson: 1 star
   Lindgren: 2 stars
   Wasicka: 3 stars
   Williams: 1 star
   Negreanu: 5 stars
   
   But as a whole, with all the fluff in there, I'd give the whole book just 2 stars.



4. I received my book about three weeks ago; the invoice showed I had ordered it on March 3, 2006. It is difficult to give an unbiased review after 6 or 7 delays over the last two years but I will try. The publisher has still not updated the description page they created when the book was first being marketed; the original book was to cover limit, pot limit and no limit for tournament and cash games. This book covers only no limit and adds online no limit cash and tournament games. Several of the original authors did not make it into this book. Also, Evelyn Ng is not one of the greatest stars in the game in my opinion although she is somewhat well recognized.
   
   If Daniel Negreanu's contribution had been a stand alone book I might have given it a 5; unfortunately after making many promises and marketing the book so aggressively two years ago I think he was obligated to keep it a multi author book which is partially why I ended up with a three rating overall.
   
   First issue I have with the book is the heavy hand of the publisher, none other than Avery Cardoza. It seems there is an ongoing fued with Cardoza Publishing and 2+2 Publishing and Avery Cardoza is arrogant, audacious and downright rude in the preface which immediately made me question his integrity and the book's integrity. To call this one of the top poker books ever written will be decided in the court of public opinion and by those who know poker not by Avery Cardoza. He should keep his personal issues personal and not taint Negreanu's book with unnecesary garbage.
   
   Evelyn Ng's contribution appears to me to be written mostly by Negreanu; I have read Negreanu's writing for many years and it seems to be his voice. Not a hugely useful chapter and not very original as the main approach is strikingly similar to "The System" put forth in Sklansky's tournament book several years ago and expounded on in "Kill Phil". Primarily a beginner approach to no limit tournaments.
   
   Todd Brunson's contribution is very short in several ways. More advice than strategy and not nearly as thorough as his chapter on high low split in "Super System 2" which I thought was outstanding. It covers high limit cash games which seems to juxtapose the previous "beginner" approach in Ng's chapter. Sequence is important in this type of book and Brunson's chapter seemed out of place as well as my other comments.
   
   Eric Lindgren is also more advice than strategy and covers online no limit holdem. A few ideas to use but again put this into the preface's promises by Cardoza about this being one of the top poker books written.
   
   Paul Wasicka's chapter is short-handed online no limit is short on content also. Only 25 pages and again with its brevity it creates many unanswered question that you will have to search for elsewhere. No limit holdem becomes more complex shorthanded and this brief chapter falls short.
   
   David William's chapter "Mixing it Up" is actually fairly decent but it is an approach and style that lends itself to seriousness variance and is for fearless and skilled players who must still navigate the inevitable traps this approach creates. It is actually complimentary to the small ball approach that Negreanu teaches.
   
   The meat of the book is Negreanu's "Small Ball" which many top winning tournament players have been using with great success. This style is similar to Gus Hansen's style which likes to see many flops, keep the pots small, make good reads and exploit your opponents with hand ranges and position. It's not an easy style to play successfully and requires many intricate and finesse type plays that
   might be challenging to learn from a book. I do feel though that it is a thorough and solid treatment of his style. Thinking through a hand in reverse takes some work and focus and implenting plays based on good reads takes hundreds if not thousands of hours of playing. I have always liked Negreanu's writing style and approach to poker and would buy the book for just his chapter. Too bad he didn't write the whole book; it lost points on the other chapters not on his.

5 comments about Every Hand Revealed.

1. I can't praise this book highly enough. It is a spectacular description of Hansen's playing style and a great descripton of tournament strategy and and the mathematics involved in poker. The depth of the descriptions isn't overly detailed, and the analysis isn't comprehensive. I'd say it's just about perfect for someone who has watched some poker on TV, played a little, and has a grasp of the basic vocabulary.
   
   Even so, if you're already an expert you may like this as an interesting window into the mind of what is unarguably one of the most well known poker players alive today. If you know a little and are just above a rank beginner like me, you'll be fascinated to watch someone apply poker concepts in an easy to understand conversational style. Hansen really reviews why he does what he does, and even berates himself occasionally when he thinks he screws up.
   
   Will this book revolutionize poker? No, but it is "I can't put it down" material if you're a poker nut like me.
   
   It would make a great counterpart to reading
   1) Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 1: Strategic Play
   -- and either --
   2) Caro's Book of Poker Tells or Phil Hellmuth Presents Read 'Em and Reap: A Career FBI Agent's Guide to Decoding Poker Tells.
   
   A great book.



2. This is a great book. I learned alot from the three Harrington on Hold 'em tournament books, and I play ok, but I think this book suggests the next level of play. Hansen offers you information on making objective decisions with hands that I have always been confused on how to play, and he does it with math. Hansen also shows how he deals with the subjective perceptions of his oppents, and gives his opinion on hands where he considers losing the pot would not just cost him chips but also his momentum and his position as "table captain." Something I was considering while reading this book was how tough it would be to play against Hansen. Worth the money for sure.



3. In this book Gus basically talks about all the hands he played when he won the Aussie Millions. Gus tells us whats going through his mind during each hand and on every street upto the river. It's quite interesting to see how he thinks during a hand.



4. Gus has flopped quads with this one. After reading all the "how-to" books I could get my hands on I finally found a book that puts it all together. What a novel and fresh approach to tournament poker. In "Every Hand Revealed" I was able to better understand the concepts that so many authors have tried to teach me. To watch Gus play each hand, to see him push the winners, fold the losers, and not quit when the right play failed has really made me re-look my game. I do believe that had I read this book one month ago I would have finished higher that the top 15% of the Senior's tournament at the WSOP.



5. I've read more than 10 poker books written by world class pros n this is like the 12th or sth. It does cover each hand GUs played in the Aussie million, but then in terms of hand analysis is definitely not in-depth enough if you already have a solid backgroud about the game and are trying to refine that to the next level. His thought process is too simple, and explanation are not as in-depth as you might expect to get from a world-class player like him. i'm sure he thinks much more deeper than how he explained inside the book but then, just similar to his DVD, it's just too superficial, and i see no reason y he will even include simple stuff like preflop button steal with K7o against bunch of rocks, which is only like 3 lines of words in content.
   
   If you really wana know how a pro thinks during a critical hand or some tough decision, i'll recommand Dan Harrington's no limit hold'em tournament series, all 3 volumes, even that they're like my 8th poker book set. Dan's book include more in-depth and comprehensive thought process in gaining information, utilizing table image, handling scare cards, playing maniacs, and sometimes playing marginal hands in tough early position. Also, Barry Greenstein's Ace on the River will b a great choice too (although the hand analysis section is super short, every hands are definitely worth looking) but then sorry, not in Gus's book.