Friday 15 January 2010

Poker Book Reviews

Just click on the book title to go to the review page.

1. Gus Hansen Every Hand RevealedBuy It Now

Every Hand Revealed









2. Phil Gordon's Little Green Book Buy It Now
Phil Gordon's Little Green Book: Lessons and Teachings in No Limit Texas Hold'em

3. Harrington on Holdem Volume 1 - Buy It Now
Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 1: Strategic Play

4. Play Poker Like The Pros - Buy It Now
Play Poker Like the Pros

5. The Theory Of Poker By David Sklansky - Buy It Now
The Theory of Poker: A Professional Poker Player Teaches You How To Think Like One

6. Doyle Brunson's Super System - Buy It Now
Doyle Brunson's Super System: A Course in Power Poker, 3rd Edition

7. Ace on the River Barry GreensteinBuy It Now
Ace on the River: An Advanced Poker Guide

8. SnG Strategy Colin Moshman -  Buy It Now

Sit 'n Go Strategy

9.  The Poker Mindset - Buy It Now
The Poker Mindset: Essential Attitudes for Poker Success

The Theory of Poker - Book Review


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

The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky discusses theories and concepts applicable to nearly every variation of the game, including five-card draw (high), seven-card stud, hold ’em, lowball draw, and razz (seven-card lowball stud). This book introduces you to the Fundamental Theorem of Poker, its implications, and how it should affect your play. Other chapters discuss the value of deception, bluffing, raising, the slow-play, the value of position, psychology, heads-up play, game theory, implied odds, the free card, and semibluffing.

Many of today’s top poker players will tell you that this is the book that really made a difference in their play. That is, these are the ideas that separate the experts from the typical players. Those who read and study this book will literally leave behind those who don’t, and most serious players wear the covers off their copies. This is the best book ever written on poker.

David Sklansky is generally considered the number one authority on gambling in the world today. Besides his ten books on the subject, David also has produced two videos and numerous writings for various gaming publications. His occasional poker seminars always receive an enthusiastic reception, including those given at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City and the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

More recently, David has been doing consulting work for casinos, Internet gaming sites, and gaming device companies. He has recently invented several games, soon to appear in casinos.

David attributes his standing in the gambling community to three things:

1. The fact that he presents his ideas as simply as possible (sometimes with Mason Malmuth) even though these ideas frequently involve concepts that are deep, subtle, and not to be found elsewhere.
2. The fact that the things he says and writes can be counted on to be accurate.
3. The fact that to this day a large portion of his income is still derived from gambling (usually poker, but occasionally blackjack, sports betting, horses, video games, casino promotions, or casino tournaments).
Thus, those who depend on David’s advice know that he still depends on it himself.

Play Poker Like the Pro's Phil Hellmuth - Book Review


Play Poker Like the Pros

Hellmuth is to poker players what Tiger Woods is to golfers. A seven-time World Series of Poker winner, he knows his craft and has now decided to pass a little of his wisdom on to less-skilled players. As the introduction stresses, this is not a book to be perused casually; rather, you read it like a textbook, a training manual for effective poker playing, at both beginning and advanced levels.

As in Bellin's Poker Nation [BKL Mr 15 02], where the author explores the logic behind successful strategy, Hellmuth details card combinations and analyzes situations with the precision of a surgeon. And in both books the art of reading other players receives in-depth analysis. What's unique here is the breadth of coverage, focusing not only on traditional table play but also on online gaming, at which many high-end players now prosper.

An extensive glossary makes for entertaining reading on its own, as does the impressive listing of Hellmuth's top-50 wins. A must for any gaming collection.

Reviews:

"Play Poker Like the Pros is the best poker strategy book ever written. ("Amarillo Slim" Preston, Hall of Fame inductee and poker's greatest ambassador. )

"Phil Hellmuth gave me the best poker lesson I've ever received." (Matt Damon, actor and co-star in the movie Rounders )

"From the moment I first played poker with Phil I knew that I was witnessing something special." (Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson, Poker legend and eight-time World Champion of poker )

"Phil Hellmuth is the best poker tournament player that I have ever played against." (Johnny Chan, Seven-time World Champion of Poker )




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Doyle Brunsons Super System - Book Review


Doyle Brunson's Super System: A Course in Power Poker, 3rd Edition

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

Doyle 'Texas Dolly' Brunson, two-time world series champion, is considered the greatest no-limit hold'em player in the world and the acclaimed author of Super System, the best poker book ever written.


Ace On Th River Barry Greenstein -Book Review


Ace on the River: An Advanced Poker Guide 


Ace on the River is designed to improve the play of everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals. The unique play-by-play section will challenge readers to think beyond simple starting hands and make better decisions on other streets.

Ace on the River addresses elements of the game that are unfamiliar to many players. Included are chapters on the poker society, money management, family matters and even sex. This complilation of philosophies and real-table scenarios provides a rare chance to see the poker world through the eyes of someone who lives it.

Reviews:

"I seem to win whenever I read it." -- Ted Forrest, winning high-stakes player

"It's the necessary complement to instructional poker books." -- John Hennigan, winning high-stakes player

"Other players don't think about poker like Barry does." -- Phil Ivey, winning high-stakes player

"This book contains a lot of stuff I knew but had never seen written." -- Doyle Brunson, poker legend



Phil Gordon's Little Green Book - Book Review


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

Phil Gordon plays poker with the best players in the world. He has won -- and lost -- in tournaments and cash games around the globe, all the while studying the game and learning from every hand dealt. As the resident expert and cohost of Celebrity Poker Showdown, Phil has quickly become one of the most sought-after teachers of No Limit Texas Hold'em. It's a tough game. But anyone can become a winning player with the right amount of courage, patience, aggression, observation, and, perhaps most important, dedication to becoming a better player.

After fifteen years of keeping notes on the things he's learned, the greats he's played with, and the celebrities he's taught, Phil Gordon has poured every single thing he knows about No Limit Texas Hold'em into this little green book. Taking a page from Harvey Penick's bestselling book of golf wisdom, Phil plays the role of both teacher and student, offering up insightful tips on how to think about poker and how to develop a singular style of play. Through philosophy, psychology, strategy, math, and the knowledge gleaned from playing poker with everyone from T. J. Cloutier and Phil Ivey to Hank Azaria and Ben Affleck, Phil breaks down the game into enlightening instructional tidbits and illustrative anecdotes that inspire the kind of persistence and motivation necessary to improve your game.

A book to rank with Doyle Brunson's Super System and David Sklansky's The Theory of Poker, Phil Gordon's Little Green Book deserves a spot on the shelf of every serious student of the game.

Pro Views:

"In our minds, this book is an instant classic and a must-have for any serious student of the game. Everyone who reads it will come away a better player."-- Howard Lederer and Annie Duke

"Phil Gordon is one of poker's premier players and has few peers as a teacher of No Limit Hold'em. I would hate to have to compete with anyone who accesses the information in these pages."

-- Erik Seidel

"Poker: The Real Deal was the best introductory book ever, and this is the perfect 'graduation' book. It provides the key to leaving solid amateur play behind and embracing the first inklings of playing like a true pro. I now feel endowed with that intangible element of strength known as unbridled confidence."
-- James Woods

"Phil Gordon and his
Little Green Book made the difference between me losing money and winning money. It made me a winning player."
-- Hank Azaria

"If I cared about poker at all, this would be the book I'd buy."

-- David Foley


The Poker Mindset - Book Review


The Poker Mindset: Essential Attitudes for Poker Success

What "secret" separates top poker players from poker wannabes? Is it zen-like mind-reading skills, a computer-like brain or thousands of hours of play? No. It is a series of established approaches and behaviors that enables these experts to bring their "A" game to the table session after session, regardless of short-term results.

In this groundbreaking book, Taylor and Hilger lay bare the secrets of the Poker Mindset: seven core attitudes and concepts that ensure you have the optimal emotional, psychological, and behavioral framework for playing superior poker.

The Poker Mindset deeply explores vital topics that most poker books only touch upon:

- Tilt: What it really is, why and when you are most prone to it, and how you can avoid it.

- Bankroll: A complete examination of bankroll management from a technical, but more importantly, from a psychological and emotional viewpoint.

- Opponents: How to determine your competitors' mental and emotional processes so that you can dominate, out think and outplay them.

- Downswings: Every poker player experiences them, but you will truly understand and be armed against low ebbs when they occur.

- Bad Beats: The Poker Mindset will enable you to overcome the trauma of bad beats and losing big pots.


Poker is a fun game, but it is even more fun when you win. The Poker Mindset may be the most valuable poker book you will ever read. Embrace its concepts and you can overcome the unseen obstacles that are limiting your success at the table.

When you make the Poker Mindset your mindset, you will take control of your game and walk away a winner.

About Matthew Hilger

Matthew Hilger's interest in professional poker is three-fold: playing, writing, and managing poker content websites. His first two books, Internet Texas Hold'em and Texas Hold'em Odds and Probabilities, became best-selling poker books around the world.

Matthew received his bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Georgia in 1989. He completed a master's degree in Finance at Georgia State University in 1991 as well as a master's degree in International Business from Thunderbird in 1996. Prior to embarking on a poker career, Matthew worked in various accounting, finance, and consulting positions.

Matthew cashed eight times at the World Series of Poker between 2004 and 2006, including one final table and a 33rd place finish in the main event. He also won the 2002 New Zealand Poker Championship.



Harrington on Holden Vol.1 - Book Review


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

Poker has taken the world by storm, but it s not just any form of poker that has people across the world so excited it's No-Limit Hold Em the main event game. And now thanks to televised tournaments tens of thousands of new players are eager to claim their share of poker glory.

Harrington on Hold Em takes you to the part of the game the cameras ignore the tactics required to get through the hundreds and sometimes thousands of hands you must win to make it to the final table. Harrington s sophisticated and time-tested winning strategies, focusing on what it takes to survive the early and middle stages of a No-Limit Hold Em tournament, are appearing here for the first time in print. These are techniques that top players use again and again to get to make it to final tables around the globe.

Now, learn from one of the world s most successful No-Limit Hold Em players how to vary your style, optimize your betting patterns, analyze hands, respond to a re-raise, play to win the most money possible, react when a bad card hits and much, much more.

Dan Harrington won the gold bracelet and the World Champion title at the $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold Em Championship at the 1995 World Series of Poker. And he was the only player to make it to the final table in 2003 (field of 839) and 2004 (field of 2576) considered by cognoscenti to be the greatest accomplishment in WSOP history. In Harrington on Hold Em, Harrington and 2-time World Backgammon Champion Bill Robertie have written the definitive book on No-Limit Hold Em for players who want to win ... and win big.


About the Author

Dan Harrington began playing poker professionally in 1982. On the circuit he is known as Action Dan, an ironic reference to his solid but effective style. He has won several major no-limit hold em tournaments including the European Poker Championships (1995), the $2,500 No-Limit Hold em event at the 1995 World Series of Poker, and the Four Queens No-Limit Hold em Championship (1996).


Dan began his serious games-playing with chess, where he quickly became a master and one of the strongest players in the New England area. In 1972 he won the Massachusetts Chess Championship, ahead of most of the top players in the area. In 1976 he started playing backgammon, a game which he also quickly mastered. He was soon one of the top money players in the Boston area, and in 1981 he won the World Cup of backgammon in Washington D.C., ahead of a field that included most of the world s top players.
He first played in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold em Championship Event of the World Series of Poker in 1987. He has played in the championship a total of 15 times and has reached the final table in four of those tournaments, an amazing record. Besides winning the World Championship in 1995, he finished sixth in 1987, third in 2003, and fourth in 2004. In 2006 he finished second at the Doyle Brunson North American Championships at the Bellagio, while in 2007 he won the Legends of Poker tournament at the Bicycle Club.

He is widely recognized as one of the greatest and most respected no-limit hold em players, as well as a feared opponent in both no-limit and limit hold em side games. He lives in Santa Monica where he is a partner in Anchor Loans, a real estate business.

Bill Robertie has spent his life playing and writing about chess, backgammon, and now poker. He began playing chess as a boy, inspired by Bobby Fischer s feats on the international chess scene. While attending Harvard as an undergraduate, he became a chess master and helped the Harvard chess team win several intercollegiate titles. After graduation, he won a number of chess tournaments, including the United States Championship at speed chess in 1970. He also established a reputation at blindfold chess, giving exhibitions on as many as eight boards simultaneously.

In 1976 he switched from chess to backgammon, becoming one of the top players in the world. His major titles include the World Championship in Monte Carlo in 1983 and 1987, the Black & White Championship in Boston in 1979, the Las Vegas tournaments in 1980 and 2001, the Bahamas Pro-Am in 1993, and the Istanbul World Open in 1994.


He has written several well-regarded backgammon books, the most noted of which are Advanced Backgammon (1991), a two-volume collection of 400 problems, and Modern Backgammon (2002), a new look at the underlying theory of the game. He has also written a set of three books for the beginning player: Backgammon for Winners (1994), Backgammon for Serious Players (1995), and 501 Essential Backgammon Problems (1997).

From 1991 to 1998 he edited the magazine Inside Backgammon with Kent Goulding. He owns a publishing company, the Gammon Press, and lives in Arlington, Massachusetts with his wife Patrice.

Gus Hansen Book Review


Every Hand Revealed

One of professional poker's most intriguing and fascinating players, Gus Hansen has often been called "The Madman" for his crazy, fearless, aggressive style. But you can't dispute the fact that this poker superstar knows how to win--and win big. The holder of the inaugural Poker Superstars Invitational title as well as the only player to win three World Poker Tour tournaments, Gus won his fifth major international title when he became the 2007 Aussie Millions Champion, outlasting 747 players and nabbing $1.2 million. Now, for the first time ever, Gus analyzes the hands that he played during the tournament and reveals his secrets for winning in Every Hand Revealed. 

You'll learn:
  • An extensive, easy-to-follow analysis of the more than 300 hands he played during the Aussie Millions...
  • The radical, yet coolly logical, methods behind Gus's "madness" that have helped him to win consistently...
  • Each and every bluff, precise calculation, educated guess, and read of his opponents ...
  • How to call large bets with seemingly unplayable hands...
  • When to raise out of position with garbage holdings...
  • How the prize structure should influence your play...
  • And much more!
Offering unlimited access to one of the most successful, popular poker players out there, Every Hand Revealed will help you understand some of poker's most coveted secrets--and simply shows you the right way to play the game whether you're a beginner or a poker pro. Now with Gus Hansen by your side, you too can turbo-charge your game and watch it take off!

Superstar poker pro Gus Hansen has shaken up the poker world with his loose, aggressive style. Called "The Great Dane" as well as "The Madman," the five-time international title-holder transforms his hands with cool logic ...and flattens his opponents. Voted one of the world's sexiest men by People Magazine, Gus is an avid athlete, backgammon player, and poker commentator for both Danish and American T.V.

  • Paperback: 370 pages
  • Publisher: Citadel (May 1, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0818407271

Thursday 14 January 2010

Bodog

Bodog Poker is the poker room of the popular sportsbook, Bodog. Bodog is known for their large tournament overlays and soft games. In addition to our secret VIP promotion, you'll receive a 110% deposit bonus, monthly 100% redeposit bonuses, and Poker Points that you can redeem for cash.

Rakeback rate:
VIP
Network:
Independent
Licensed:
CanadaCanada

Promotions
  • Points to Cash
    Points to Cash
    Convert Bodog Poker Points to Cash at a rate of 100 points per dollar. Cash is issued as a bonus.
  • Deposit Bonus: 110% up to $550
    Deposit Bonus: 110% up to $550
    10% of the Bonus is available immediately. The remaining must be cleared by earning 10 Bodog Poker points per dollar of bonus within 30 days.
  • Reload Bouns: 100% up to $500
    Reload Bouns: 100% up to $500
    The bonus must be cleared by earning 10 Bodog Poker points per dollar of bonus within 30 days


     


Betfair Poker

Betfair Poker is a growing non-US room that offers players a strong rakeback rate and access to their popular betting exchange. Expect reasonably soft games because of their sports betting customer base. Betfair's software and service will exceed your expectations of a mid-size room.


Rakeback rate:
30% - 40%
Network:
Independent
Licensed:
MaltaMalta
Rake stat updates:
Daily, Monday through Friday
Payments:
Twice per month - first and third Thursdays
Bonuses:
Deducted from rake
Tournament fees:
Included in rakeback
Deposit fees:
Not Deducted
Minimum rake back:
$0
Rake calculation method:
Contributed
Notes:
0-30,000 Betfair Points = 30% Rakeback
30,000+ Betfair Points = 40%
Promotions
  • Deposit bonus: 100% up to $1,500
    Deposit bonus: 100% up to $1,500
    Released each Wednesday in increments of $10 for every 400 Betfair Points generated during the week. Expires in 60 days. 10 points are earned for every dollar raked.
  • Rake Rewards
    Rake Rewards
    Play poker. Get cool stuff. Prizes available for raking as little as $1,000, or save up for a new big screen TV!
  • Opt-in Bonuses in January
    Opt-in Bonuses in January
    Earn up to a $2,000 bonus in January. Visit Betfair\'s website to see your options and opt-in. No deposit necessary!
  • Betfair Points - Freerolls and Sportsbetting benefits
    Betfair Points - Freerolls and Sportsbetting benefits
    Betfair Points that you earn while playing can be used to lower your fees when sportsbetting on Betfair, or can be used to enter freerolls.

     

Poker Heaven


Poker Heaven is on the Boss Network. Poker Heaven is a promotion-rich site that focuses on attainable gadget-themed promotions.

Rakeback rate:
30%
Network:
Boss Media
Licensed:
MaltaMalta
Rake stat updates:
Daily, Monday - Friday
Payments:
Monthly by the 5th
Bonuses:
Not deducted
Tournament fees:
Included in rakeback
Deposit fees:
Not Deducted
Minimum rake back:
€30
Rake calculation method:
Contributed
Promotions
  • Rake Rewards
    Rake Rewards
    Play poker. Get cool stuff. Prizes available for raking as little as $1,000, or save up for a new big screen TV!
  • Deposit Bonus: 200% up to �1,000
    Deposit Bonus: 200% up to €1,000
    Clears at a rate of €5 per 150 FPPs earned. 60 days to clear. Bonus does not effect MGR or Rakeback.
  • Poker Heaven Point Store
    Poker Heaven Point Store
    Redeem your FPPs for iPods, TVs, or even entries into live tournaments.