i'm afraid that if i read a book i'll try to change my game to the book. i have a buddy who read doyle brunsons old book, and he plays like the book, and he's really a shitty player. another guy read a book, and the tard will let people see his hands for free were in a 4/8 game and he has the nuts, and checks to show his set of 3's. I was like, what the hell? why would you show your hand for free??? make them pay, if they raise, you know your either beat, or he's trying to buy. Why the hell would you check in last position with the nuts
I've read a couple. Of course the Poker bible, Super System...and I'm currently reading more about Omaha High Low in Super System 2. I also enjoyed 'Killer Online Poker' by John Vorhaus. Explains a lot to those who are n00bs to the online world of throwing your cash away.
Forgot to add 'The Making Of A Poker Player: How An Ivy League Math Geek Learned To Play Championship Poker' by Matt Matros. Great fucking read with lots of insight.
Hold Em for advanced players by sklansky and malmuth
Little Green Book by Gordon
Play Hold Em Like the Pro's Hellmuth (did not like the book)...
and Inside The Poker Mind
I swear by the Little Green Book...awesome...plus Gordon is working on another book The Little Blue Book...
If you want a read about just some crazy shit...read the Professor The Banker and The Suicide King...some sick stakes they played for...
buckeye_in_sc wrote:
If you want a read about just some crazy shit...read the Professor The Banker and The Suicide King...some sick stakes they played for...
phil ivey and coorp beat the texab out of 10 million a month ago. he beat them out of 5mil, then came back and got his weiner crushed
Can someone do a Cliffs Notes on Super System? The paperback looks like something Zyclone would sit on while dining at Red Lobster but I've heard it can basically be condensed to "bet big pre-flop."
Of course, i tend to hear/see this from people pimping their own system.
Strictly for myself(not advice for others, but there's some advice in the non-advice) --
I couldn't give two poops how others think the game should be played.
Is Phil Ivy/Helmuth/insert pro's name here a better player than me?
Duh.
Do I think I'd become a better player by trying to emulate any of them?
Fuck no.
I'm not Phil Ivy -- I'm Dinsdale, oddly enough. And there's two places on earth where I'm going to be a loud, brash motherfucker -- on internet messageboards, and at the card table.
What works for me, works for me because I've spent the last 20+ years matching the way I play the game to my personal skillset.
And I think in order for someone to take the jump to the next level, they're going to have to do the same.
I don't think "my way" of doing things is the "right way" by any means, not at all -- but I do believe the reasons why I do those things is the ONLY way to achieve maximum success.
If that makes sense?
I think books are going to help in two areas -- A) Books are great tutorials on helping to recognize probablities in regards to hand( but never fall too deeply in love with the math...huge mistake(IMHO, OF COURSE).
B) It doesn't hurt to learn the general philosophy of other players as much as possible. While I may not give a crap how Doyle Brunson plays a certain hand, I am interested on his reasons for doing so...if that even makes sense.
And one of those books, can't remember which one, is pretty much some dude saying that he never commits to a hand half-ass. Once he decides to go, every single move is all about "building the pot." Doesn't want to win many hands, just do major freaking damage when he does. Can't argue with success(and anybody who's written a book on the subject has had more success than I), bu8t I believe there's a time to limp and wait for Lady Luck to hook you up...harder to read over the course of a game. All but the best "pot-builders" are prone to being torched big by the occasional limpers-imo.
Dinsdale wrote:A) Books are great tutorials on helping to recognize probablities in regards to hand( but never fall too deeply in love with the math...huge mistake(IMHO, OF COURSE).
.
I would like to respectfully disagree on this, especially in limit poker. Over the long haul limit poker is almost completely a mathematical game. If the math doesn't add up you will lose in similar situations in the long run. I'm not trying to say math is gospel, but if more players paid more attention to the math and less to the "feeling" they have at the time they would be more profitable. Rare indeed is the successful player who isn't fairly in love with the math. Of course this is my opinion and I do recognize there is more than one way to skin a cat, but 2+2 always equals 4.
Mook wrote:I would like to respectfully disagree on this
Actually, I don't think we really disagree. My words just didn't quite make my point, is all.
I did recommend learning the math/probablities. I guess the point I was trying to make(poorly) was...
Math is important, but isn't everything. A lot mote to it than that.
I guess I was kinda trying to say that when it comes down to it -- what works for Doyle Brunson isn't necessarily going to work for you.
What WILL work, is experience. You can read all of the books you want, watch as much poker on TV as you want (even though I still think Hold Em is just a glorified version of Gut)....but in the end, there's no substitute for experience. Years and years and years of experience. There are no shortcuts.
Dinsdale wrote:
What WILL work, is experience. You can read all of the books you want, watch as much poker on TV as you want (even though I still think Hold Em is just a glorified version of Gut)....but in the end, there's no substitute for experience. Years and years and years of experience. There are no shortcuts.
I think the only thing a book is good for is to give you some slight insight into how other players might think. But as mentioned, experience is the best teacher by a mile.
The Hellmuth book was horrible.
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."
- H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
