by

Gary Carson

Chapters

Entering the Public Cardroom

The play of the Game

The first Betting Round

The Flop

The last Two Cards

Some Overrated Concepts

These first chapters are pretty basic, the information you could find here you could find in any hold 'em book. It like most books lays the foundation of the game.  The final chapter in part one "Some Overrated Concepts" Gary gives his thoughts about slow playing, raising to get information, bluffing, raising to intimidate and calling too much. Most of what he says in those regards do apply to the micro limit games.

PART TWO: ADVANCED CONCEPTS

Chapters

Picking the Right Table

Picking a Seat

Theories of Poker

Betting Theory: The odds

A Theory of Starting Hand value

A Theory of Flop play: Counting Outs and Evaluating Draws

The Dynamics of Game condition

Table Image

Player Stereotypes

Women and Poker

Spread Limit Games

Double Bet on the End Games

Kill Games

Short-Handed Games

Tournaments

No-Limit and Pot-Limit

The first two chapters talk about picking the right table and seats, this book is wrote more so for a B&M game than an online game. But some of the fundamentals  still apply  such as going to a table that has more players worse than you not better. Its not a matter of being a good or bad player, its a matter of always playing with people that are worse than you to be a winner which does not define good or bad. Its little things like this that Gary says through out the book that make this book worth while. I'm going to be honest the chapter Theories of poker just lost me, I will be reading it again. The next chapters on Odds and starting hands are good. But what is really good is that Gary says that there is no magic starting hands and that everything just depends, which is talked about in the chapter Dynamics of Game condition. Table image chapter is basic along with the women and Poker. I didn't read Spread Limit, Double Bet on the end game or kill games as none of which I play or plan to play. The sections on Short-Handed, tournaments and No-Limit and Pot-Limit are good reads I only wish there was more info.

PART THREE: SPECIAL SITUATIONS

Chapters

Cheating

Playing for a living

Know yourself

PART FOUR: PLAYING SOME HANDS

Chapters

Playing a Draw

Playing a Pocket Pair

PART FIVE: CONTINUING EDUCATION

Chapters

Mathematics of Poker

Other Books on Hold 'Em

Poker and the Internet

Part three chapters are a nice read nothing mind blowing coming out of there. Part four Playing a Draw, Pocket pairs are both very good chapters. Part five section on mathematics and poker is mind blowing you must be an engineer to understand this. Then Gary gives his reviews on some books and thoughts on internet play which is a short chapter.

To conclude did I like this book, yes. Is it revolutionary???? No. Will it improve your game? Without a doubt. How? This book has nuggets of gold in it but you have to look for it, they are there. But the biggest thing it did for me was change my view on the game. There is no perfect starting hand, there is no perfect way to play a hand every time. Sometimes you limp pocket A's some times you raise. Its about knowing the dynamics of what is going on at that table at that particular time and to see when it changes. That's why this book is worth having, it took my blinders off to see that you need a wealth of understanding the game from many perspectives to be successful routinely at all types of players. Its not knowing the secret play style of a champion, its knowing many play styles and being able to apply the right one at the right time. Its being able to understand your opponents and their play styles and their inability to change when needed to win. That's what I got from this book, that's why I'm giving it 8 out of 10 stars. Thanks goes out to Iggy for recommending the book.