Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #430184 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 275 pages

Synopsis
This book divulges the real strategies used by professional poker players to consistently win major (and minor) no-limit hold 'em tournaments. With poker tournaments televised on more than a dozen television networks and internet poker sweeping the nation, the popularity of the game is at an all-time high. Everyone thinks they have a shot, as evidenced by the 5,600+ player field in the $10,000 main event at the 2005 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. If these weekend warriors hope to win, they'd better know the same strategies that the pros use. Authors Blair Rodman and Lee Nelson, both poker professionals, spill the beans about the strategies they (and most of the big-name poker players) use to keep scooping the pots.

Customer Reviews

Missing charts
This book is written specifically for No Limit Hold 'em Tornaments, and the concepts cannot be used in a ring game. It is mainly for beginners and levels the playing field against professionals. This book in my opinion is very good, however people expecting it to rival Theory of Poker will be disappointed. Also the book is not complete without the kill phil charts, which may have to be purchased seperately, those expecting the charts to come with the book will inevitabily be disappointed. Please amazon.co.uk will you please make the charts availble in the UK...

Don't believe the hype.
Despite the many positive reviews on the Amazon US site, I was very, very disappointed with this book. I paid £7.30 (plus postage) for this book, and it was too much. When I read a poker book, I'm looking for something that can add to (or possibly totally change) my game, and this book just doesn't really have that much for me.

The basic strategy of this book is 'Move all-in or fold at all times,' which might win a few pots when you do it the first couple of times, but eventually you will get called, probably by a better hand. This strategy supposedly neutralises the advantage that skilled players have over you, but why are you playing with people who are much better than you in the first place? Improve your game and your game selection, rather than resorting to a crude system which means that you don't have to think. I don't think there is more than one hand example in the whole book that involves post-flop play.

That brings me to the central problem with this book; it's target audience is practically non-existent. How many people do you know who are entering (and aiming to win) big poker tournaments that are terrible at the game?

Beginners should buy Harrington On Hold 'em to give themselves a good grounding and learn to think like a poker player.
Intermediate players who don't often make money should also get HOH, as - applied properly - it should turn a fairly good profit.
Players who are already making money are unlikely to find anything of use here, as the system it promotes negates any advantage they might currently be getting from astute post-flop play!

So why 2 stars and not 1? Because Kill Phil promotes playing more aggressively as the blinds go up, and aggressive play in general, which is highly preferable to passive play, and the right sort of idea. It also has some interesting charts at the back of the book.

All in all, this is a book you might flick through if you found it in a library, but not one you would want to buy with so many better books on the market (and certainly not for £21, the current asking price!).

Basic but effective
Basicly its push/fold poker,there by taking away another players ability to use fold equity against you.Dont be fooled though this is more likely to get you busted from a tournie as winning it.It basicly removes the skill element from the game and turns it into a full on gamble.