The Poker Player Who Knew Too Much

by Matches Malone

I may have touched on this here, as well as elsewhere before, however my recent experience confirms that it is possible to have too much information. With an average of a new poker book coming outevery week, and literally millions of websites both selling and giving away the latest Texas Hold'em "Secrets", whom should we believe?

Much of the information out there conflicts with other information available elsewhere. Phil Hellmuth Jr. and Matt Matros have both admitted in various places that much of poker is a crap shoot. In fact, Phil goes so far as to contradict himself in the same book. Again, I ask, who should we believe?

Ultimately, I believe in myself. I wouldn't be sitting here, writing this to you, if I didn't. I also have several others that believe in what I write, otherwise again, you wouldn't be reading it. What I'm attempting to say here in my borderline psychotic way is simply this: Develop your own style. If what you come up with the first time doesn't work, try something else. Eventually, you'll find what works for you, and you'll become a winning player.

And then you might be, the poker player that knows too much....

Matches Malone has been writing for us for a couple years now, and if you'd like to contact him with your opposing views, he can be reached at Batman@azteca.net

Without A Net

by Matches Malone

It occurs to me that in my entire tournament career, I've only played in two tournaments without a rebuy, not counting freerolls. As opposed to three strikes and you're out in baseball, in an NLHE tourney, sometimes you only get one bad beat. The difference is striking. The wild west atmosphere of the rebuy period is gone, and
suddenly, you're confronted with an entirely different game, and playing style. All the chip stacks are the same, and most don't move all in during the first several levels, if at all.

I believe as David Grey does, that it's better to bust out early, than to spend a few hours making it close to the money, and then not to cash. Which is what I did last week. What this means is, I won't be playing for awhile, and as such, I may have to miss the WSOP again this year....

Matches Malone has been writing for us for a couple years now, and if you'd like to contact him with your opposing views, he can be reached at Batman@azteca.net

Poker Books I'd Rebuy After a House Fire

by jbharshaw

You've probably heard the old adage about what three books you would most want to have with you if you were on a deserted island after a shipwreck?

Well this is along the same vein except that when it comes to poker, there are simply too many good books out there to read on the subject, and I seriously doubt I could limit carrying only three books with me should I go on a long sea voyage.

So let's look at this as if I were just returning from a sea voyage, got out of the taxicab at what was supposed to be my home, and come to find out that it has burnt completely to the ground.

Believe me when I say that I thought about this for quite a bit. There are many good books out there, also many not so good, but I chose the ones that are the most valuable to me. These books aren’t the best for everyone. In fact I’m doing a much shorter list of books for beginners, but for the advanced player, this is a pretty good starting library (these books are not in a particular order).

Books I'd replace right away:

- The psychology of poker -Shoonmaker
- Harrington on Hold’em 1&2 -Harrinton
- Internet Texas Hold’em -Hilger
- Secrets of Texas Holdem - Krieger
- Phil’s little Green book -Phil Gordon
- Play like Chan -Chan
- 52 Tips For Texas Hold’em -Shulman
- Seven Stud the waiting Game -Percy
- Seven Card Stud Poker –Ohlmer
- Book of Tells –Caro
- The Gambler’s Guide to Taxes – Lewis
- Texas Hold’em Beginner to Winner 1&2 – Krieger
- Pot Limit & No Limit Poker –Ciaffonne

Books I would replace later:

- Everything by Sklansky
- SuperSystem2 - Brunson
- Play Poker Like the Pros - Helmuth
- Killer Poker –Vorhaus
- Championship NL & PL hold’em, -Cloutier & McEvoy.
- Everything Krieger except Online poker.
- The Everything Poker Book
- Beyond Tells - Mckeena (Haven’t finished this yet, Expect it to move up. Looks real good.)

Just as an aside, these are books I definitely would not replace:

- Online Poker – Brunson
- Winning Secrets of Online Poker –Frye
- Online Poker – Krieger

I have about a dozen instructional DVDs by assorted pros. I would not replace any of them.

For the beginners:

- The everything Poker book. (For absolute beginners)
- Seven Card Stud the waiting game
- Play like Chan
- Texas Hold’em Winner to Beginner
- Play like the Pro’s (Do not read past the chapter on pre flop play.)
- Internet Texas Hold’em winning strategies.

Would also add Helmuth’s first video, but again don’t watch the “after the flop” play.

The poker program I'd replace is - Poker Academy Pro 2 for a computer simulator.

Good Luck.

jb


Editor's note: jbharshaw has written articles with us for several years now, and you can read more about books he has reviewed in the 'Advanced books' section of his website - Best Poker Guide / Advanced Books

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