The history of Poker is thought to have evolved over more than ten centuries from various games, all involving the basic principals of ranked card or domino combinations and the use of ‘bluffing’ to deceive opponents.
One popular belief is that a game similar to poker was first invented by the Chinese  sometime before 969 A.D, when The Emperor Mu-tsung is reported to have played "domino cards" with his wife on new years eve.
Egyptians in the 12th & 13th centuries are known to have used a form of playing cards, and in 16th century Persia “Ganjifa” or “Treasure Cards” were used for a variety of betting games. A Ganjifa deck consisted of 96 elaborate cards, often made of paper thin slices of ivory or precious wood. The Persians played “As Nas” which utilized 25 cards, rounds of betting and hierarchical hand rankings.
A French game named “Poque” and a German game named “Pochen” became very popular in the 17 & 18th centuries, both developed from the 16th century Spanish game called “Primero” which involved three cards being dealt to each player. Bluffing, or betting high stakes whilst holding poor cards to deceive opponents, was an integral part of the game. Primero dates back to 1526 and is often referred to as “poker’s mother” as it is the first confirmed version of a game directly related to modern day poker.
French colonials imported the game to the new world when they arrived in Canada. Their beloved poque was the national card game of France and from the beginning of the 18th century, when a hardy group of French-Canadian settlers founded New Orleans, it spread from the state of Louisiana up the Mississippi river and then throughout the whole country.
In 1834, Jonathan H. Green made one of the earliest written references to poker when in his writing he mentions rules to the "cheating game," being played on Mississippi riverboats. The Cheating Game" quickly began to supplant the popular cardsharp game of 3-card monte on the gambling circuit. Gamers embraced the new game as it was perceived as a more challenging and 'honest' gamble than the notoriously rigged 3-card game. Green took more than a passing interest in the new game and took it upon himself to formally name and document the 'Cheating Game' in his book 'An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling': Poker was born.
During the Wild West period of United States history, a saloon with a Poker table could be found in just about every town from coast to coast. It was extremely popular during the Civil War when the soldiers of both armies played. European influence of poker ended when the joker was introduced as a wild card in 1875.
In just over two centuries, poker has never looked back. Since its humble beginning on the banks of the Mississippi, the popularity of this widely played game has grown in leaps and bounds to evolve numerous variations and sub-variations.
There have been three games that have, in turn, dominated the modern poker scene:
Other variations such as Omaha, Stud Poker, Manila, Draw Poker and Razz are also popular, but nothing can compete with the thrill of No Limit Texas Hold’em.
No Limit Texas Hold’em played at The World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour have been captivating American television audiences to the point that there are now made for TV events such as the National Heads Up Poker Championship and the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions being filmed especially for TV and shown in prime time.
Poker looks like it is here to stay and its popularity has never been as widespread nor as quickly growing as it is right now. With the wealth of poker information available online, and the relative ease of logging on and playing with other poker players from around the world, including the ever-growing online poker community in the United Kingdom, there is no time like the present to join the poker craze. Play online poker now by clicking through to our list of the best poker rooms.

   
          Since in most poker games the dealer has a positional advantage, the first dealer is chosen at random. Traditionally, one of the players deals cards face up one at a time from a shuffled deck and the dealer is the first player who receives a Jack. Since this method slightly favours those who receive their cards first, players may prefer to deal just one card each and the highest deals. If two players receive equal highest cards, suits rank in the order spades (high), hearts, diamonds, clubs (low) (but note that this suit order is not used to break ties between hands in the showdown).
Before each deal, some or all players must place an initial stake in the pot as agreed. The simplest arrangement is that each player puts in an equal amount, known as the ante.
The dealer then shuffles the cards thoroughly and offers them to the player to the right to cut. If this player declines to cut, any other player may cut. When the cards are cut, each portion of the pack must contain at least five cards.
Note: The position of the dealer is often marked by a token called the dealer button which is passed to the left after each hand. In a formal game, for example in a casino or tournament, the house will normally provide a professional dealer who does not play, but shuffles and deals every hand on behalf of the player with the dealer button. In this case, often there is no cut. The dealer also looks after the pot and the discards, and generally makes sure that the game proceeds smoothly and the rules are observed. When poker is played on line, the virtual cards are of course shuffled and dealt by the server computer. In what follows, "dealer" means the player who currently has the dealer button, irrespective of who actually deals the cards.
The cards are dealt as required by the rules of the particular variant being played. In formal games, each stage of the deal is normally begun by burning a card - that is, dealing the top card of the pack face down - before dealing cards to the players or the table. In casinos the dealer slides the burned cards under the pile of chips that constitutes the pot.
At various points during or after the deal there will be a betting round. The details of when these betting rounds occur depend on the variant being played, but the principles are always the same. During the betting round all dealing, exchange of cards, etc. is suspended, and the players have an opportunity to increase their bets.
In most variants the first betting round is begun by the player to the left of the dealer if all the players have placed an equal ante in the pot. If only some of the players have put chips in the pot - for example in a game played with blinds - then the round is begun by the player to the left of the player(s) who have already put in a stake. The second and subsequent betting rounds may, according to the variant, be begun by the nearest active player to the left of the dealer seat, or by a player determined by the action in the previous betting round. In variants where some cards are dealt face up, each betting round may begin with the player who has the best (or worst) hand showing.
The players act in clockwise order around the table, continuing for as many circuits as are necessary, missing any players who have dropped out, until all active players have had a turn and the stakes of all the active players are equal.
If no one has bet so far in the current betting round, and the value of chips contributed by all active players is equal, you have two options at your turn:
If you have fewer chips in the pot than some other player, either because there has been a bet in the current betting round, or in the first round when some of the players placed blinds, you have three options:
The betting round ends when either all the active players check, or all the other active players call the last bet or raise, or there is only one active player remaining.

• If only one active player remains, this player immediately wins the pot, and does not have to show his or her cards (except in a few variants that have a minimum hand requirement to win the pot). The deal is over, the cards are collected, and if the session is to continue the players ante for a new deal.
• If more than one active player remains the game continues to the next stage - a continuation of the deal, an opportunity to exchange cards, or a showdown, according to the variant.

It is of course necessary to know which hands beat which. A poker hand always consists of five cards. Even though in some variants you may have more than five cards to choose from, you select the five cards that make the best hand, and for the purpose of comparing hands any other cards are irrelevant.
The ranking of hands from high to low in standard poker is as follows.
Any hand of a higher type beats any hand of a lower type. When comparing two hands of the same type, the ranking is determined by the ranks of the individual cards. The most numerous rank of cards in each hand (the quad, the triplet in a full house or trips, otherwise the pair if any) is compared first; if these are equal, any less numerous ranks are compared. When two ranks are equally numerous, the highest-ranking cards are compared before the others.
Note that in standard poker the four suits are all equal, and that poker hands consist of five cards only. Therefore if two players can make five-card hands that are equal apart from the suits of the cards, there is a tie and if necessary they share the winnings equally.
Examples:

• 4-4-4-7-7 beats 2-2-2-K-K because 4 is higher than 2, and 4-4-4-3-2 beats 2-2-2-A-K for the same reason.
• 5-5-5-9-9 beats 5-5-5-6-6 (these two hands could appear together in a game with shared cards or wild cards).
• K-K-2-2-A beats 7-7-3-3-Q, because the higher-ranking pairs are compared first and kings beat 7's.
• 7-7-3-3-Q beats 7-7-2-2-A because the higher-ranking pairs are equal, and the 3's beat the 2's.
• A-K-8-3-2 beats A-K-7-6-5, because 8 is higher than 7, the highest two cards in each hand being equal.
• 6-5-4-3-2 beats 5-4-3-2-A, because the ace must be low to make the straight.

The hand ranking above applies to standard poker. There are modifications to this in certain types of poker variant, for example:

• games with wild cards - cards that can be used to represent a card of any suit or rank;
• low poker or lowball games, in which the lowest ranking hand wins - also in the low component of high-low games in which the highest and lowest hands share the pot;
• games with stripped decks - decks of less than 52 cards obtained by removing the lowest card.

Veteran Card Player columnist and poker book author Bob Ciaffone's Improve Your Poker is aimed at helping players not only improve their game but out think and excel against tough competition. In the introduction to his 220-page "no fluff" book, Ciaffone suggests that "If you want to become a top poker player, better get your assistance from somebody who already is where you are trying to go." There's no doubt that Ciaffone has "been there, done that" as a successful professional player, and is highly respected as a poker coach by many of the game's top practitioners. Improve Your Poker records the cumulative wisdom of "The Coach" (as Ciaffone is appropriately nicknamed), who has been playing poker for 25 years in cardrooms and backrooms from Las Vegas to Dallas to Katmandu. The 10 chapters in Improve Your Poker are a combination of Ciaffone's earlier writings, customized and adapted for this book, and new material written especially for those players who seriously wish to improve their poker skills. Hold'em, Omaha, seven-card stud, and Omaha high-low are analyzed in four chapters devoted to specific strategies for each game. Other sections discuss in depth such topics as reading opponents, deception, bluffing, and tournaments (Ciaffone placed third in the championship event at the World Series of Poker in 1987 and has several other tournament notches on his belt). In his opening chapter, "General Concepts," The Coach guides you through several strategic concepts that you must master to become a top player. His advice is solid and practical. For example, he suggests that you "integrate your game ... to make it internally consistent. Many poker players seem to use betting strategies that don't blend smoothly with each other. ... Every strategy in late-round betting should be keyed to your style of play in early betting. By integrating your game properly, you can maximize your poker profits." Ciaffone then goes on to show you exactly how to perfect your betting style. Of special interest to players who want to move up in the ranks is his chapter titled "Big Bet Poker," an important discussion of concepts and strategies for pot-limit and no-limit poker games. Big-bet poker differs in character from limit-bet poker in that it has an "intensified emphasis on skills such as exploitation of position, bold play, and accurately reading the opponent." Because he believes that skilled players have such an overlay in big-bet poker, Ciaffone wonders why more of them don't forsake limit games in favor of pot-limit or no-limit play, where skill apparently is far more important than luck. Luckily, Ciaffone puts his money where his mouth is by writing several significant segments on winning big-bet strategies. For example in drawing important differences between hand evaluation in limit and no-limit hold'em play, Ciaffone remarks, "Flopping top pair is a worthy goal at limit play. At no-limit play, when there is a lot of money on the table in proportion to the blinds, top pair can often cost you more than you can win with it." He goes on to explain that, "If big money goes into the pot, the only thing your top pair can beat is a draw. The goal in no-limit is to build a hand that can double up your whole stack." With so many limit hold'em players currently taking the plunge into no-limit hold'em, which is becoming more and more popular as a tournament staple, The Coach's advice on no-limit play is especially timely and useful. "Ciaffone has a reputation for putting into print valuable poker information that should be classified as top secret," Dan Harrington, the 1995 World Champion, said "and he really outdid himself this time." After reading my first review of Improve Your Poker when the book was published two years ago, several top-notch players have thanked me for recommending it to them, so I believe that you can take Harrington's endorsement to heart. And if you take Ciaffone's well-written, professional advice to heart, you undoubtedly will improve your game -- and your bottom line results along with it.

I wrote this book to amuse you, inform you, inspire you, and enlighten you.
First, I played a lifetime of poker. Then I taught poker for a few years, which caused an accumulation of curriculum. Then I fleshed out the parts of my teaching that I thought would be the most helpful to the most players most often, punctuated it with winks and smiles, and put a binding on it.
I wrote this book for everyone who plays poker, or knows anyone who plays poker, or even knows how to spell poker. I wrote it for anyone who wants a better A-game, and a better C-game. I tried to make "Elements of Poker" a book that will speak to every player, if not today, then maybe tomorrow.
                                                                                    - Tommy Angelo
                                                                                        
It seems as if everybody plays poker these days. Not only is everyone playing, but a lot of those players play very well. This is not by chance, but through lots of practice and homework. Online poker is allowing players to accumulate years of experience in a fraction of the time. Poker school sites are available for lessons from peers, instructors and poker professionals. New books are released every day, most of them penned by the sharpest minds and biggest names in the poker business.
Enter Tommy Angelo. Former drummer, turned poker pro, turned poker instructor. A childhood of poker and bridge experience enticed Angelo to abandon a nearly decade long music career in favor of the life of a poker player. He would slide in and out of the dealers chair during rough spots on the poker road, but five nights of poker a week was, more often than not, enough to live comfortably on. In 1999, Angelo started to put his poker experiences on paper. It wasn't long before other players were coming to Angelo with theirs. In 2004, Angelo turned his hobby into a business and  tiltless.com was born. He is now the personal coach of more than 50 players of all skill levels, from rookies to seasoned pros.
Angelo's book, "Elements of Poker" (EOP), is a culmination of years of poker lessons, 144 lessons to be exact. From bankroll to slowroll, suitedness to wellness, Angelo covers it all.
What separates EOP from other poker books on the market is that this book has some personality. Angelo displays a sharp sense of humor without distracting the reader from the lesson at hand. His 'Tommyisms' are a throw-back to Yogi Berra.

• Walking away is easy. The hard part is standing up.
• My past is a fun place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live in it.
• When I keep missing and they keep hitting, I get very flushstraighted.

It is evident that years of grinding have given Angelo a grounded perspective. Many lessons appear to spawn from long battles with tilt. A lot of EOP is focused on tightening up poor play and avoiding tilt, not so much sharpening your winning game. With this in mind, Angelo seems to work at molding and shaping a complete poker player, rather than improving one's decision making in specific hands and tournaments. In EOP, you won't find the detailed hand situations that fill the pages of other poker books. What you find is instructions on a healthy poker lifestyle, like how to breathe and sit at the table, or how to display and receive respect on the felt. Angelo is definitely aiming this book at those players with humble expectations and a sense of humor.
The underlying concept of EOP is reciprocity. Webster's defines reciprocity as something "interchanged, given, or owed to each other." In Angelo's included glossary, he describes reciprocity as "the cause of profit in poker."
"Reciprocity says that when you and your opponents do the same thing in a given situation, no money moves, and when you do something different, it does," said Angelo. Over time, you and your opponents will see every hand in every position. When you and your opponent each picked up AA UTG, who scooped a bigger pot? When each of you had those same aces cracked from the button, whose stack took the bigger hit?
According to Angelo, a person is capable of three types of play; A-game, B-game and C-game. Players are on their A-game when they're playing and feeling well, displaying their C-game when they feel they're playing poorly and playing a B-game when you're anywhere in between. There are countless poker books out there aiming to improve your A-game. Angelo attributes large portions of EOP on how to cut down your losses by improving your C-game, focusing on the fact that losing less should be as important as winning more.
"Whenever you lop off some C-game, you increase the percentage of time you spend playing your A-game," says Angelo. "This means that the work put into your A-game will pay a higher return by being put into play more often."
Many of Angelo's lessons aim to eliminate tilt. "If no one is tiltless then everyone can tilt less," says Angelo. Tilt can turn an A-game into a C-game instantly. Finding ways to avoid tilting is an easy way to "lop off" some of that C-game. Angelo outlines ways to sharpen your tiltlessness, both at the table and away from the table.
Whether you're looking for tips on ways to sit, when to speak, or how to breathe, Angelo has you covered. While reading EOP you often find yourself examining lessons you may think you already know, yet Angelo finds ways to not only make it an enjoyable, easy read, but also shed further light on topics you thought you understood thoroughly.

Have you ever wished you could spend a few hours with a professional player and pick their brain? Ask them what it's really like…what it takes to be a pro? If you don't think any WSOP bracelet winners are going to be ringing your doorbell in the near future, you might consider buying Barry Greenstein's new book, "Ace on the River: An Advanced Guide."
This is unlike any poker book I've read. It is part tour guide, part survival guide and part playing guide. It offers a rare and candid view into the world of poker; not the world painted by television fluff pieces and glossy poker celeb magazines. As discussed by one of the revered players in the game, this is the real world of poker; fascinating, challenging, sometimes stark, and potentially rewarding.
The book is broken down into three basic sections and each section is comprised of easy to digest chapters. In the first section Greenstein introduces us to the poker world through his eyes and his story. Perhaps the most impressive attribute of the book is exemplified in this section. It is amazingly objective. As Greenstein's poker life unfolds, victories and wins aren't celebrated nor are losses dismissed. Both are analyzed in an effort to understand the underlying reason for a result. One example is Greenstein's analysis of his success during his first trip to Gardena as a young man. He recognized that his opponents were, for the most part, people that put in a full day of work before they hit the felt. Barry concluded his edge was not better skill, but was his ability to rest and prepare to play against the weary 9-to-5ers. Likewise, Greenstein candidly critiques his losses. His pulls no punches; even to the point of revealing the loss of $1.5 million to Ted Forrest over the period of a month and a half.
The second section discusses the philosophy of poker, emphasizing the psychological requirements for playing professionally. Here you will find a myriad of essays on both the attributes of successful players as well as the hazards of the lifestyle. Again, this is a candid discussion of intriguing and important topics such as prioritizing family, the well known (but seldom covered) sports betting leak, drug use, cheating, integrity, and money management. And yes, there is a frank chapter on poker and sexuality. But I'll let you discover that one on your own. Overall, the material in this section will cause any player to reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses and assess, not whether they have the skill to play this game, but rather, whether they have the character to navigate the terrain.
The last section deals with topics of advanced play. This section has some nice discussion pieces on game theory, mathematics and chaos theory. It has a chapter dealing with overall tournament strategy, with a companion chapter discussing specific no-limit tournament hands. It also has a lengthy and insightful chapter on playing strategy which bases its discussion on hand examples. On the practical side, you'll find chapters extolling advice about bankroll management, assessing different limits and buy-ins, and internet poker.
If I had any criticism of the book, I would have to admit that it was a little uneven in places. There were some topics I wished were a little more developed and a few that got a little more space than I thought they deserved. But this is often the case with self-published works. A stronger publishing/editing team might have smoothed out some of the rough edges. But admittedly they might also have cut out some of the topics and discussions I enjoyed most. So in the end, I felt this was a small price to pay for the candor, honesty, and insight from, arguably, one of the best minds in poker.
Many aspiring pros have invested time and money trying to improve their games. And while I believe that this book is helpful on that front, it goes beyond that. It will prepare players in ways they haven't yet realized are important to their success. I have often said that most dreams are realized with our eyes closed and when sweet sleep is upon us. But the poker dream can only be realized with our eyes wide open. And this book is an eye opener.

Poker superstar Phil Gordon follows up his popular "Little Green Book" with this work, "Phil Gordon's Little Blue Book, More Lessons and Hand Analysis in No Limit Texas Hold'em." The true strength of this book is in its excellent presentation. Gordon's approachable and likable personality shines through with each written word. While some poker books drag on with boring, lifeless lectures, Gordon's book is as entertaining to read as any well written drama. Essentially you are along for the ride as Phil leads you through each moment of 70 plus individual hands from heralded tournaments to forgotten charity events.
Phil gives us full access to his thinking with each card, each tell, and each action. Unlike other poker books, the reader is given the complete and clear picture of the hand in question including the position, game, level, bet increments, blinds, chip stacks of opponents, the circumstances leading up to the hand, etc. Far too many poker books leave the reader questioning the build up to the hands or instructions they expose. Gordon is sure to answer all of those questions before they arise.
With the intricacies and deeper-level poker thinking that Phil details in this work, I doubt that a complete novice could process the information. Instead, more studied amateurs, intermediate players, and even advanced players would be more likely to benefit from delving into these pages.
An example excerpt shows how Phil's writing seems to speak directly to the reader, making it as if he's simply sitting in your living room telling you about his game.
[With Gordon holding 10-7 off suit in Big Blind, he checks for a free flop with one opponent, an early position limper. The flop is 9-8-6 rainbow.]
Phil writes,
"Hi-ya! I resist the overwhelming urge to karate chop the table, and I start to think what to do next. Check my straight and hope for some action, or bet out and hope for a raise? What would you do? While the desire to slowplay is strong, I think it's a mistake here. What kinds of hand is my opponent likely to be holding? A tight intermediate-skilled player who limps under the gun generally has a very big hand - aces, kings, or possibly ace-king - and is hoping to re-raise a late position raiser. Or he has a hand like a middle pocket pair or medium suited connector and is hoping to see a cheap flop. In either case I'm certain to have the best hand and want to put him in a position to make the biggest possible mistake: I want him to raise with an overpair or a set. Betting seems clear. How much would you bet? I want to make this painful on him ...." pgs.204-205
The readability of the book makes it a great pick-up, but it also makes it susceptible to being passively read. A reader can leaf through this text with the mind on auto-pilot, enjoying the fine writing and compelling stories with each hand. In doing that, though, the poker player misses the wealth of valuable poker insights that are capsulated with each play and each ploy. The Little Blue Book is a hybrid: an entertaining book and an informational work. With that in mind, this work should be studied and enjoyed.
All poker players would love to have the chance to sit down with a poker superstar to pick his brain about the great game of poker. Essentially, this book provides that chance. In the Blue Book, Phil gives us the play-by-play thinking and actions that drove these real-life poker encounters. This latest book from Gordon is sure to be a winner which helps to produce winners at the tables. It gets away from the boring preachy style of many other poker books to give us the true picture of top-level poker action.

One of the things I try to do when reviewing books is to judge the book according to what the book tries to be, not what I think the book should be. Championship Hold'em is trying to be a lot. It presents itself as a book aimed at all hold'em players: novices and professionals alike. That's a pretty big target. When writing a book, the big targets are much harder to hit than the small ones.
They've come very close to hitting that target. A wide range of players will find the book interesting. It's not a book for a rank beginner. It doesn't include descriptions of the betting rounds or a table that tells you a flush beats a straight. If you have no experience at the game you're better off starting with a book like Poker - Hold'em: Book One, by Andy Nelson, or The Winner's Guide to Texas Hold'em by Ken Warren, or Winning Low-Limit Hold'em by Lee Jones, or even my Complete Book of Hold'em Poker. But, if you have any experience at all in the game, enough to know the difference between the flop and the turn, then Championship Hold'Em aims at you and hits its mark pretty well.
 The structure of the book is unusual. In some ways it's an editor's book. It has some chapters written by T.J. Cloutier, some written by Tom McEvoy, and most of the book consists of transcripts of conversations between Cloutier and McEvoy. That's not a typical book format; but it works well in this book.
The first chapter, by Cloutier, sets the tone with a list of 18 "Key concepts for Winning at Limit Hold'em." The traditional list of this sort might contain items like Hand Selection, or Check Raising. Not T.J.'s list. He has items in his list like Watch Your Opponents and Remember that Kickers are Important. He doesn't give you a set of rigid rules -- he gives you guidelines for thinking. Although the book does go into technical details about hand selection, when to raise, and other topics, this first chapter sets the tone of the general approach -- this book is about thinking during the game.
 That's where the conversation-transcript format fits in so well. You're immediately exposed to the thoughts of the two authors. They aren't giving you advice. They're discussing their thoughts between themselves and you're listening in. I think this is a powerful instructional tool.
 Because of the conversational nature of the presentation you'll see some statements that are a little hyperbolic -- exaggerated for effect. An example is in the excerpt where T. J. says, "I would rather play [low connectors] unsuited ... because ... if the flop comes in your suit there's a good chance your drawing dead to the flush." I doubt if T. J. literally means that he'd rather have an unsuited 76 than a suited 76. Within the context of the conversation it's clear that he's simply using hyperbole to say that in the ramming-jamming type games, some hands, mid-sized suited connectors in particular, are dangerous hands that should often be avoided.
Avoiding danger, or staying out of trouble is a theme throughout this book. It probably stems from their experience in tournament play and nolimit games. In those structures the idea of staying out if trouble is a lot more important than in a typical limit game. If I have any criticism of the book it's probably that I think they overemphasize the idea of avoiding trouble. But, if you're going to make mistakes, that's a mistake that is often not a mistake.
 The book has coverage of a lot of topics often avoided in poker books. They discuss kill-pot games, jackpot games, and the difference between raked and time collection games. As you might expect from these writers they have an extensive chapter on limit hold'em tournaments. The only hold'em book that includes both cash game and tournament tactics, Championship Hold'em also contains 20 sample hands that illustrate how you might play them in tournaments in contrast to cash games. I highly recommend Championship Hold'Em as a second book for any hold'em player or as a first book for any experienced hold'em player.

Had Enron executives heeded the advice in The Poker MBA: Winning in Business No Matter What Cards You're Dealt, who knows how much trouble they might have saved themselves. Instead, they ran a billion dollar bluff against their own employees and stockholders, then got check-raised with congressional hearings and threats of imprisonment. Thanks to incessant greed and stupidity, now they're drawing dead. Bad beat stories are now being told all over Houston.
The rules that apply to boardrooms and poker tables are pretty much the same. In fact, business and investing are entwined with gambling metaphors. Well-defined goals, strategic considerations, negotiating skills, and the ability to balance risk versus reward are vital talents that every professional poker player and business executive must have in order to succeed. Now, there is finally a book on the subject.
Greg Dinkin and Jeffrey Gitomer have teamed up to create The Poker MBA: Winning in Business No Matter What Cards You're Dealt. The original title of their book was to be, "Everything I Know About Business I Learned at Harvard Business School" -- with Harvard Business School boldly scratched out, and "the Poker Table" willfully inserted. Very catchy. Whatever the title, the authors' message to readers is abundantly clear -- that poker and business are invariably linked, as closely connected as chess and war.
Both authors should know. Greg Dinkin once worked as a prop player at the Bicycle Club and still plays poker part-time for a percentage of his income. He is a successful writer, having written "The Finance Doctor," and works as a literary agent now based in Los Angeles. In fact, he has just accepted an executive position with the soon-to-be televised World Poker Tour. Co-author Jeffrey Gitomer has played poker for over 40 years. He is a writer and speaker whose expertise on sales, customer loyalty, and personal development is world-renowned. Gitomer is a popular speaker and consultant to large companies including Coca-Cola, AT&T, Sony, and Federal Express. The writers called upon their collective talents and used an impressive string of personal contacts to garner interviews with top business leaders, including several corporate CEOs.
Throughout the book there are numerous stories of successes and failure -- both in business and poker -- including stories from Warren Buffet to Doyle Brunson, business leaders and poker champions wantonly preaching the gospel of high finance. After a few chapters, it becomes obvious how lessons learned at the poker table help in managing business and personal finance. The Poker MBA will be particularly helpful to those just starting out in business, as special attention is given to small businesses and how they might grow and proper. Not surprisingly, many of the same principles that apply to small business also apply to novice poker players who aspire to become professionals.
This is groundbreaking territory that's being covered here. Let's face it -- most poker books do not appeal to non-players. Dinkin and Gitomer have authored an indispensable crossover work which melds the two complex worlds into one, without ever sounding contrived or pretentious. With chapters on strategy, image, managing a bankroll, building partnerships, and other key topics, the authors cover all the bases of what one might encounter in a public cardroom, or launching a business. Those lessons prove to be invaluable as the same fundamental tenants of dedication and trust extend far beyond just the formative years -- onward to giant corporations and those who eventually make it big in the game of poker. Perhaps those who have made it to the top need an occasional reminder of the basics. Again -- just ask Enron or Arthur Andersen.
The book's best passages entail business anecdotes that prove a point about poker which, by contrast, demonstrates how a poker situation mirrors an important investment opportunity. In one interview, former world poker champion turned casino executive Bobby Baldwin says: "I've always used poker to make decisions about my professional and personal life. Every day, I rely on my poker acumen in one way or another."
One thing The Poker MBA is not; this book is not a guide on how to play poker. But it will certainly teach you how to manage the money you win at the poker table (or earn elsewhere) more wisely and allow you to make wiser financial decisions your life -- which is probably more important than any standard poker book. After all, how many poker players are winners at the table, but not nearly as successful in life because they can't manage their own state of affairs? Sadly the answer is -- far too many. This book is the answer for them and all us -- a sure-fire recipe for the accumulation of knowledge and wealth in a challenging world where everyone else is striving to get rich. This book is certain to give new insights into business planning and help to achieve long-term financial goals. In fact, every professional poker player should probably read this book -- as they could be missing some important advice that is written for poker players, by poker players who understand the risks of the game.
For non poker players -- if you're thinking of starting a small business, buy this book. If you want to invest wisely, buy this book. Even if you just want an entertaining read that will make you think about how to maximize your earning potential, buy this book. Dinkin and Gitomer have succeeded in making poker a respectable teaching tool to non-players by using some very clear and helpful ideas which deserve our recognition. This is an outstanding book.

 "Dragging my weary body from the tournament table, I soothed my pain with a roll of quarters and a vengeful attack on a video poker machine."
After several such disappointments as a beginner at tournament poker, Shane Smith decided to get educated on tournament techniques. My first book on tournament play was out of print at that time, but somehow the author managed to find one. Smith decided to dig even deeper and began an exhaustive search of poker books and magazine articles to ferret out everything that anybody had ever said about how to win poker tournaments. Smith also picked the brains of several low-limit tournament winners to find out how they had won so many events. With the encouragement of Howard Schwarz at Gamblers Book Club in Las Vegas, the author then published Poker Tournament Tips from the Pros in 1991 to fill the void of tournament how-to advice. Smith's primer for novice to intermediate low-limit tournament players became an immediate success and has been going strong ever since. In fact, my friends George Marlowe and Kathy Liebert credit the book for getting them off to a solid start at tournament poker.
Now Smith has revised and updated Poker Tournament Tips from the Pros, adding 20 pages of new information and converting it from spiral-bound to regular book format with a full-color cover. Advocating "practice, patience and expertise," Smith includes a new chapter titled "The Anatomy of Tournaments" which is aimed at novices who never have played a tourney but want to get their feet wet in the treacherous waters of tournament poker. From there the author outlines "The Four Stages of Tournaments," a useful guide to the progression of tournament play from the opening stage through the final table. Smith discusses how to manage your chips, play position, take advantage of various types of opponents, and play the clock during each phase of tournament action. To support each of the playing tips in the book, the author quotes well-known experts. For example in the section on when to rebuy and add on, Smith gives the opinions of T.J. Cloutier, Bobby Baldwin, Mike Caro, Michael Cappelletti and Tom McEvoy, plus vintage low-limit tournament aficionados Tex Sheahan and "Bulldog" Sykes (revered Card Player magazine columnists before they folded their hands to enter the big tournament in the heavens).
The highlight of the book is the "Top 21 Tips," which include advice on rebuying, reading opponents, changing gears, surviving, bluffing, folding, and playing big, medium, and short stacks during different tournament stages. The value in this chapter cannot be underestimated: Smith clearly spells out the winning concepts that top tournament players know intuitively but don't discuss because they take for granted that everybody already knows the basics. Of course the road to success often is marred by detours, so Smith also has written a list of "26 Tournament Traps" that warn players how to avoid losing pitfalls. Smith was a pioneer of sorts in poker literature in that the author was the first to insert a touch of self-deprecating humor into otherwise weighty topics with a "learn from my mistakes" approach, a technique that makes for lively and interesting reading. A chapter of miscellaneous tournament advice titled Poker Potpourri rounds out this easy-to-read and useful tournament strategy book.
If you've been around the poker scene for a while, you'll recognize "Shane" Smith as the pen name of my publishing partner, Dana Smith (who writes "Interview with a Champ" for Card Player). Dana told me that when she wrote her first poker book, Omaha Hi-Lo Poker (How to Win at the Lower Limits) in 1990, she was concerned that students of poker were "not ready for a female writer of poker advice" and used her son's name as a pen name. Since then she has worked with me and T.J. Cloutier on all of our books, and hopefully has discovered that the main thing poker players are concerned about is the value of the information and advice they're paying for, not the gender of its author. If you're fairly new to the tournament scene, I think you'll find out that the $19.95 you invest in Poker Tournament Tips from the Pros will become one of your wisest investments. Naturally, I recommend that you follow it with Tournament Poker for advanced advice from the 1983 World Champion of Poker, none other than yours truly

  David Apostolico's book is divided into eight chapters that clearly illustrate the applicable relationships between poker and business. So it begs the question: "How can a book about poker relate strategies to the business world, in particular; Investing, Negotiating, Marketing, Managing, Running a business, and Dealing with co-workers?"
"The common thread among successful businesspersons and poker players is a strong desire to succeed and win. They want in on the game and to take their chances, win or lose." David paraphrases Mike Caro when talking about the objective of playing poker: "The right answer is to make correct decisions. If you can consistently make the right decisions, then the results will eventually come." This is true in poker and the business world for certain.
One of the best paragraphs I could relate too was: "A common mistake of both poker players and investors is to hold onto a poker hand or investment because they have invested a lot and they want to at least get their money back. Beginning poker players are notorious for staying in hands until the end because they have some money invested in a pot." He hits the nail on the head with this observation as beginner players fail to realize the money in the pot is no longer theirs.
When talking about laying down a strong hand, he reminds the reader that players know how to get rid of those hands when they realize they are in danger, and relates those actions to the business theory of investing, where one should never tolerate more than a 10% loss. So if your stock goes down 10%, sell it (dump it). Seems I've heard that in poker too.
His discussion of the "40/70 Rule" (championed by Colin Powell) is another example of how David compares playing poker to operating in the business world. Powell believes action should not be taken until you have enough information to assume the probability of being at least 40% correct. However, never wait until you have enough information to be 100% correct it will lead to paralysis by analysis. As it turns out the sweet spot for action actually does lie somewhere between the 40% and 70% probability rate. So in poker, without the absolute nuts, and having incomplete information, if your play falls between the 40/70 ranges you will be successful most of the time. Each player needs to establish their "comfort" level within that range.
To this reader the common theme throughout the book is, KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). He uses a direct approach to show these relationships and weaves into the conversation many tips and relates many personal stories to illustrate such statements as:
"Do Not Be Afraid of Losing"
"Avoid Playing Marginal Hands"
"Strike the Balance between Greed and Fear"
"Table Leader: Negotiate from Power"
"Project the Right Table Image"
"Take What You Want, Not Just What Your Opponent Gives You"
I particularly like the advice (again relating to business): Location, Location, Location! It's the primary consideration in the purchase of real estate and it's essential at the poker table. You will win more money from those players seated to your right due to your position and smart players look to gain the "high ground," and maintain this advantage.
David finishes up by reminding us what to do when the cards are not running favorably. First, never fall in love with your cards, know when to look for a reason to fold, try to deceive your opponent and always try to play the hand from your opponent's vantage point. These tips are invaluable in saving you unnecessary bets and losses to your bankroll.
This book is not your average poker theory book and certainly won't make you a WSOP champion nor will it make you a Donald Trump type business person, but what it will do is provide you a comparison in ways you can use what you have learned in business at the tables, and what you learn (sometimes the hard way) at the tables, for being successful in business.

Ken Warren has written a solid, meat-and-potatoes book for the novice or less-experienced poker player who wants to learn and excel at 7-card stud and its many variations. In a little over two hundred pages "Ken Warren Teaches 7-Card Stud -- High, High-Low and Razz" provides clear and concise strategy that arms you with the basics to play stud. And with descriptions of 45 variations of the basic stud game, Warren will make sure your home games never lack for variety.
The book begins with a brief history of the game, starting back with the first ever mention in print of 7-card stud in the 1867 version of Hoyle´s Games. For some time stud was one of the more popular forms of poker, but these days it is relegated to the step-sister status behind Hold´em and Omaha. In fact, 7-card stud is rarely seen on TV, other than as one-fifth of a HORSE tournament. But with the emergence of razz and stud 8/b online and in major tournaments, learning the strategies of stud will help make you a better overall player.
After the introduction into the basics of poker, explaining the rules, common terminology and betting, Warren´s focus turns, naturally, to the starting hands. And for good reason, as Warren explains how choosing wisely what hands to play from the beginning will optimize your chances of winning, should the hand be played all the way down to seventh street. For the new player, playing only premium starting hands will help avoid pitfalls and best position you for early success.
Warren outlines the five types of strong starting hands-the premium pairs, the good drawing hands, the smaller pairs with strong kickers, split pairs and concealed pairs. Since the statistics are that, on average, you should expect to be dealt one of these hands about one-fourth of the time - the obvious advice is to avoid playing too many hands.
Unlike no limit hold´em, where bluffing is a large part of the game, the strength of your hand does matter in stud. For that reason, there is one simple mantra that the reader is urged to keep in mind: 7-card stud is a game of high cards, live cards, and big kickers. Simply put, the stud player is cautioned against playing low hands if they want to be a winner.
Warren´s advice is as useful in stud as in any game, including the game of life. When you are playing, it is crucially important not to ignore reality. You have valuable information at your disposal if you use it - so do not just focus on your hand, but look at your opponent´s. If you have a flush draw or a straight draw and you see the cards you need on the board for other players´ hands - realize you´re probably not going to make your hand.
Similarly, learn to develop the ability to read your opponent´s hand. You have the chance to watch as their hand develops, looking at their exposed cards, to make logical assumptions about what they could be playing. It seems obvious, but especially for a new player, they can easily get caught up in what they are holding and what they need, and forget that they are playing against other people. The advice is simple, but valuable - be aware.
The book takes you through every street with a variety of hands, to give you strategy for what to do under each circumstance. But one good strategy to avoid is the urge to see "just one more card." If you avoid chasing when the odds are not in your favor, you can save yourself a lot of money.
The book has a good chapter of razz, the reverse of 7-card stud, where the lowest hand wins. Again, it follows you through each street with a number of different possible hands, and walks you through the optimal strategy for each circumstance. The advice is simple and straight forward and designed to keep you from throwing good money after bad, though the chapter´s final piece of advice is a bit jarring. "Don´t play razz." After filling our heads with all the good strategy, how can we not want to try it out?
There is a chapter on 7-card stud split hi-lo and the entirely new strategies you will need to employ for this combination game. Again utilizing the per-street strategy, the book walks you through a number of different scenarios and shows you how to maximize your play. For players used to just playing for the high hand, the book stresses focusing on the "scoop" possibility of your hand and looking for situations where you are on a freeroll - where you already have half the pot and are hoping to draw to the scoop by the end.
The last two chapters are ideal for anyone wanting to set up a home game. They provide rules, procedures and etiquette for how to run a successful, and profitable, home game. And a number of different poker game variations to keep the home players on their toes and always challenged.
With the clearly organized format and visual hand examples, the book is a great introduction to these less-popular poker games. It may just make you search out the games or start your own at home.

 

 

Shane Smith and Tom McEvoy's newest book "How to Beat Low-Limit Poker" is correctly subtitled "A Beginner's Guide" as it is not aimed at anyone who knows the difference between a set and trips. While some of the strategies discussed in the book would be helpful reminders to all players regardless of skill level, the main focus of the book is in providing a simple, clear and easy to follow introduction to poker and a helpful guide to some solid strategy for a variety of low-limit games.
Smith is actually female poker pro Dana Smith, who has written a number of other poker guides, notably a volume on beating low-limit Omaha Hi-Lo. McEvoy is a multiple bracelet winner and author of his own dozen poker strategy books. Their collaboration here is a breezy 158 pages that is designed, in their words, to take the novice from "diving to thriving." It covers low limit and no-limit cash games for Texas Hold'em, low limit Omaha Hi-Lo and low limit hold'em tournaments.
Assuming no starting knowledge of poker, the book begins with the basics - the really basic basics - such as mundane poker terminology (hole cards, flop, and community cards) that is second-hand to anyone who has watched poker, let alone played any. Its focus is on the type of game the vast majority of players play but is not shown on TV - low limit poker. And it is an important difference. These games usually have more people seeing flops and are often played down to a showdown. Bluffing is much less of a factor and varying the size of one's bet is a non-issue. Instead, the focus is on position, starting hands, and reading the flop.
Adapting, of all people, the Reverend Robert Schuller's "Possibility Thinking" to poker, the authors identify four stages of poker play - diving, surviving, striving and thriving. The first phase is identified with a few simple mistakes - playing too many hands, chasing too many draws, and staying in too long. To move out of this stage the authors recommend employing some simple discipline reminiscent of the Kenny Rogers song - basically, know when to hold 'em and know when to fold'em. Playing tighter, knowing where you stand and getting out if you are beat is a simple mantra that can help the low limit player avoid big trouble.
To move from avoiding big losses to winning, according to the authors, you have to recognize the problems with your play, study your opponents' tendencies, and learn to read the board. The last phase is where you do what many claim is impossible - actually winning money at low limit games. That can be accomplished, the authors tell us, if you play fewer hands, make fewer calls, learn to read your opponents hands, play assertively, pay attention to how many people are in the pot, and look for chances to steal blinds.
The book then uses practice hands to discuss how you should play various hands depending on a number of differing factors including, your position, the action in front of you, the pot, and the board. It is a good reminder that you are not just playing your cards, but a whole host of other factors, even in the low limit games. The discussions show new players that there are no rules that apply every time and that you have to adjust your play to where you are sitting, what happens before you have to act, who will be acting after you, and what the board shows. Particularly good advice is realizing when a great starting hand has been overtaken by the flop and learning not to fall in love with your hand to the exclusion of evidence that it is no longer ahead.
After taking the beginning player through the basics of hold'em and Omaha hi-/lo, the book then goes on to the basics of tournament play and strategies for handing various hands. Again, the authors assume no previous knowledge of tournament poker and begin their discussion with all the different types of tournaments and various considerations in choosing a tournament. Not all tournaments are created equal, and the book helps new players to think about blind structure, rebuys, starting chip stack, prize pool, and other factors before they jump into a tournament. Admittedly, the book is not offering high level strategy for someone looking for their first WSOP bracelet, but the book directs those interested in upping their game to other, more in-depth books.
There were a few problems of the book, not the least of which was its title as there were over thirty pages devoted to no-limit, rather than low limit, poker. There were also discussions of tournament play in the cash play section, which might confuse the novice. And there was some repetition of key concepts and phrases. But, none of these are fatal flaws.
At bottom, this is solid, basic strategy guide for the beginner. It is not written over their heads, using undefined terminology or omitting certain basic information. Beginners can feel comfortable reading this book and using it to learn or improve their game. The book even comes with a glossary of poker terms at the end. If, however, you are a seasoned poker player, this may not be a book you would buy for yourself, but you can still buy it for your less experienced friends or family members who want to start playing and are not sure whether a flop is the first three community cards or what Vlade Divac does underneath the basket.

Your Worst Poker Enemy , by Dr. Alan Schoonmaker, PhD, tackles issues associated with logical thinking as it relates to the psychological impact of playing poker. Dr. Schoonmaker replicates the roller coaster ride poker players experience by addressing such subjects as head games, varying emotions, irrational thinking, and sometimes even exaggerated masculinity (machismo), which players endure on a daily or regular basis both online and live.
This author is quick to point out: "I’m not a poker expert. I’m a psychologist who plays for moderate stakes and writes about poker psychology. I rarely give advice about playing specific cards because many people can do it better."
To this end he stays true to his word and provides insights to the the reader which include recommendations on how to deal with emotional instability, and suggestions on logical thinking while in stressful situations (can seem like every hand) during play.
He has the ability to "remind" you of the exact emotion a player feels when handling a tough beat, or when there is significant damage to his bankroll and there is the instant awakening: "This is me he is talking about; I’d better reread that page again."
Dr. Schoonmaker takes the readers attention into the much-feared conditions of: running bad, anger, arrogance, paranoia, tilt, losing streaks, aggravations, denial and not knowing when to quit. His ability to recreate the "conditions" that each of us face at one time or another is uncanny and makes us want to read more on how to combat these obstacles to "winning poker."
There were a few passages that rang particularly true to me by my own observations at PSO (PokerSchoolOnline.com) and other poker internet sites, as well as live play. Specifically, "If you listen, a few dummies will tell you exactly how to beat them."

• "I’m not aggressive. I won’t raise unless I’m almost certain I’ve got a winner."

• "I’ll always bet on the flop if I’m last and nobody has bet."

• "I’ll call all the way with anything, if a pot is big enough, but I’m not willing to make loose calls for small pots."

• "I never check-raise because I believe in betting my own hands."

The last chapter primarily concentrates on the degree of seriousness to which a player should take poker, and I found his observations and recommendations to be spot-on, specifically: not allowing poker playing to take over your life, setting your priorities, questioning if you are doing yourself harm with over-indulgence, making sure you are playing "within your means and in the right comfort zone,and finally, deciding on options to diversify and balance your life.
After reading Your Worst Poker Enemy, a member at PSO offered this statement:
Recommended reading of Dr. Schoonmaker’s book is not only essential for you to compliment your experience and table skills, it should be mandatory for all players who display the emotional instability to perform and sustain excellence associated with playing at the top of their game. My library of poker books is hardly complete; however, with the addition of Your Worst Poker Enemy , I have enriched my mind as well as my book shelf collection.

Gus Hansen has a reputation as an "any two cards" type of player -- a wild man at the poker table whose play seems to defy logic. But in his new book "Every Hand Revealed," Hansen shows the sober, clear, and, yes, logical thought process behind his seemingly crazy decisions -- and what the reader discovers is a player who is actually crazy like a fox. Hansen takes the reader on a ride through a major tournament, providing not just a behind-the-scenes account, but literally an inside-his-head view of the decisions he made as he outlasted 746 competitors over five days to win the $1.2 million first prize at the 2007 Aussie Millions tournament.
"Every Hand Revealed," begins rather poignantly with a nod to the late Chip Reese. Hansen's book is dedicated to the poker legend, whose "About Gus Hansen," opening to the book is both a concise introduction and a touching bridge between the old and new poker generations. As Reese noted, Hansen began as a backgammon player in his native Denmark, then turned his "quick mind and ability to logically solve a problem," to the world of poker -- and has made quite an impression. Winner of three WPT titles, the WPT Bad Boys Invitational, the 2005 Poker Superstars Invitational, and the Aussie Millions tournament, Hansen is as successful as he is popular, and much of his popularity comes from his seemingly superhuman ability to turn J-5 off-suit into a winner.
Anyone watching the Aussie Millions on television could not help but notice the small tape recorder Hansen was speaking into during the tournament and the notes he would jot down after his hands. Hansen recorded the details of every one of the 329 hands he played, what he did, why he did it, and his observations of the other players. While not literally every hand he played is described in the book, Hansen gives all the details of every relevant hand he played along the way to victory.
Hansen's writing is straight-forward and clear; he uses an instructional tone, without the arrogance one might expect from a winner's recap. The book is broken down into each of the five days of the tournament and is easy to follow as it has a number of visual aids including seat placement, antes and blinds, hole cards and community cards. What it lacks in stylistic flair, it more than makes up in detail, analysis and honesty. Hansen shares his misreads and his bad plays with the same openness as he shares his great moves and good instincts. His advice is woven throughout the book and covers an array of important factors to be considered during tournament play, including how to deal with escalating blinds and when to steal them, the importance of the antes, the significance of bubble-play, the difference between a full-table and short-handed play, the value of the continuation bet, how to play medium or small pairs, the use of the value bet, and of course, tactics for the final table.
Hansen provides more than advice, however. Through his discussion of twenty "Crucial Hands," the reader has a front row seat to Hansen's inner thought process. One of these hands occurred on Day 3 and involved poker pro Paul Wasicka, a player not unlike Hansen in his ability to make the same bet on a stone cold bluff as with quads. In this hand, Hansen was holding A-6 off-suit and the flop came 8-7-5 rainbow. Wasicka checked, Hansen bet, then Wasicka moved all-in. There was now over half a million in the pot. For the average player, there were many ways to look at the decision facing him. Not so for Hansen. While Hansen recognizes that there are three main factors to consider when evaluating a player's all-in bet (the strength of your hand, the supposed strength of your opponent's cards and pot odds), Hansen quickly discards the first two as relatively unknowable and relies strongly on pot odds. Here, it would cost Hansen $334,000 to call. But there was more at play than the numbers. If he folded and Wasicka showed a bluff, Hansen feared the tide would turn in Wasicka's favor and he would lose control of the table. Hansen reasoned that he would need a 38.6% chance of prevailing, which he believed he had, so he called and saw that Wasicka was indeed making a move - he had A-J for no draw and just two over cards. The flop came a 6 and Hansen had paired the board and was ahead, until the river brought a 4 and a split pot. Replaying the hand, Hansen wondered whether going all-in on the flop would have been the better move, rather than the check which let Wasicka take control of the hand.
Ultimately, the strength of the book lies in Hansen ability to explain the strategy behind his play at various times during each day of the multi-day tournament, demonstrating that not one method works throughout, but that the ability to read and adapt to different scenarios at different stages is key. Hansen's contemporaneous perspective, unclouded and untarnished by the passage of time, helps the reader understand why Hansen raised on the button with 7-3 off-suit while another time folding to a raise with A-J, folding A-2 then raising with 2-4. Hansen's strategy provides a clinic for both the novice and the professional. Throughout it all, Hansen unapologetically encourages aggressive play to keep pressure on the other players and to keep control of the table. He calls himself "an aggressive, premier blind- and ante-stealer," and no one would question that description. Yet, even he finds times to vary his play. When it gets down to three handed-play, Hansen, second in chips, against chip leader Jimmy Fricke and Andy Black, puts on the brakes and we see patience and discipline from the wild man. In fact, he is almost passive, allowing Fricke to build up quite a chip stack. It does not take Hansen long to regret his play and to wonder how much the ladder principle - concern over moving up in the money - affected his play. But after Black is eliminated, Hansen is pleased that he did move up the ladder and now the patient, conservative Hansen will leave the building and the super-aggressive Hansen will return. And, indeed, just a few hands into heads-up, Hansen moves all in on the turn with top pair, weak kicker. Fricke, possibly sensing a "crazy" Hansen bluff, calls with middle pair and, failing to improve on the river, Hansen moved from behind 3-to-1 in chips to virtually even. From short stack to winner, Hansen describes enough ups and downs during the final table to give the reader seasickness. But while his fortunes took various twists and turns, his plan stayed the same: keep aggressive, maximize your wins and minimize your losses.
"Every Hand Revealed," only rarely gives the reader a peak at how Hansen's play was assessed by the other players. One interesting example though is on Day 4 in a hand against the "pretty, Finnish" Patrik Antonius. Having flopped bottom set, and the turn bringing a straight and flush draw to the board, Hansen apparently took quite a bit of time to deliberate over the correct course of action to extract the most money from his opponent. He eventually decided on a pot-sized bet rather than an all-in, even though he did have Antonius covered. Antonius came over the top all-in, was called by Hansen, and lost when the river missed Antonius' top pair/nut flush draw. Hansen later learned that all the time he spent in thought on the turn had led Antonius to believe Hansen was weaker than he was.
By the end, "Every Hand Revealed" provides the answer to the question anyone who has ever watched Hansen on TV has asked more than once, "What was he thinking?" In the process, it also provides the reader with a fascinating glimpse inside the head of one of poker's most enigmatic players. Hansen leaves the reader more convinced than ever that there is a lot more to poker than the cards you are dealt, and that the truly great players know how use that to their advantage.

Bill Boston has devoted years of his life to playing, studying, and analyzing Omaha High-Low and gives readers the benefit of his time and effort in his newest book, "Omaha High-Low For Low-limit Players." This relatively short, easy-to-read book is packed with all the advice, strategy and raw data to get you started at becoming a successful low-limit player at one of poker´s most confounding games.
It has been said that Omaha High-Low, also known as 8/b, or Hi-Lo, is a game made by sadists to be played by masochists, and there is some truth to that. There are various combinations of cards to keep in mind while trying to make both the best high and the best low hand, and it´s one of the rare games that goes to the flop with multiple players and where drawing is the norm. You need a much stronger hand to win the pot and, for someone used to Hold´em, learning to read your hand and the board takes a little practice. But Boston has a way to make the transition to the game relatively smooth.
Thanks to hours and hours of computer simulations, Boston has broken down all the possible starting hand combinations - all 5,278 of them - and determined their rank. Based on these hand simulations, he can tell you what starting hands are worth playing and what are only going to get you into trouble.
Boston starts with the basic premise that, more than Hold´em, Omaha is a hand driven game. The ability to read your hand and reevaluate its strength as the community cards are dealt is crucial. It may be hard at first, and that is why he recommends practicing either the old fashioned way, with cards spread out before you, or the easier way, on online free games. You have to deal with two major differences from Hold´em: the requirement that you use exactly two of your hole cards and the fact that you are trying to make two polar opposite hands - the best possible high and the best possible low.
Knowing these basics, it is easy to realize that having an ace-deuce in your starting hole cards, gives you the draw to the nut low. It also helps you to realize that having four of the same suit, or three or four of the same rank of cards is actually bad as it reduces the chance of your hand improving. While we can assume 2008 WSOP Omaha Hi-Lo World Champion David Benyamine knows these little facts, and hundreds more, low-limit players who are taking their first foray into this game may be learning this for the first time.
Boston gives the reader a few starting hands to give practice in reading your hand. And as Boston goes through all these basic rules, the novice He identifies certain "profitable" starting hands - those with the best potential preflop - that the new player should focus on in order to become a winning player. And he warns that of the over 5,000 possible starting hands, 4,000 will be unprofitable in the long run.
As important as recognizing good starting hands, Boston realizes that avoiding problem hands is just as important. One chapter is devoted to those hands that look deceptively strong yet can cost you at the table. Another is spent on how to play the ace-deuce starters for fun and profit based on the other cards in your hand and the community cards. The bottom line, while ace-deuce is a great starting combination, you will lose in the long run if you consistently chase after a bad flop. Reevaluating your hand is the mantra.
A reality for new Omaha Hi-Lo players to face - by the turn, there will be a possible straight, flush or full house on the board. With each of your opponents having six different hole card combinations, the "possible" becomes likely. That is a scary proposition for the novice and Boston takes you through the turn and how it might affect your play in its own chapter. Also tough for the novice - learning to let go of your hand on the river if you´re beat. You won´t make money in low limit games if you pay off with second best on the river.
Boston discusses how to play marginal hands and how to play high hands, and then wraps up the discussion with how to avoid mistakes, possibly the most important chapter. Playing trap hands (cards that will seldom make the best hand), chasing after the flop, and playing too many hands are all particularly costly mistakes in Omaha hi-lo. But Boston includes other mistakes that will cost you in whatever game you´re playing - playing drunk, playing too long, letting your emotions get in your way, and not leaving when you should.
The second half of the book is an indispensible tool for the new players. It is a chart of all possible starting hands and their rank from best (A-A-2-3) to worst (K-K-K-K). In this simple fashion, Boston steers you to the best starting hands so you can maximize your chances at the table. While, as your game improves, you might tweak your starting hand list, the chart is a great way to get you started in being able to evaluate your hole cards so you don´t invest in hands with low value.
There is no guarantee that you will be at next year´s Omaha Hi-Lo World Championship final table after reading this book. But you will be a more knowledgeable player, more aware of the value of your hand and more cautious about chasing bad hands.