REVIEW
Let's
get right to the point. This is the single
most important book on poker ever published.
The Theory of Poker does not contain a
lot of information on how to play certain
hands, and in those places where it does,
it is only to illustrate a bigger point.
The methodology taught here is to understand
general situations, not specific instances
that one will encounter in play, thus
it truly is The Theory of Poker.
Now,
don't get the idea that merely by possessing
this book and holding it next to your
head for a while you'll turn into a world
class poker player. That is not at all
the case. This book does not require reading
to unlock its wisdom, it requires study,
and many hours of it. Unless your are
a seasoned poker veteran, you cannot expect
to get very much out of it the first time
through. This book requires, and warrants,
several thorough readings.
Right
from the preface, the reader is advised
as to what will be required:
This
book is about the general theories and
concepts of poker play, which are operative
in nearly every variation of poker...
. It is not a how-to book in the sense
of providing the basic rules and a step-by-step
procedure for playing the various games.
[...] Rules of thumb that say to fold
one hand, call with another, and raise
with yet another simply won't get a
poker player beyond the beginning stages.
Sklansky
discusses many critical concepts of poker,
often for the first time anywhere. He
discusses pot odds, effective odds, implied
odds, and reverse implied odds. He covers
the semi-bluff, defending against the
semi-bluff, check-raising, and slowplaying.
He covers the advanced topics of game
theory, hand reading, and psychology.
There is no important aspect of poker
play that escapes Sklansky's attention.
Because
of the depth and breadth of the subject
matter he covers, Sklansky's readers will
have to spend significant time to apply
this information to their own games, hence
the requirement for study. Despite the
fact that Sklansky communicates this information
in as clear a manner as I could imagine,
there is still sufficient opportunity
for the reader to misunderstand or misapply
the principles offered here. As I've repeatedly
said, even though this is a critically
important book, it is by no means an easy
book.
The
bottom line, though, is that in my opinion
it is the best book on poker ever published.
This is an absolute must read for all
serious players, but be prepared to spend
some serious time on it.
Capsule:
In
my opinion, this is the most important
book on poker ever published. This is
a serious work and it deserves (and requires)
a great deal of study by those who wish
to learn its principles. It's my opinion
that the poker skills of those who do
not study this book will significantly
lag behind those who do. If you're a serious
poker player, you cannot afford not to
read this book.
Nick
Christenson
Gambling
Book Reviews
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