REVIEW
Since the number of new poker books being published has been in decline, I have the opportunity to go through my library and catch up on some titles I have meant to read but haven't gotten to yet. One of the books I have been looking forward to reading is Barry Greenstein's Ace on the River. This book has received very favorable reviews from many quarters, so I eagerly anticipated reading it myself.
I'm not the first to make this comment, but this is a simply gorgeous book. The paper is very high quality, and there's at least one beautifully reproduced photograph on almost every page. Due to the paper quality, this might be the heaviest 300 page paperback book I've ever held. At a time when barely-edited self-published poker books are going for $30 a pop, it's hard not to think that at $25 Ace on the River is a steal based on its production values alone. Read it through once, and then just page through it again to appreciate the wonderful photographs.
The book is divided into four main sections, The Poker World, Philosophy, Advanced Play, and Addenda. The first section investigates the people who inhabit the poker world, including the players and card room staff. It's a slightly different perspective than we usually get of the people who populate the world of poker.
The second section covers topics that both help and hinder skilled poker players. For example, Greenstein expounds upon such topics as sports betting as a leak, brain chemistry and the gambling impulse, and the relationship between good poker and one's sex life. This is as much psychology as it is philosophy, but much of this stuff is new, or at least approached in a new manner.
The third section covers some strategic considerations, although what Greenstein discusses here is not very deep nor is it very detailed. Some topics he discusses include chaos theory, math and poker, and online poker. I agree with most of what the author says here, but I'd say much of it in different ways. Greenstein's perspectives are revealing and thought provoking, but to me they aren't quite ground-breaking.
My favorite part of the book can be found at the beginning of the Philosophy section where Greenstein explains what he thinks are the most valuable traits a professional poker player can have. I can see in myself where some of these traits aren't present as strongly as they might be, and I can see how this might hinder my development as a poker player. Also I liked the hand examples the author includes, but there really aren't all that many of them.
I can understand why some people think this is an outstanding poker book that has helped them become better players. I believe it has some interesting perspectives, and I definitely think it's worth reading. However, there's really not all that much here that's truly new, at least not to me. Further, I'm not sure that everything that's new really improves my poker skills. Moreover, much of what Greenstein discusses is more strongly applicable to those who play at the highest limits. While much of what he writes can be applied to low and mid-limit poker, not all of his advice directly translates to that environment.
Overall, I believe Ace on the River is a good book that's definitely worth reading, and I believe that there are players out there that might be greatly helped by its advice. I enjoyed the book and found it worthwhile, but I wasn't blown away by it. I do recommend it.
Capsule:
Ace on the River is a gorgeous and relatively inexpensive book by well-known high-limit poker player, Barry Greenstein. The book is so enjoyable to look at, that even if it didn't contain good advice, it would arguably be worthwhile just as a collection of photographs. The book spends most of its time explaining what the author thinks are the key aspects to playing poker at the highest level. Many readers will find this very valuable, but I found it only marginally so. I think the book is worthwhile, but different types of players will find more value in it than others.
Nick
Christenson
Gambling
Book Reviews
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