The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide: Tournament Edition by Andy Bloch, Richard Brodie, Chris Ferguson, Ted Forrest, Rafe Furst, Phil Gordon, David Grey, Howard Lederer, Mike Matusow Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide: Tournament Edition
Book Review: A true diamond in the rough...
Summary: 5 Stars
In the midst of the poker frenzy that has erupted as a result of all the tv coverage and marketing, one clear result has been the emergence of myriad poker how-to books. It isn't surprising that many individuals and writers are capitalizing on a profitable opportunity and terrific timing, but the consequence is that there are so many out there which just don't produce quality reads or aren't from well-known names. This book is the answer to that!
In The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide: Tournament Edition, Michael Craig has assembled and drawn from some incredible talent who possess invaluable insights and lessons to share. But don't be fooled - this isn't necessarily going to try to instruct you on every possible hand with every possible strategical approach to each given situation. That would be impossible. What this guide does is far more impressive - it encourages the reader to consider the mindsets of the pros and how they approach their hands and the situations at the table. This book gets you, the reader, to think for yourself why you should play a given hand or utilize one type of approach in a particular manner. And as the various experts suggest, different hands can be played differently, depending upon given situations. As Howard Lederer says regarding his chapter on the theory of "Leverage," which is a concept that not previously been written about to my knowledge, "The goal here was to get you thinking about how leverage can help you after the flop" (p.45). There are, certainly, plenty of statistics and math to consider which are graspable to those whose trade isn't math, and Andy Bloch's charts are a nice reference for the strengths of pre-flop hands vs. all other hands you may face. There are new concepts as well as clarification and elaboration on some of those ideas that are familiar to the serious student of poker. I like that it really doesn't try to sell you on a particular overall method, but suggests some different and, even contrasting, approaches (especially chapter 5, titled, "[Don't] Play Like Ted Forrest)."
This strategy guide makes for not only good reading but also deep thinking. And that is a tremendous aspect of this book - the concepts are very deep, but the language and manner in which they are described are very comprehensible. It flows well, and you get the feeling that the different authors are almost conducting thoughtful interviews and are right there explaining why and how to do what they sugget. It doesn't have that stiff, didactic manner that some instructional books do; rather, it is told matter-of-factly and clearly. It reads quickly, and I found myself going back and rereading portions over again because there is so much substance in each of the chapters. And, as something of a relief, you don't have to be a math genius or have played for decades to grasp the principles in this book (but, as is suggested throughout the book, it all becomes more clear and applicable with practice at the table).
These are among the greatest and most successful poker minds alive, and what they have done is present their sometimes very different theories, approaches, and perspectives regarding No-Limit Hold'Em, but there are also chapters dedicated to Pot-Limit Hold'Em, Limit Hold'Em, Omaha Eight or Better, Pot-Limit Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, Stud Eight-or-Better, No Limit Hold-Em Online tournament strategy, and the enigmatic Razz. It even finishes with a chapter dedicated to Roshambo! Each chapter has conclusions that summarize the important details presented in the very full chapters. And Michael Craig's "Editor's Notes" and narration are vivid and entertaining in how they regard and present the pros with whom he has collaborated. Again, it reads as more conversational than lecture, which makes it a pleasant yet thought-provoking read.
I consider this an absolute must-have for any serious poker player. Super System was the first of the classics of poker instruction, and Sklansky's books and Harrington's volumes are at the top of their genre, but this compilation and edition is also a true masterpiece. It is a very intelligent read, and those who want to improve their games at any level would do well to absorb the concepts in this, although what they present are ideas and strategies that apply to the highest levels of poker. The advice given, and the smoothness of the delivery, make this the diamond that it is among all the other how-to books on the market.
Book Review: Poker advice, well packaged
Summary: 4 Stars
Imagine having several of the world's top poker players each send you a personal communication describing their secret inner thoughts and winning strategies for Texas Hold `Em and other popular tournament poker games?
That's exactly how the Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide (Tournament Edition) reads. The book, edited by Michael Craig, is a collection of priceless essays from final table regulars like Chris Ferguson, Ted Forrest, Howard Lederer and even Mike "The Mouth" Matusow. It's a deep goldmine of information, including pre- and post-flop strategies, styles of play, and hard lessons learned from countless poker hands and years of experience.
More than half of the book's 400-plus pages are dedicated to No-Limit Hold `Em, the game with the annual weeklong championship offering a multimillion dollar purse televised on ESPN. The rest of the text provides strategy essays on other games, including Limit Hold `Em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud and even Razz.
The essays get into specifics, such as how to play big and small stacks, and to play certain hands in early and late positions. Everyone will learn something to improve his or her game from this book. The only soft spot in the text was the minimal use of statistical tables, but those can be easily found on-line in more detail.
Overall, Craig has put together a real winning hand with the Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide and players shouldn't hesitate to go all-in and get a copy.
Armchair Interviews says: This book deals you a hand of good advice
Book Review: Move Over Doyle Brunson
Summary: 5 Stars
This is destined to become one of the "must have" poker books. Brunson's Super System (I and II) covers the spectrum of poker as played in ring games at casinos. This volume is the counterpart for tournament play.
The title suggests a joined-at-the-hip connection with the web site. Nothing could be further from the truth - the primary connection I see is that the book covers the games played on the site, and the site covers the games played at casinos, the World Series of Poker, etc.
Michael Craig (author of "Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King", probably the best told tale ever of the biggest poker game ever) has done a masterful job of organizing the book. Though I did note a few small grammatical problems, none interfere with either the flow or the message.
Games discussed include: (1) No-Limit Hold'em (of course), (2) Limit Hold'em (similar name, different game), (3) Pot-Limit Hold'em (different strategy requirements), (4) Pot-Limit Omaha, (5) Omaha Eight-or-Better, (6) Seven-Card Stud, (7) Stud Eight-or-Better, and (8) razz. Long, long ago and far, far away I was a Draw Poker and Five-Card Stud player. Things I learned from those games make me a better Hold'em player, and if you'll learn a bit about other variations of poker you will find your game improves.
A story has been told about Chris Ferguson and Andy Bloch in which Ferguson spotted Bloch setting in a restaurant. When Chris went over to Andy's table he saw that Andy was poring over a binder of computer-generated tables, the result of Bloch's extensive simulations of hand versus hand, hand versus table, etc. Ferguson had done precisely the same sort of computations prior to launching his highly successful career in tournament No-Limit Hold'em. The similarity of their style of play - and their success - stems from this mathematical analysis away from the table. In one fact and concept filled chapter of 57 pages Bloch presents a series of tables showing some of the results of his simulations. This chapter alone is worth far more than the price of the book.
Other notable chapters include:
- A chapter on Seven-Card Stud by noted Stud authority Keith Sexton.
- A cram session on Razz strategy by Huck Seed and Ted Forest.
- Chris Ferguson on Pot-Limit Omaha.
- Ironically, Mike Matusow on Omaha Eight-or-Better - a game in which bluffing is particularly difficult written by a master of bluffing at No-Limit Hold'em.
- Limit Hold'em by Howard Lederer.
- Rafe Furst and Andy Bloch on Pot-Limit Hold'em.
- Phil Gordon discusses Short Stack Play in No-Limit Hold'em.
- Gavin Smith shares some of his tricks for Big Stack Play at No-Limit Hold'em.
- And more.
This book does for tournament poker what Super System did for ring games. If you aspire to be good - really good - at tournament poker, you need to study this book.
Book Review: Great addition to your library!
Summary: 5 Stars
A book that goes along with others on tournaments such as the Harrington on Holdem series in that it discusses more how to intrepret your opponents actions and how to take advantage of it instead of just charts and specific hands. Don't get me wrong, Andy Bloch's chapter has the most detailed charts you'll ever see if you want to really add some high-end math game theory to your game. But it's just a nice book that's laid out like mini-lessons from many of today's respected tournament players.Book Review: Surprisingly Good!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was suspicious of this book and wasn't sure it would include any new information that isn't in other poker books (Harrington or Sklansky and Malmuth). Many poker books rehash concepts (play tight early, more aggressive later). This book has several new concepts I haven't read before. For example, Howard Lederer talks about a hand versus Phil Ivey when Ivey raised. Howard raised all-in. Ivey folded. Lederer analyzes this nondescript hand and explains the concept of leverage. Andy Bloch in his preflop hands goes far beyond "play early tight, play quality hands" and gives a chart for the "Jam or Fold" game (small blind v. big blind). His chart, he believes, is superior to the Sklansky-Chubakov Jam of Fold ratings because in the S-C rankings the small blind turns up their hand. In Bloch's chart, the small blind does not (which is more realistic). Andy explains that the S-C underestimates hands such as 9-T s Jam value. Howard Lederer's chapter on Limit Holdem made me excited to play Limit holdem. He gives the reader a good limit system that the blinds can play out of position against a raiser. Chris Ferguson's chapter on postflop No Limit play is also valuable. Ferguson's chapter is like a minilesson with him. Other games besides Holdem are covered. Matusow in the 08 chapter explains why he raised with K-Q-J-6 facing heavy preflop action! The book is full of things like this. I was afraid that this book was an attempt to make a quick book on the poker boom with many authors writing a chapter for a quick paycheck and not taking responsibility for overall shoddy work. It isn't the case. You will find material here that you will not find elsewhere.