Update: Harrington on Hold 'em: Volume I

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Everyone:

I'm getting asked a lot so here's the status of Harrington on Hold 'em; Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Volume I: Strategic Play.

The manuscript is finished and it has gone through preliminary type setting. That means we are currently proof reading. This should be finished in a few days and then it goes to final type setting.

So my guess is that it will go to the printer on Monday, Nov. 8. The first thing to happen is that the artwork -- card pictures and diagrams -- will be dropped in. This could take 10 to 14 days (including reviews and approval).

Then it goes to actual printing and then binding. However, the Thanksgiving holiday may slow things a little. So I'm anticipating books somewhere between Dec 1 and Dec. 10.

The text is 385 pages ad the suggested retail price will be $29.95. We should begin taking preorders in about a week.

By the way, the book is terrific.

Best wishes,
Mason

[bonanz]

nice

[froggy527]

Great! It's been a long wait for a good no limit
book. Santa's going to think I have a one of those
1-800gambling problems when he sees my list.
Dan H
SS2
and a Ciaffone or two thrown in. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Nemesis]

fabulous I can't wait.

[scalf]

/images/graemlins/grin.gif gr8, i hope it's out by xmas..this will make a gr8 xmas gift to the aspiring internet tourney player(s( that we all know..

put me down for 2 right now..this is gonna be a quick sellout; just like ed millers book; do not be a shmuck..order early..or get one after all the ez cash is gone..

gl

/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /images/graemlins/spade.gif /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[DonkeyKong]

Mason,

Can you tell us how analytical it is relative to other NL books on the market? Will there be lots of hand-combination math type of analysis?

Thanks

DK

[Luv2DriveTT]

Mason:

Will this book be good for existing NL cash game players, existing tournament players, or will it be aimed at taking the solid limit player into the world of NL?

Is the goal to create the new bible for NL? It’s kind of sad that since SS there has been no definitive book on the subject.

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[zerosum]

Mason,

I offer the following in the spirit of constructive criticism.

Please return to the better quality publishing and binding that made the books prior to SSHE so durable.

I have SSHE as well as Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players, Theory of Poker, and Hold'em Poker. I hate to say it but SSHE is a significantly inferior production. All the copies of SSHE that I have seen have suffered from weak binding and paper quality issues.

My copy of SSHE will likely split into several sections in the near future, as the binding finally breaks completely. I'm not too happy about the prospect of purchasing another one, and I definitely do not want to send you my copy in exchange for a new one, as I don't want to lose my margin notes. If a reprinting of SSHE is issued that brings it up to the quality standards established by the prior publications, I'll buy another one. Absent that, I'll just three-hole punch my copy and put it into a ring binder.

I'd rather pay $29.95, the prices of HEPAP and TOP, and recieve better paper and binding. I suspect others would prefer a moderately higher price in exchange for higher quality. After all, we're only talking about one small bet in a 5/10 game.

Thanks for your consideration.

[Blarg]

I agree that this kind of book should be as durable as possible, and am willing to pay extra. After all, I have been all this time.

They're the kind of books you expect to look at an incredible number of times after the first read-through, so the tougher they are, the better.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi zerosum:

Binding has been a constant problem for us for many years. We keep making changes and improvements but they seem to cause new problems. We'll get one job done very well, think everything is finally solved, then a future job has a new unexpected problem.

These problems that we have had cause book returns and are very expensive for us and our printer. We're working very close with the management and experts at Creel Printing to get this area consistently top notch.

Our books are now being put together at a place called Ross Bindery. They are suppose to be the top place in the West. That's where Harrington on Hold 'em will be done and it should be done very well.

As for paper and printing, we use top quality paper, better than what any other publisher of poker books uses as far as I can tell (and it is more expensive) and the printing on SSH is the best printing of any poker book I have ever seen. (To verify this, just compare the quality and sharpness of the card pictures to any other publication.)

Our printing is now done at Creel California in Costa Mesa. We go there (instead of staying at Creel in Las Vegas)because they have a printing press that can handle our requirements very well. By the way, this press is 170 feet long and 25 feet high.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi DonkeyKong:

There's some, but not a lot of math. There are however a bunch of hand problems where Dan steps you through his thinking. Compared to some of the other no limit books, such as Cloutier/McEvoy, well there is no comparison.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Luv:

Volume I targets the early and middle stages of tournaments which play similarly to standard no limit cash games. So it will help you in both areas.

As I stated before, I do not believe that you will win playing no limit cash games as is described in [Super/System.[/i]

Best wishes,
Mason

[jasonHoldEm]

Congrats and good luck on a successful release.

J

[jtnt1096]

Will there be information for helping players with SNG's, small home games, satellites, etc., or is the book mainly directed towards big tourney play?

Thanks.

[KingMarc]

[ QUOTE ]


Our printing is now done at Creel California in Costa Mesa. We go there (instead of staying at Creel in Las Vegas)because they have a printing press that can handle our requirements very well. By the way, this press is 170 feet long and 25 feet high.


[/ QUOTE ]

Don't suppose I can go to the printers when its printed and buy a copy of the book early? I live right by Costa Mesa. Worth a shot /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi King:

No. The "guts" are only printed in Costa Mesa. Then it is trucked across town for the binding, but you can't go there either.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Luv2DriveTT]

Mason:

Out of curiosity, have you been playing NL cash games to prepare for this book, Greg's book, or David & Ed's next pairing?

I don't play NL that often, but I am very curious and do wish to learn about all forms of the game.

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Luv:

Yes. I've been playing the $10/$20 blind game at The Bellagio on those rare occasions I find time to play.

Best wishes,
Mason

[zerosum]

[ QUOTE ]

As for paper and printing, we use top quality paper, better than what any other publisher of poker books uses as far as I can tell (and it is more expensive) and the printing on SSH is the best printing of any poker book I have ever seen. (To verify this, just compare the quality and sharpness of the card pictures to any other publication.)


[/ QUOTE ]

Mason.

I certainly appreciate your concern and effort to maintain high quality. It seems pretty obvious to me that at least my copy of SSH is very inferior to the several previous publications that I have purchased from Two Plus Two Publishing. The difference is not even close.

In my first post, I mentioned the binding of my SSH. I should have been more specific and said that the spine of my SSH is not strong. In fact, it's the first paperback that I've had spine trouble with in a few years -- and I'm a power shopper at the local Barnes and Noble.

The difference I notice with the paper in SSH compared to the previous 2P2 publications is easy to describe. The paper of SSH absorbs my highlighter ink like a dry sponge absorbs water. In contrast, my copy of HPAP, fifth printing September 2003, accepts the highlighter ink without sucking it up and bleeding it beyond the margin of the pen's tip.

Perhaps some substitution of lesser materials happened during a particular run of SSH and Minnesota got those copies. Who knows?

Again, Mason, thanks publishing great information. I've presented these issues in an attempt to help. Thanks for recieving it as such.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi zerosum:

We have been using the exact same paper for many years in the sense that the specs for the paper are identical.

However, demand for our books has been so great that our printer has had to go to different mills in an effort to keep in supply. That might account for the differences.

Perhaps you changed the type of highlighter you are using and that's the problem.

Best wishes,
Mason

[brandon]

How many books has 2+2 sold this year compared to previous years?

[sin808]

[ QUOTE ]
Perhaps you changed the type of highlighter you are using and that's the problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

When the tips get worn they seem to get softer on alot of highlighters. I've highlighted the sh** out of my copy of SSH using a standard Avery Hi-liter and a Sanford Pocket Accent highlighter. I haven't had any problems with either really, though the softer (well used) tip of the Avery will soak in more than the Sanford if given the chance (enough to go through the page if you highlight slow). Using a ruler as a line guide solved that problem for me.

[TransientR]

I don't have SSH, but the two-plus-two books I do have are printed on quality paper (I've written for the paper industry), and are commendable for how clearly the cards can be read.

Compared to the horror show of something like Hellmuth's "Play Poker Like the Pros," subtitled: "You need to have the eyes of an eagle to read these hands correctly," it is a world of difference. Plus that book is printed on quite cheap paper.

As for the binding issue, sometimes higher quality, thicker paper can make it tougher to bind a paperback book so it doesn't split easily. It is something of a tradeoff, but I'll take the better paper with higher clarity diagrams (I'm pretty gentle with the spines of my books).

Frank

[snowlarbear]

what's volume II going to be about?

[JohnG]

Late stages of a tournament.

[snowlarbear]

hmm was wondering that since it's "volume I: strategic play". good thing it's not "volume II: not strategic play".

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi snowlarbear:

Volume II: Endplay

Best wishes,
Mason

[kevyk]

Mason,

I have always thought the paper quality of 2+2 books seemed fine. However, there does seem to be a significant problem with the glue/stitching that holds the pages to the spine of the book. It wears out after a few readings, and I start losing pages. My copies of TOP, HPFAP, and SSH all share this issue. The cover of TOP has come off altogether.

It occurred to me that the spine problem might be related to the discussion of paper quality. It seems to me that the paper may be too stiff to open the book very far without breaking the book's spine.

Perhaps some "floppier" paper? Or (and this is what I would love to see) hardback versions of some of 2+2's "greatest hits?"

Regards,
kevyk

[zerosum]

Mason,

[ QUOTE ]
Perhaps you changed the type of highlighter you are using and that's the problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought of that also, and I tested the theory by using the same highlighter in both books. Yes, I'm still finding items to highlight in HPAP. What can I say, I'm a little fish. I'm sorry to tell you that the difference I described previously is not due to the highlighter.

I should express in clear terms that I view the issues I've presented regarding SSH as minor relative to the significant value of the insights presented. Thanks for publishing SSH.

I hope the Harrington publication is another success for 2P2 Publishing, and I suspect that my SSH copy will turn out to have been nothing more than a left tail outlier on the 2P2 quality control curve.

[cthomer5000]

Has 2+2 given any serious consideration to making books hardcover?

[Rudbaeck]

[ QUOTE ]
Has 2+2 given any serious consideration to making books hardcover?

[/ QUOTE ]

Please use real bindings if you do hardcover, instead of the usual softcover-with-cardboard-on-top that is sold as hardcover these days.

Mmm, real bindings.

[theghost]

If "Endplay" will focus primarily on the final table (will it?), then could this be considered a manual for 1-table SnG tournaments as well?

[deacsoft]

Thanks for the update, Mr Malmuth. I look forward to ordering a copy.

[turnipmonster]

sounds like a great book mason, looking forward to it. how come we haven't had a 10/20 NL hand to talk about?

--turnipmonster

[Blarg]

As far as I'm concerned, a 2+2 book is a reference as much as a read, to be referenced and re-studied countless times, much like a dictionary. I buy dictionaries in hardback and have no problem in doing so; I actually much prefer it. I'd have no problem buying 2+2 books in hardback. Even if the ones I already have wear out and I need to rebuy them, I would do it in hardback if the choice were available.

I didn't hesitate to buy Super/System in hardback either.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't suppose I can go to the printers when its printed and buy a copy of the book early? I live right by Costa Mesa. Worth a shot /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Not unless ya can find someone to bribe. Hmmmmmmmm...... /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Don't suppose I can go to the printers when its printed and buy a copy of the book early? I live right by Costa Mesa. Worth a shot /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Not unless ya can find someone to bribe. Hmmmmmmmm...... /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Or some late night dumpster diving for rejected copies /images/graemlins/blush.gif

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
Please use real bindings if you do hardcover, instead of the usual softcover-with-cardboard-on-top that is sold as hardcover these days.

Mmm, real bindings.

[/ QUOTE ]
Absolutely! You sound as if you know the subject. Book dealer? My only problem with the HC is that for a book I spend a lot of time with and carry with me, they're a bit unwieldy.

[Rudbaeck]

[ QUOTE ]
Absolutely! You sound as if you know the subject. Book dealer? My only problem with the HC is that for a book I spend a lot of time with and carry with me, they're a bit unwieldy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, shared an apartment with a bibliophile ages ago. I got a new appreciation for well made books then.

And a pet peeve (or major psychotic hatred) of mine is things that try to give the illusion of being well made rather than being well made. Adding a strip imitating real binding at the top and bottom of a glued hardback falls squarely in this category.

[Blarg]

Hahah, jeez that sounds cheesy.

[spurgeon]

When is this book going to be in bookstores?

[Billy Zee]

Mr. Harrington is a joy to watch at the table. The article in Cardplayer was very informative. I look forward to the book.

Regards
Billy Zee