mdlm
02-04-2003, 01:40 PM
Mason Malmuth has written many informative, witty, and caustic book reviews. He rates each book on a scale of 1 (worst) to 10 (best). Many of these reviews are available at www.seriouspoker.com. (http://www.seriouspoker.com.)
I took a look at the book reviews that are available on this site and have jotted down the ones that Mason rates a 9 or a 10. I excluded 2+2 books.
A list of all of the books that Mason rates 9 or 10 follows. (Please note that this list may not be a complete list of all non-2+2 books that Mason rates a 9 or 10 because the Serious Poker site may not have all of his reviews. It’s also possible that I might have missed a review or two.)
Super/System by Brunson
Mason’s rating: 10
Mason says that “Most serious poker players, myself include, will literally wear the covers off their copies.”
I do not have this book and do not plan to purchase it because the book does not discuss the limit hold ‘em structure that is used today.
Poker Strategy: Winning With Game Theory by Nesmith Ankeny
Mason’s rating: 9
Mason says: “This is an excellent book on draw poker passed on a game-theory approach.”
I have this book and like the thinking that went into it. However, I have not found any online games that exactly match the structure described in the book. But I plan to look more closely at the thought process and will try to develop something similar for hold ‘em (provided that I get to Phase 2).
Winning Poker Systems by Norman Zadeh
Mason’s rating: 9
Mason says: “Absolutely must reading for all serious players.”
Norm Zadeh is the son of Lofti Zadeh who is a professor at UC Berkeley and the inventor of fuzzy logic. During the 1990s (and possibly today) Norm Zadeh lived in Beverly Hills (zip code: 90210) and ran a hedge fund. I have this book and it has sections on draw poker, stud (several different types including five card, seven card, and high-low), and lowball.
The Mike Caro Reports by Mike Caro
Mason’s rating: various (there are several reports and Mason has given a 9 or 10 to at least one of them)
Mason says: “As of this writing, Mike Caro has issue six professional-level reports: Caro's Advanced Strategies for Draw Poker (10), which includes both high draw and lowball; Caro's Professional Hold'em Report (3); Caro's Professional Seven-Stud Report (7); Caro's Poker Plan 3 (7), which is on the psychology of poker; 11 Days to 7-Stud Success (7); and 12 Days to Hold'em Success (8). All of these reports should be read by the serious player.”
I do not have any of these reports. The Draw Poker Report, which Mason rates a 10, might be interesting reading in conjunction with the Ankeny book listed above.
Poker Faces by David Hayano
Mason’s rating: 9
Mason writes: “A fascinating account of the lives and experiences of professional card players written by a top player. The book won't help you play better…”
I don’t have this book but may get it and read it for fun if I get to Phase 2.
Mike Caro’s Fundamental Secrets of Poker
Mason’s rating: 9
Mason writes: “At the very least, this book will give you a lot to think about, and at best, it definitely will improve your game.”
I do not have this book but will get it if and when I get to Phase 2.
That’s it! Those are all of Mason’s non-2+2 book reviews that I could find on the Serious Poker web site in which he gave a book a rating of 9 or 10.
There were two things that surprised me about this list. First, Roy Cooke’s books are not on it. I think this might simply be because Mason’s reviews of Cooke’s books are not available on Serious Poker. I do know that Mason and Sklansky hold Cooke in high regard (relative to other non-2+2 authors). Second, Mason seems to like Caro who I thought was a con.
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Comments on Comments
Loren asked where Mason refers to WLLH as a “marginal work.” He did so in response to JTG51’s original post on WLLH’s starting hand advice. Finding historical posts on 2+2 is very difficult but you can try finding it by looking at all of JTG51’s posts. If you have difficulty locating it, send me a PM.
Several people gave me advice on replacing the PokerPages goal. I had hoped to use metaname’s strategy a few more times over the past week but I wasn’t able to do so. I’m still thinking about things but no matter what I choose it will be difficult to accomplish since I have only two months to do it.
Angelo Alba asked the excellent question: “How do you beat Lee Jones?” I do not know the answer (although this is something that I will address in Phase 2 if I get to it) but I’m pretty sure that playing aggressively is enough. This is the same answer that Pudley4 gave. Remember that on the flop Jones folds unless he has top pair or a good draw. So if you are UTG and raise with anything (including 27) and then bet out on the flop (no matter what it is) I think that is a positive EV play. In any case, an anti-Jones strategy should be fully worked out.
Pudley4 gave up on the issue of river bets. I think the fair thing to do here is to give me 1/3 of a point (for a refinement/clarification). At minimum I think it’s clear that Jones is extremely unclear on this point. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
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Goal Update
This past week, I spent approximately 16 hours on poker: 6 hours on 2+2, 3 hours talking with Dynasty, Clarkmeister and other 2+2ers in Las Vegas, 1 hour in the Gambler’s Book Club in LV, and 6 hours talking with a friend about poker.
This past week I spent $21.40 on Fundamentals of Winning Poker (Malmuth, Loomis) and Killer Poker (Vorhaus). I have spent a total of $466.43 out of my $1000 budget.
An update on each of the four goals (which are to be accomplished by 3/30/03):
1. Read and study Jones’ “Winning Low Limit Hold ’Em”
I have confirmed 2 1/3 out of the three points I need to achieve this goal. A point (flush draw value bet) is pending an analysis of 10,000 hands.
2. Beat Acespade
Goal Completed on 11/5/02.
Over a period of 100 hours (3600 hands) I beat Acespade’s best lineup at the rate of over 4 BB/hr.
3. Beat Masque World Series of Poker
Goal Completed on 11/17/02
4. PokerPages 85% rating in one calendar month playing 20 tournaments
I have not played any tournaments this month, but hope to do better this month than I have in the past four months by following metaname’s strategy.
I took a look at the book reviews that are available on this site and have jotted down the ones that Mason rates a 9 or a 10. I excluded 2+2 books.
A list of all of the books that Mason rates 9 or 10 follows. (Please note that this list may not be a complete list of all non-2+2 books that Mason rates a 9 or 10 because the Serious Poker site may not have all of his reviews. It’s also possible that I might have missed a review or two.)
Super/System by Brunson
Mason’s rating: 10
Mason says that “Most serious poker players, myself include, will literally wear the covers off their copies.”
I do not have this book and do not plan to purchase it because the book does not discuss the limit hold ‘em structure that is used today.
Poker Strategy: Winning With Game Theory by Nesmith Ankeny
Mason’s rating: 9
Mason says: “This is an excellent book on draw poker passed on a game-theory approach.”
I have this book and like the thinking that went into it. However, I have not found any online games that exactly match the structure described in the book. But I plan to look more closely at the thought process and will try to develop something similar for hold ‘em (provided that I get to Phase 2).
Winning Poker Systems by Norman Zadeh
Mason’s rating: 9
Mason says: “Absolutely must reading for all serious players.”
Norm Zadeh is the son of Lofti Zadeh who is a professor at UC Berkeley and the inventor of fuzzy logic. During the 1990s (and possibly today) Norm Zadeh lived in Beverly Hills (zip code: 90210) and ran a hedge fund. I have this book and it has sections on draw poker, stud (several different types including five card, seven card, and high-low), and lowball.
The Mike Caro Reports by Mike Caro
Mason’s rating: various (there are several reports and Mason has given a 9 or 10 to at least one of them)
Mason says: “As of this writing, Mike Caro has issue six professional-level reports: Caro's Advanced Strategies for Draw Poker (10), which includes both high draw and lowball; Caro's Professional Hold'em Report (3); Caro's Professional Seven-Stud Report (7); Caro's Poker Plan 3 (7), which is on the psychology of poker; 11 Days to 7-Stud Success (7); and 12 Days to Hold'em Success (8). All of these reports should be read by the serious player.”
I do not have any of these reports. The Draw Poker Report, which Mason rates a 10, might be interesting reading in conjunction with the Ankeny book listed above.
Poker Faces by David Hayano
Mason’s rating: 9
Mason writes: “A fascinating account of the lives and experiences of professional card players written by a top player. The book won't help you play better…”
I don’t have this book but may get it and read it for fun if I get to Phase 2.
Mike Caro’s Fundamental Secrets of Poker
Mason’s rating: 9
Mason writes: “At the very least, this book will give you a lot to think about, and at best, it definitely will improve your game.”
I do not have this book but will get it if and when I get to Phase 2.
That’s it! Those are all of Mason’s non-2+2 book reviews that I could find on the Serious Poker web site in which he gave a book a rating of 9 or 10.
There were two things that surprised me about this list. First, Roy Cooke’s books are not on it. I think this might simply be because Mason’s reviews of Cooke’s books are not available on Serious Poker. I do know that Mason and Sklansky hold Cooke in high regard (relative to other non-2+2 authors). Second, Mason seems to like Caro who I thought was a con.
==>
Comments on Comments
Loren asked where Mason refers to WLLH as a “marginal work.” He did so in response to JTG51’s original post on WLLH’s starting hand advice. Finding historical posts on 2+2 is very difficult but you can try finding it by looking at all of JTG51’s posts. If you have difficulty locating it, send me a PM.
Several people gave me advice on replacing the PokerPages goal. I had hoped to use metaname’s strategy a few more times over the past week but I wasn’t able to do so. I’m still thinking about things but no matter what I choose it will be difficult to accomplish since I have only two months to do it.
Angelo Alba asked the excellent question: “How do you beat Lee Jones?” I do not know the answer (although this is something that I will address in Phase 2 if I get to it) but I’m pretty sure that playing aggressively is enough. This is the same answer that Pudley4 gave. Remember that on the flop Jones folds unless he has top pair or a good draw. So if you are UTG and raise with anything (including 27) and then bet out on the flop (no matter what it is) I think that is a positive EV play. In any case, an anti-Jones strategy should be fully worked out.
Pudley4 gave up on the issue of river bets. I think the fair thing to do here is to give me 1/3 of a point (for a refinement/clarification). At minimum I think it’s clear that Jones is extremely unclear on this point. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
==>
Goal Update
This past week, I spent approximately 16 hours on poker: 6 hours on 2+2, 3 hours talking with Dynasty, Clarkmeister and other 2+2ers in Las Vegas, 1 hour in the Gambler’s Book Club in LV, and 6 hours talking with a friend about poker.
This past week I spent $21.40 on Fundamentals of Winning Poker (Malmuth, Loomis) and Killer Poker (Vorhaus). I have spent a total of $466.43 out of my $1000 budget.
An update on each of the four goals (which are to be accomplished by 3/30/03):
1. Read and study Jones’ “Winning Low Limit Hold ’Em”
I have confirmed 2 1/3 out of the three points I need to achieve this goal. A point (flush draw value bet) is pending an analysis of 10,000 hands.
2. Beat Acespade
Goal Completed on 11/5/02.
Over a period of 100 hours (3600 hands) I beat Acespade’s best lineup at the rate of over 4 BB/hr.
3. Beat Masque World Series of Poker
Goal Completed on 11/17/02
4. PokerPages 85% rating in one calendar month playing 20 tournaments
I have not played any tournaments this month, but hope to do better this month than I have in the past four months by following metaname’s strategy.