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greatwhite
08-23-2005, 10:47 AM
Am I missing anything by not buying the Zen or Tao poker book? Some people really like them while others say they are useless unless someone needs to be told to avoid tilt.
JTrout
08-23-2005, 12:29 PM
It depends...

If you tilt much...
If you lose focus much...
If you are inexperienced...
If you like the ideas of getting in the proper frame of mind to play....

you may enjoy them.

Light reading. Bathroom material. But they do have a value.
MicroBob
08-23-2005, 12:34 PM
Just be sure to judge them critically as you're reading.

Way too much talk about 'leaving the table before the cards turn cold' or 'don't leave before the cards turn around and you were going to start winning again' and other stuff that seems to pre-suppose that a good playe is supposed to be psychic.


The whole stuff about patience and discipline and avoiding tilt and so forth is worthwhile.
But there are many problems in there too.
Jeebus
08-23-2005, 12:35 PM
if you are interested in philosophy they are mildly entertaining. And they serve the purpose mentioned above me
Rob-L
08-23-2005, 04:30 PM
Zen Buddhism?

What's an out of shape fat man going to tell me about "self discipline"?.
SNOWBALL138
08-23-2005, 05:03 PM
You're thinking Buddha is this guy (http://heim.ifi.uio.no/~janki/china/suzhou-buddha.jpg)

However, I'm pretty sure Buddha is this guy (http://arkbooks.com/images/Links/703-gold-resin-buddha.jpg)

I wouldn't lay more than 1.4:1 on it though.
trying2learn
08-23-2005, 05:10 PM
the zen book (the only one i've read) was helpful to me for sure. but not really from a technical poker perspective - it's much more of a state of mind book.
fingokra
08-23-2005, 05:46 PM
The first is Hotei (or the laughing Buddha) he is one of the Seven Japanese Gods of Luck. The only one who is supposed to have been a real person.
08-24-2005, 08:25 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Light reading. Bathroom material. But they do have a value.

[/ QUOTE ]

This about sums it up. I've only read "Tao" but have found it to be a useful book. It wont help your technical playing but gives some good advice on keeping your head in the game.
helpmeout
08-25-2005, 03:02 AM
if in doubt then buy it
rgschackelford
08-25-2005, 07:01 AM
I have both, and have read most of Zen. I, unfortunately, have not gotten around to reading Tao. Zen can help level you out and is good for clearing your head, as everyone else has said. However, if you're a tournament player, "Tournament Poker and the Art of War" is excellent. That book gives you a killer instinct, and puts stress on the basic balancing act in a NL tournament, which is chip accumulation vs. survival. It repeats this so much that you never lose focus of what the tournament is really about. A great read!

I hope this was of help.

Rusty G.
benkahuna
08-25-2005, 11:41 AM
Yeah, I liked it too. I don't think I'll ever forget that a tournament is about balancing the needs between chip accumulation and survival after reading that book.
mbk808
08-26-2005, 12:10 AM
[ QUOTE ]
You're thinking Buddha is this guy (http://heim.ifi.uio.no/~janki/china/suzhou-buddha.jpg)

However, I'm pretty sure Buddha is this guy (http://arkbooks.com/images/Links/703-gold-resin-buddha.jpg)

I wouldn't lay more than 1.4:1 on it though.

[/ QUOTE ]

I always thought Buddha was this guy (http://www.pokerpages.com/pokerinfo/tournamentgallery/wsop/david-sklansky2001.jpg)
Tk79
08-26-2005, 08:52 PM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You're thinking Buddha is this guy (http://heim.ifi.uio.no/~janki/china/suzhou-buddha.jpg)

However, I'm pretty sure Buddha is this guy (http://arkbooks.com/images/Links/703-gold-resin-buddha.jpg)

I wouldn't lay more than 1.4:1 on it though.

[/ QUOTE ]

I always thought Buddha was this guy (http://www.pokerpages.com/pokerinfo/tournamentgallery/wsop/david-sklansky2001.jpg)

[/ QUOTE ]

Im almost sure that buddha is this guy.
http://littlejudy.blogs.com/littlejudy/images/jamesedwards-thumb.jpg
aflaba
08-28-2005, 08:26 PM
[ QUOTE ]
if in doubt then buy it

[/ QUOTE ]

These are very wise words.
MyTurn2Raise
08-28-2005, 11:27 PM
Helps me find serenity when I hit one of those 100BB downswings.
theghost
08-29-2005, 04:42 PM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
if in doubt then buy it

[/ QUOTE ]

These are very wise words.

[/ QUOTE ]

true. I have Tao and it is a 90 minute read, worthwhile imo. Pay no heed to the superstitious parts though.