'The Tao of Poker' by Larry Phillips

[Al Mirpuri]

I have read and enjoyed 'Zen and the Art of Poker' by Larry Phillips. I think it a classic. It covers the psychological side of poker. It improved my game no end. Yes I'd already read all the standard texts, Sklansky, Caro, etc, and yet this little book could still add to my game.

As you can imagine I was looking forward to 'The Tao of Poker'. I finally got a look at a copy in a bookshop and what a disappointment. Phillips has gone over the same ground with just a little extra (but not enough to get me to buy it).

'Zen and the Art of Poker' was obviously a labour of love. 'The Tao of Poker' is obviously a milch cow. The latter is shoddily written, less passionate than the former, less thematic than the former and trite. Shame.

As poker books go both are quite inexpensive to purchase. Make up your own minds about whether Phillips' latest offering is worth purchasing.

[Al Mirpuri]

I went and purchased it. It is essentially a nuts and bolts approach to staying afloat as a professional poker player. Anyone trying to achieve this will find the book beneficial.

I stand by most of the original remarks I made about this book except that I no longer think it a milch cow. Phillips is not just cashing in, he's helping you cash out a winner.

[AceHigh]

[Mason Malmuth]

[AceHigh]

I liked Zen and the Art of Poker, but this sounded like more of the same. And how many books like that do you need? (1) So I wasn't planning on buying it.

Then I thought, "If Mason gives it a good review...I might have to buy it".