Re: Book Advice
 

Contrary to the generally accepted notion around here, WLLHE is NOT weak tight.

Re: Book Advice
 

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Contrary to the generally accepted notion around here, WLLHE is NOT weak tight.

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It seems like it is to me, but I have no problem with that. The author does make a big point (i.e. assumption) that low limit games are filled with unknowledgeable/unaware opponents. Oftentimes it doesn't matter too much to vary play. But then again, it has been awhile since I've looked at this book.

Why do you not think the book is rather weak tight?

Re: Book Advice
 

If you look at the book in terms of the games it is tailored for, I just don't see how it can be considered weak-tight. The book stresses tight-aggressive play preflop. Post-flop, the book says to slow down if the board looks dangerous and you are up against multiple opponents, and this is where I think it gets its (unwarranted) weak-tight rap here on 2+2. It doesn't say to automatically check-fold if there are overcards to your pocket pair, of if the board looks scary. It simply says be prepared to slow down and cut your losses depending on the action you see on the flop. The idiots (err, opponents) you see at most low limit tables are usually straightforward and will pretty much tell you by their action whether they outflopped you or if you are still ahead.
For the games this book is written for, it lays out what I believe to be the best and most prudent strategy.

Now for mid limit games with trickier opponents, I agree the book could be considered weak-tight. But these are not the games that WLLHE is intended for.

Re: Book Advice
 

harrington on hold em is the best nl book on the market. it is great for tourneys and you can even apply much of it to cash games. if i was only going to read ONE book, this would be it. interestly enought super systems 2 nl section written by db is still good for cash games, provided you can figure out what doyle was trying to say (writing lacks clarity). but harrington is the clear choice.

yes, middle limit hold em is worth reading - it is a terrific book.

Re: Book Advice
 

is middle limit hold em a book for no-limit or limit games?

Re: Book Advice
 

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is middle limit hold em a book for no-limit or limit games?

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It's actually written for limit ring, but is probably more applicable to no limit.

Re: Book Advice
 

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For the games this book is written for, it lays out what I believe to be the best and most prudent strategy.

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It might be a prudent strategy, but it's pretty far from best. In these exact games I play SSH (as close as by the book as I can manage) and I win much, much more than I ever did while playing WLLH. If anything I think I played closer to the book in my early WLLH phase than I do now.

I think you'll find tons of other posters here with exactly the same experience.

WLLH keeps newbies out of trouble. Unfortunately these trouble spots are where alot of money is made.

Re: Book Advice
 

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WLLH keeps newbies out of trouble. Unfortunately these trouble spots are where alot of money is made.

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That's probably why I think the book is decent. For a complete newbie to hold 'em, it's a good idea to play it safe and get some experience at the tables. Perhaps I'm wrong about it's weak-tight nature, but when I read it some time ago it certainly had that smell to me.

The book also seemed to be lacking advice on fourth and fifth streets, but I suppose that the novice player has to worry about more basic things like hand selection preflop, considering position, etc.

The one thing I think this book has over SSH is that it is a shorter book. Some people new to the game might appreciate conciseness over completeness. Once a good/decent basic foundation is laid, the student can move over to the more complete and better work. I guess this is kinda like taking physics 100 in college before moving onto a calculus-based physics. :-)

Regards,
Wally

Re: Book Advice
 

ITH is way better biginner book for low limit holdem than WLLH

Re: Book Advice
 

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That's probably why I think the book is decent. For a complete newbie to hold 'em, it's a good idea to play it safe and get some experience at the tables.
...
The one thing I think this book has over SSH is that it is a shorter book. Some people new to the game might appreciate conciseness over completeness.

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Comparing it to SSH is kinda pointless, SSH is an intermediate-advanced small stakes book. WLLH is what you give to someone who has yet to play his first hand of hold'em. It's like comparing basic trigonometry with multivariate calculus.