Complete Book of Hold'em Poker?

JoeyJoJo Shabadu · #1 04-27-2005, 10:07 AM

Gary Carson's book - The Complete Book of Hold em Poker. I've read and re-read it. Anyone else have an opinion on the book and the content within?

KeyToTheMint · #2 04-27-2005, 10:47 AM

This might be a little biased since I was too advanced for
the book when I read it. However, I think its just a mediocre
work. There is almost nothing said about turn and river play,
so I can see a newbie thinking now what? in the middle of a hand.

With that said, the discussion on bet odds is very clear and good for a beginner.
In low limit games i see very few players with an understanding of this. I also enjoyed the discussion on Mortem's theorm and the chapter on playing for a living.
I have no regrets owning it. It's just its not in the same
league as books like TOP or HEPFAP which I can reread endlessly making me feel like sisyphus.

AKQJ10 · #3 04-27-2005, 05:30 PM

I don't think it's bad, but there's certainly better for beginners. It was the first poker book I bought and I don't really regret it, but I ended up doing the WLLHE -> SSHE progression anyway so I probably could have saved the money.

JoeyJoJo Shabadu · #4 04-28-2005, 09:27 AM

Thanks much. I think it's makes you play a bit loose and chase, is my opinion if you follow it word for word... although it tells you this too in a way. Thanks for the response...except now I have to look up sisyphus [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

The Monk · #5 05-01-2005, 12:35 PM

You can even get something out of a mediocre book. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Seahorse · #6 05-03-2005, 03:40 AM

This book just sucks.

grimel · #7 05-03-2005, 10:20 AM

It's junior high/high school. IMO, makes the Sklansky books easier to follow.

luckybeans · #8 05-03-2005, 10:26 AM

It is a decent book but with the glut of strategy books out there, you can do better. It still has pretty good advice for a beginner.

JohnG · #9 05-03-2005, 02:00 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Gary Carson's book - The Complete Book of Hold em Poker. I've read and re-read it. Anyone else have an opinion on the book and the content within?

[/ QUOTE ]

Prior to SSHE it was probably the best book a relative newbie could read. The only book I knew of that taught you how to think rather than give an ABC what to do approach. It was also the only book I knew of that shared the Abdul/Izmet thinking in loose games. That is why it was so valuable compared to other books. I'd probably recommend it along with the 2 miller books. Excellent book.