Mastering No Limit Hold'Em Question

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
It makes most of the obvious points, however I think the authors don’t fully understand the topic.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm about a third of the way through it, and my impression so far is that the authors do understand the topic, and do a good job of writing for their target audience.

A throw-away comment like that without examples or foundation is not very meaningful or helpful. If you have found errors in the book, please let us know.


[ QUOTE ]

I am expecting better books covering this subject to be published within the next few months.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am expecting several more advanced books on NLHE over the next few months. That does not negate the value of a good intro text now for those of us just starting to play NLHE cash games.

[binions]

[ QUOTE ]
"I think the authors don’t fully understand the topic"

What is it, exactly, that you imagine we don't understand?

Most people really seem to like it, and if current sales are any indication, a LOT of people like it.

scottro

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I bought the book, and I didn't find one useful idea. Sorry. I was hoping to like it, but I found it superficial and confused.

So, if you go by sales count, you are counting me even though I would endorse several books before this one.

PS How long have the authors actually played NLHE? I thought one of them was quoted not too long ago as just recently having played it in earnest. If true, it would make sense.

[Piers]

On page 11 you say

[ QUOTE ]
Here you must decide your buy-in amount. We strongly recommend you buy-in for the maximum.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is terrible advice for a new player. For the best couple of players at the table yes but for a beginner it just ensures they will loose their money quickly. I quoted GSIH as they explain this point very well.

You go on to say

[ QUOTE ]
Second if you purchase the minimum number of chips you will be relatively short stacked. Why put yourself at a disadvantage when you don’t have to.


[/ QUOTE ]

I cannot believe any one who understands no limit hold’em could believe these things..

[scottro77]

If you already knew everything in this book, then you obviously were not the target audience. Still, I find it hard to believe that you didn't pick up anything useful. I apologize if you were disappointed. You're certainly in the minority.

We've both been playing NLHE for quite a while, but until recently, the games were hard to come by, even online. So of course, we, like most players, have only recently begun playing the game a lot more.

honestly though, nothing I say is going to change your mind about the book. We are all entitled to our opinions. something tells me, however, that you're going to praise the next 2+2 NLHE book up and down. I'm sure I'll like it as well, though, as I do almost every 2+2 book.

Scott Harker

[MCS]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, I bought the book, and I didn't find one useful idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't think the preflop play section was a useful one? Personally, I don't think I've ever seen any starting hand charts for NLHE, even though they're very common (and endlessly debated) for LHE.

So I would argue that the starting hand chart is very useful.

Yes, I know NLHE is all situational and blah blah blah. I've think that's often a copout way to avoid talking about any specific ideas, so I was glad to see something concrete.

[KingMarc]

For the record, I'd like to say I enjoyed the appendix with play by play of the 8 hour session. Solid read which was worth $15 alone.

[binions]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Well, I bought the book, and I didn't find one useful idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't think the preflop play section was a useful one? Personally, I don't think I've ever seen any starting hand charts for NLHE, even though they're very common (and endlessly debated) for LHE.

So I would argue that the starting hand chart is very useful.

Yes, I know NLHE is all situational and blah blah blah. I've think that's often a copout way to avoid talking about any specific ideas, so I was glad to see something concrete.

[/ QUOTE ]

blah blah blah?

If you believe starting hand charts are more useful than paying attention to who has entered the pot, what kind of players are behind you, what your image is, etc, then I am sure you learned quite a few things from this book.

As for me, if I have a deep stack (as the authors suggest you play), and another deep stack enters the pot in front of me where I'll have position on them, my starting hand requirements get VERY loose unless I have a very aggressive player (or two) yet to act on my left.

See why?

[scottro77]

[ QUOTE ]
If you believe starting hand charts are more useful than paying attention to who has entered the pot, what kind of players are behind you, what your image is, etc, then I am sure you learned quite a few things from this book.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you honestly feel this way, I have to question your claim of even reading the book. The whole section on position is based on a matrix of factors such as who has entered the pot before you, how many limpers, raises or calls came before you, what types of players are in the hand or yet to act, etc., etc., etc. It's not so much of a hand chart as it is a guide to help you decide how to play every hand. It's not presented as a cookie-cutter formula as you seem to suggest.

Scott Harker

[MCS]

[ QUOTE ]
If you believe starting hand charts are more useful than paying attention to who has entered the pot, what kind of players are behind you, what your image is, etc, then I am sure you learned quite a few things from this book.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not the claim that I made at all. You said you "didn't find one useful idea," which seems implausible at best. So I pointed out that having some kind of organization of preflop ideas for NLHE is a very useful thing, and you shouldn't dismiss the book as entirely useless.

[ QUOTE ]
As for me, if I have a deep stack (as the authors suggest you play), and another deep stack enters the pot in front of me where I'll have position on them, my starting hand requirements get VERY loose unless I have a very aggressive player (or two) yet to act on my left.

See why?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I understand. I also know the difference in deep- and shallow-money play.

But the book is written for small-stakes games, which often don't even ALLOW you to buy in for any kind of deep stack. So I think that it's a logical approach to assume your stack isn't so big.

Furthermore, I would argue that the authors did take situational factors into account at least somewhat.

How would you have handled preflop play if you wrote a book? Just write "It all depends?" This is why I think that the preflop section contains >0 useful ideas.

[vabogee]

does anybody actually like this book?