Anyone read? : Beyond Tells by James McKenna, PhD

bitznbytz · #1 05-30-2005, 01:06 PM

Saw this book at Borders the past weekend. Didn't have time for more than a cursory glance. Seemed like it was a blend of Caro's Book of Tells and The Psychology of Poker.

Anyone familiar with the author or this publication? Worth a closer look?
Link to the book on Amazon

fnord_too · #2 05-30-2005, 01:31 PM

I just picked this up today and was going to ask the same question. In the intro I read in the book store he mentions Sklansky (favorably). I'll let you know what I think when I get around to reading it.

mosquito · #3 05-30-2005, 05:08 PM

I skimmed a few chapters the other day.

2005 copyright, but was written before POP.

Saw a few truly awful things, and some that
looked interesting.

Don't intend to buy in short term.

sethypooh21 · #4 05-30-2005, 08:35 PM

Reading it right now, though just started. Will let you know in a few days.

Kama45 · #5 06-08-2005, 06:11 AM

I purchased this on a blind buy. After reading the first few chapters and skimming the rest of the book, I wish I was blind.

Derek in NYC · #6 06-08-2005, 09:04 AM

I ordered the book, and will read it when it arrives. Honestly, the whole area of opponent psychology is inadequately covered in the literature in my opinion. In addition to the obvious ones like Caro's book and POP, I have bought a number of oddball books such as Profiling Poker Nitwits, Poker Sex & Dying, and now this one. Because the literature is so limited, Im willing to accept some thin content, so long as a book can impart a single helpful insight. Conly's book, for example, although it has been panned by many here, actually contained a few useful points such as profiling an opponent by the type of watch he wears. It's a very imperfect indicator, but in my experience, a guy who sits down with a lot of bling bling does tend to play more loosely at any given stakes. I'll tell you what I think of the McKenna book when I finish it.

avatar77 · #7 06-12-2005, 10:59 PM

I just picked up this book today and am looking forward to reading it. The intro does credit Caro and Sklansky for their works. It also states that the content was written before the release of POP so it should be very different approach to tells than both Caro's and Schoonmaker's.
I have to agree with Derek.
This subject is not covered nearly enough as other topics in poker yet it is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of poker.