Sit n Go Holdem Poker.com

For All You Book Worms

Hi Everyone!  Here is a post provided by my friends at PokerListings.com.  This one deals with the subject of poker education.  Poker self-education, that is.  Reading books.  As you can see at my website, I'm big into reading poker books.  I own 100's.  And, have read almost as many.  Poker is a fascinating subject.  And, the body of knowledge is growing daily.  So, check out their links below.  They provide tons of great information.

"In the editor’s pick section at PokerListings.com you will find lots of tips on poker books that will help you improve your poker game. There are also tips on poker DVDs, poker software, poker equipment, and much more in the editor’s pick section. When you start out playing poker, books are very helpful. “Poker for Dummies” by Richard Harroch and Lou Krieger is perfect for the absolute beginner. It starts with very basic poker rules and hand rankings for the novice players, and goes on from there. More advanced player should read David Sklansky’s “Theory of Poker” instead. It’s an in-depth study of the game of poker, and if you master and understand all the concepts described in the book you have definitely come a long way."

When you visit the PokerListings site, you will find a Newsletter subscription box.  Be sure to Sign Up, it is one of the best.

R. Steve McCollum  (rstevemccollum)  www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement."  ~Cowboy Proverb

Copyright 2007-2008  SitnGoHoldemPoker.com.  All rights reserved.

Poker Book Review: The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky

Is it my imagination, or does a poker book that was published before the Internet even existed show up on every recommended reading list?  It is true.  And, for good reason.  The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky is the seminal work on the subject.  If you are just starting as a player, or if your poker foundation is a little shaky, read this book first.

Here are a few reasons why Sklansky's book is in it's umpteenth printing:

1)  The Fundamental Theorem of Poker.  Pages 17-18. 

2)  "As a pot gets larger and larger, you nearly always want to win it instantly."  Page 71.

3)  "Both the semi-bluff and betting a marginal hand rather than risking giving a worse hand a free card are cases of the general precept that it is usually better to be betting than calling."  Page 97.

4)  "Frequently the best play against a possible semi-bluff is to fold, especially when the pot is small."  Page 105.

5)  "As the pot gets larger and larger, it becomes less and less important to disguise your big hands and more and more important to get even more money in the pot."  Page 122.

6)  "In a tight game...you loosen up on bluffs and semi-bluffs, but you tighten up on your legitimate hands."  Page 152.

7)  "You prefer having the loose, aggressive player in the game sitting to your right and the tight, conservative player to your left."  Page 161.

Just about all the basic knowledge you will need is in this book.  I suspect that there are millions of other players who would agree.

R. Steve McCollum  (rstevemccollum)  www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement."  ~Cowboy Proverb

Copyright 2007 SitnGoHoldemPoker.com.  All rights reserved.

Brand New Poker Books Package Deal

Hurry!  Act now!  And, be the first kid on your block to own these brand new poker books!

1)  How to Beat Sit 'n' Go Poker Tournaments by Timothy Neil.  Available 3-11-08.  List price $14.95.  Current price $10.17.  The fourth in a recent series of Sit n Go books.

2)  The Poker Tournament Formula II: Advanced Strategies by Arnold Snyder.  Available 5-13-07.  List price $19.95.  Current price $13.57.  The second installment of Snyder's Formula books.

3)  Your Best Poker Friend: Increase Your Mental Edge and Maximize Your Profits by Alan N. Schoonmaker.  Available 11-27-07.  List price $15.95.  Current price $10.85.  Schoonmaker's third book.

4)  Every Hand Revealed by Gus Hansen.  Available 4-29-08.  List & current price $15.95.  Hansen's first book.

All kidding aside, this is a great package of books to preorder now.  Here is what you get:

The books are usually shipped when available.  That means you get them first, individually, over the next several months.  But, since they are all ordered together, and the total exceeds $25, there is no shipping charge.  And, there is no sales tax.  Plus, there is a 5% discount for preordering.  Further, if the price falls prior to shipment, you get that discount, too.  As you can see, 3 of the 4 books have already had reductions off the list price, and there could be more.  The total for the 4 books, less all discounts, is $48.01.  The total amount is broken up to be based upon actual book shipment.  So, there could be 4 payments spread over several months.

This really is a great book deal.  But, you need to act quickly.  Your Best Poker Friend, is due to be released on 11-27-07.  So, there isn't much time.

R. Steve McCollum  (rstevemccollum)  www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement."  ~Cowboy Proverb

Copyright 2007 SitnGoHoldemPoker.com.  All rights reserved.

Poker Book Review: Hold'em Wisdom For All Players by Daniel Negreanu

Daniel Negreanu is one of my favorite poker authors.  I have been reading (and saving) every one of his weekly newspaper poker columns for two or three years.  He has a gift for communicating all things poker.  I was afraid that his book, Hold'em Wisdom for all Players, would just be a rehash of those columns.  I was wrong.

Daniel serves up 50 pithy chapters of poker wisdom.  Regardless of your level of poker expertise, there is something here for you.  Here are a few zingers that I really liked.

1)  "More often than not, the tells you're looking for come from reading your opponents' betting patterns."  Page 28.

2)  "Don't show your cards when squaring off against great players."  Page 36.

3)  "As a rule, proceed cautiously if a weak player calls you on the flop."  Page 39.

4)  "If you bluff a bad player you then become one."  Page 39.

5)  "If your standard raise of five times the big blind is more than 30% of your total stack, then just go ahead and move all in."  Page 45.

6)  "A pot-sized bet and a bet of approximately one-half the pot will yield about the same information."  Page 53.

7)  "So ideally, as a short stack, you want to avoid stealing blinds entirely."  Page 60.

8)  "When there are short stacks in the blinds, be very aggressive and raise with a wide variety of hands."  Page 90.

9)  "No-limit Texas hold'em specifically is a game of implied odds, meaning that you are looking to make small investments early in the hand in the hopes that it will pay off big time later on."  Page 99.

Daniel is simply too young to be so wise.  But, that is a good thing.  Think what he will be writing thirty years from now.

R. Steve McCollum  (rstevemccollum)  www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." ~Cowboy Proverb

Copyright 2007 SitnGoHoldemPoker.com.  All rights reserved.

Poker Book Review: Killer Poker Short-Handed by John Vorhaus and Tony Guerrera

One of my favorite poker authors has joined forces with a math whiz to bring us Killer Poker Shorthanded by John Vorhaus and Tony Guerrera.

If you play in single table Sit n Go tournaments, this book really is for you (us).  The Turbo STT is my game of choice.  And, this book delivered just what I was needing.  As you know, in an STT most of the hands you play will be at a short table, six and fewer players. 

Here are a few of their important pointers:

1)  "The winning player in a three-handed game is thus the one who uses the power of the button most effectively."  Page 4.

2)  "When you change gears gradually, you increase your EV incrementally.  When you change gears radically, you destabilize the table."  Page 75.

3)  "What you really want to know in NLHE is how often a foe folds to a bet on the flop."  Page 88.

4)  "A loose caller is not necessarily a loose bettor."  Page 109.

5)  "Loose raisers aren't necessarily loose callers."  Page 132.

6)  "Play small pots out of position and large pots in position."  Page134.

Plus much more, including a great section on heads-up play.

Regardless of the style of tournament you play (STT or MTT), in the end you must be a skillful short-handed player to win.  This book provides clear, winning instructions.

R. Steve McCollum  (rstevemccollum)  www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." - Cowboy Proverb

Copyright 2007 SitnGoHoldemPoker.com.  All rights reserved.

Poker Book Review: Mastering No-Limit Hold'em by Russell Fox & Scott T. Harker

Although written for the small blind, fixed buy-in, live game, Mastering No-Limit Hold'em by Russell Fox & Scott T. Harker is a useful resource for the on-line Sit n Go tournament player.  The authors, who are both experienced and successful players, combine their knowledge to offer a uniquely comprehensive book.

Here are a few of their thoughts that have special significance for Sit n Go players.

1)  "We have found that the most noticeable tendency of tired players is for them to make bad decisions."  Page 15.

2)  "We suggest tight, straightforward play against a maniac."  Page 17.

3)  "It is far superior in no-limit to be the aggressor, especially when short-stacked."  Page 18.

4)  "Indeed, it is important to remember that people act based on their perception of reality, not the reality itself."  Page 23.

5)  "Less common is the occasion to move all-in before the flop when no one has yet raised.  This play is usually made out of the blinds to win a large amount of blind/limp money already in the pot."  Page 45.

Unique to their book is a Matrix discussion that advises starting hands for every position and practically every situation.  These lessons alone are worth the price of the book.  And, in many cases can be directly adapted for Sit n Go play.

This book is a valuable resource, offering many basic and insightful no-limit playing tips.

R. Steve McCollum  (rstevemccollum)  www.sitngoholdempoker.com

"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement." - Cowboy Proverb

Copyright 2007 SitnGoHoldemPoker.com.  All rights reserved.