As poker theory develops, the field is becoming more abstruse and mathematical; gradually becoming less accessible to the layperson. The Intelligent Poker Player by Philip Newall aims to reverse this trend by presenting a cohesive and sophisticated method of play in plain English. This approach, in principle, can be used to analyze any form of poker, although this book mainly shows applications in the popular forms of limit and no-limit hold 'em. The Intelligent Poker Player is also the first book to discuss the emergent field of artificial poker intelligence - otherwise known as poker robots. The best computers are capable of playing heads-up limit hold 'em at a world class level, and this book deconstructs some interesting features of their play. And finally, professional poker is a risky career choice. So in addition to the strategy chapters which include topics such as ôInformation Hiding,ö ôMiddle Game Concepts,ö and ôNo-Limit Hold 'em: Applications and Extensions,ö the author will show how to mitigate avoidable risks with topics such as ôBankroll Management and Shot Selection,ö ôRisk Preferences,ö ôPsychological Biases,ö ôInvesting,ö and ôPredicting Future Poker Returns.ö Book jacket.
Bob Dancer's real-life video poker successes are legendary, but he's also a world-class teacher. Now, after years of creating the industry standards in video poker reports, strategy cards, and software, Dancer has brought the best book on the subject. Video Poker for the Intelligent Beginner is a how-to-win blueprint for players seeking the fast track to the upper levels of this beatable game. First, you'll master the techniques for finding and identifying the highest-returning games; then you'll learn how to generate, understand, and implement the computer-perfect strategies that yield the ultimate goal: monetary profit Dancer also offers his professional insight regarding the game's many nuances and related considerations--including in-depth coverage of slot clubs, casino promotions, progressives, team play, scouting, and tournaments. PLUS, this is the first book to explain in detail how his powerful Video Poker for Winners software can be employed to solve previously unanswered questions about bankroll needs, promotions analysis, and profit potential.
Limit hold em, while currently not as popular as no-limit hold em, is an extremely interesting game from a theoretical standpoint: The rules are complex enough to allow constant intrigue, yet simple enough to allow computer bots to play the game on an extremely high level. These are important advantages over the two other most commonly played flop games: no-limit hold em and pot-limit Omaha. And yet, all three games share crucial similarities in terms of community cards, game structure, and position. Consequently, these advantages make it the model poker game. This book approaches limit hold em in a rigorous way: using game theory, statistical analysis, and a focus on posing new questions that can produce additional value to your game. Some of the conclusions are provocative and counter-intuitive; providing new ideas for any poker player. While targeted to the dedicated professionals, Further Limit Hold em is accessible to players of all levels, including someone just started in poker. Concepts are woven together and developed from the ground up, while at the same time, you re shown when to forego higher level ideas in favor of simpler and more profitable alternatives.
Bob Dancer is the best known video poker player and writer in the world. In just six years, after coming to Las Vegas with a $6,000 bankroll, Dancer won more than $1 million playing beatable machines. Million Dollar Video Poker recounts the events of those six years, with stories about his meteoric ups and downs, and lessons for players of all skill levels. Video poker is one of those rare casino games that can be beaten by a talented and informed player, and Dancer explains how it's done. Never before has a top video poker professional shared so many of his winning secrets.
The recent boom of Texas hold 'em has forever changed the way the game is played. Many more people know how to play this game well. Even the "loose" players who come to gamble have become far more aggressive, making them more difficult to play against. So a basic tight and patient strategy will no longer guarantee that you can make a significant amount of money in games at the higher stakes. This is especially true short-handed, which have become increasingly popular in the online poker rooms. This text is the first to tackle the complex issues presented when playing short-handed and high-stakes limit hold 'em. But even if you happen to only play in softer games, many of the key concepts presented will still help you against the other good players in your game. Winning in Tough Hold 'em Games includes an examination of pre-flop play, covering issues at a depth of sophistication which have never appeared in print before including discussions of blind stealing, re-stealing, isolating a loose player, big blind and small blind defense, and blind versus blind play. Also covered are thorough sections on playing heads-up post flop and semi-bluffing. In addition, over 50 hands, taken from high stakes online games which were played by "Stoxtrader," are presented along with appropriate discussion of the strategy involved. Book jacket.
What does it take to be a great poker player? It's no secret that masters of poker think differently than ordinary people. In this truly groundbreaking book, Haseeb Qureshi, retired world-class high stakes poker pro and instructor, takes you on a journey of rediscovering the game of poker from the inside out. He explores the depths of strategy, psychology, and philosophy within poker, and teaches you his uniquely scientific perspective on approaching the game. Whether you've read all the books and want to take your game to the next level, or whether you're an amateur wanting to learn what it's all about, this game-changing book is a must-read. In the words of WPT World Champion David Williams, "Haseeb has written an amazing and ground-breaking book. There's truly nothing else like it. An absolute requirement for anyone serious about poker."
First biography of the greatest card player of all time. Stuey Ungar was a true original, a mass of contradictions and a god among gamblers. As a high school dropout, Ungar soon developed a reputation for talent and raw nerve in playing gin. A nonstop gambler he was soon conquering Las Vegas. One of a Kind chronicles Stuey's spectacular rise as the most feared tournament player in poker history to his tragic fall. Compelling and riveting, this is the first ever look at the man behind the legend.
This volume is a collection of recent articles written by David Sklansky that have appeared in various publications including Card Player, Poker World and the Two Plus Two Poker Strategy Magazine. A few have never before appeared in print. Most of the articles are about poker or gambling. However, David has recently branched out into other areas that lend themselves to his unique style of analysis and some of these essays are contained in this book. From the original book, Poker and gaming topics include Being a Favorite, Are Great Players Born? Talent Versus Discipline, The Importance of Position, Never Go Broke, When Time is Not of the Essence, and Is Your Wallet Fat Enough? Life topics include What It Is that Makes an Issue Controversial, Coincidences, Some Thoughts on Dying, Legitimate Grievances, and Crime and Punishment. This expanded addition also contains 32 additional essays, many of which address no-limit hold 'em. Essays for the Expanded Edition include Pros Versu
This text contains essays written from 1991 through early 1996. Topics covered include: General Concepts, Technical Ideas, Structure, Strategic Ideas, In the Cardrooms, Quizzes, Erroneous Concepts, and Something Silly. In addition, advice is offered on handling rushes, moving up, poker skills, simulations, maximizing your expectation, betting when first to act on the river, whether limit hold 'em, should have two or three betting levels, playing the overs, adjusting to the big ante, how to play well, low-limit hold 'em, how many hands you should play early in a tournament, chopping the blinds, cardroom theory, and much more.
A New York Times bestseller • A New York Times Notable Book “The tale of how Konnikova followed a story about poker players and wound up becoming a story herself will have you riveted, first as you learn about her big winnings, and then as she conveys the lessons she learned both about human nature and herself.” —The Washington Post It's true that Maria Konnikova had never actually played poker before and didn't even know the rules when she approached Erik Seidel, Poker Hall of Fame inductee and winner of tens of millions of dollars in earnings, and convinced him to be her mentor. But she knew her man: a famously thoughtful and broad-minded player, he was intrigued by her pitch that she wasn't interested in making money so much as learning about life. She had faced a stretch of personal bad luck, and her reflections on the role of chance had led her to a giant of game theory, who pointed her to poker as the ultimate master class in learning to distinguish between what can be controlled and what can't. And she certainly brought something to the table, including a Ph.D. in psychology and an acclaimed and growing body of work on human behavior and how to hack it. So Seidel was in, and soon she was down the rabbit hole with him, into the wild, fiercely competitive, overwhelmingly masculine world of high-stakes Texas Hold'em, their initial end point the following year's World Series of Poker. But then something extraordinary happened. Under Seidel's guidance, Konnikova did have many epiphanies about life that derived from her new pursuit, including how to better read, not just her opponents but far more importantly herself; how to identify what tilted her into an emotional state that got in the way of good decisions; and how to get to a place where she could accept luck for what it was, and what it wasn't. But she also began to win. And win. In a little over a year, she began making earnest money from tournaments, ultimately totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. She won a major title, got a sponsor, and got used to being on television, and to headlines like "How one writer's book deal turned her into a professional poker player." She even learned to like Las Vegas. But in the end, Maria Konnikova is a writer and student of human behavior, and ultimately the point was to render her incredible journey into a container for its invaluable lessons. The biggest bluff of all, she learned, is that skill is enough. Bad cards will come our way, but keeping our focus on how we play them and not on the outcome will keep us moving through many a dark patch, until the luck once again breaks our way.
