Book Description
Poker demands many skills and strategies. To be successful, you must be able to master all of them and then apply them at the appropriate times. They include proper hand selection, appropriate aggression, bluffing, semi-bluffing, understanding tells and telegraphs, choosing the right games, and reading hands. These skills do not come easily since they require unnatural actions. You cannot win just by "doing what comes naturally." This book does not provide strategic advice; you should get it from other Two Plus Two books. Dr. Schoonmaker is concerned only with the way that psychological factors affect your own and your opponents' ability to play properly.
For example, have you ever wondered why some players seem extremely aggressive while others are passive? Why some are tight and others loose? Furthermore, have you ever wondered why some tactics seem to come naturally to you while others don't?
This text will answer many of these questions. It will explain why you and your opponents play the way you do. Many people know how to play properly, but play poorly. Simply learning strategy does not mean that you will apply it properly.
The author also suggests strategic adjustments that you should make to improve your results against different kinds of players, and he suggests personal adjustments that will help you to play better and enjoy the game more.
Customer Reviews:
A Poor Effort at a Poorly Covered Topic.......2007-06-20
Virtually everything that addresses the presumptive subject of the book, namely "the psychology of poker", is good stuff that I haven't been able to find elsewhere. Getting into your motivations and the motivations of your opponents in particular is helpful. Some of the stuff is covered in other material on "tells", but Schoonmaker goes into more detail about the general psychology and less into the specific observable mechanics.
However, Schoonmaker is extremely annoying in several ways. He repeatedly derides GREAT PLAYERS (not by name) for being morons who just happen to be tremendously gifted. Again and again he says he doesn't want you to be a great player, he just wants you to grind out a little more edge. The inadequacy complex he displays is an interesting psychological study in and of itself.
He says he's not going to try to teach you to play poker, but unfortunately he doesn't stick to that promise. Some of the advice is actually quite good, especially how to adjust to different players (in limit games, though it's mostly applicable to NL). Some of it is just the whinings of a gutless player. Some of it comes from a much weaker theoretical framework than you would expect. In particular, he claims that "all maniacs are heavy losers" and recommends that players use the absolute tightest and most aggressive style possible. He calls these players "Stone Killers" which I assume is some sort of 60s slang. I will briefly explain why this is not the case. Imagine the most tight aggressive player possible - always raises with "the nuts" and check/folds everything else. Does that sound like a Stone Killer to you?
In defense of the author, for most limit players getting tighter and more aggressive equals an automatic improvement in their game. So generally his advice is sound, even if his theoretical understanding of the concepts is flawed. Also, despite how whiny he comes off, virtually every player would benefit by concentrating on the hundreds of mundane decisions that are made every session rather than the one "great play" opportunity that we might see a Phil Ivey make on YouTube.
In total the book is a bit of a mash of psychological material which is helpful to experienced players and play advice which is suited to uninformed players (who would benefit more from reading a book on strategy). With some inferiority complex ramblings mixed in. If you don't mind being herded into becoming a tight aggressive limit player this may actually be the book for you.
I don't know of a book that is as good on the psychological topics without the downside of this book, but I'm going to keep looking.
Not your average poker book.......2007-05-16
This book is great in that it focuses not so much on the game of poker i.e. odds statistics etc but rather it makes the reader review and refresh the reason that they are playing the game in the first place and also encourages you to ask those questions about the people you're playing with.
To get the most out of this book you have to want to focus on the way you play and your weaknesses and strengths.
Patronising.......2007-03-16
I wasn't a fan of this book.
The author is not a great player, and freely admits this himself on more than one occasion, yet that doesn't stop him persistently patronising the reader with "I'm not great and neither are you", "I can't do this and neither can you", "The pros can do this but you can't" etc. etc.
He even has the nerve to say you MUST play tight aggressive in order to be a winning player, just because he is not a skilled enough player to win money using a less safe style of play.
He doesn't offer the insight that other writers offer in other top-selling poker books with the purpose of improving your game, he ties you down to a bunch of third-rate ideas about analysing what might be motivating a player, when if you're playing against anyone even halfway good they're only ever motivated by playing winning poker.
I felt insulted by the tone of this book, and the author who I would love to bust for as much money as possible.
If you have any poker talent at all, any real skills, any winning results, any self-belief, and any ambitions to improve and take your game to new levels don't read this book cos it will insult you too.
If you are an unskilled player, who is forced to play the tight-aggressive style as a safety net to make up for lack of game, and you play poker with other players who aren't any good either, then give this book a look and suffer the author's persistent attempts to drag you down to his level.
2+2 publishing have produced some classic books from some superb player/authors, but this is not one of them.
The classic of this genre. .......2007-02-03
This is one of the first books on the psychology of poker and one of the most widely read. Schoonmaker divides players into four general groups: loose passive players, loose aggressive, tight passive, and tight aggressive players. Extreme and nominal versions of each type are also discussed, as are the ways to identify each type. The theme of the book is to decide what type of player your opponents are and then to play accordingly. There is also a section on ways to identify what type of player you are and ways to minimize the weaknesses associated with your type of playing.
This is one of those books that is best suited to beginning players because more experienced players have probably developed a similar system on their own. The experienced player will, however, also benefit from the book as it is so widely read that it will tell him how his opponents view the game. Thus, even if you an experienced player who does not agree with Schoonmaker, you should read this book to learn what others may know and try to apply against
"The Inner Game of Poker".......2007-01-16
Once you've read all the endlessly repetitive how-to's and studied the probability charts, starting hands, yada yada yada, this is your next step. Schoonmaker, a practicing psychologist who also plays a mean game of poker, has written a book that describes the motivations behind WHY people play poker. The various "types" he describes are those we've seen in varying degrees at every table, and his insights guide you toward infusing your own game with the basic glimmerings of playing the people, not just the cards. He also insists on a ruthless self-assessment, convincingly arguing that the penalty for ignoring one's own short-comings leads to leaks that will cost a player considerable money in the short and long run.
This is a book that indirectly explains why Sammy Farha can get away with playing 9 2 suited against a raise, because it works at taking the mysticism out of intuition and makes awareness a replicable skill.
Like Harrington's volume III workbook, this text offers interactive quizzes and charts that provide opportunities for self-examination that will inevitably lead to self-discipline and discovery. Highly recommended for the intermediate to advanced player of both cash and tournament games.
Book Description
Poker is more than just a card game—it can also help you become a winner away from the gaming tables!
By blending the life lessons of a time-honored spiritual practice with the strategy of this popular card game, you can create a powerful approach to successful play—and successful living. In The Tao of Poker, prize-winning poker player Larry Phillips offers more than 280 rules to bring you to new levels of personal achievement, just when and where you need them most.
Here are some of The Tao of Poker's rules for success: ·Take the long view.
·Once you commit to a hand, play it strong.
·Don't throw in good money after bad.
·If you think you're beat, get out.
Try out these rules and watch your game, and your life, improve. Now you can be a winner at home, at work, and at the casino—wherever the stakes for success are high!
Customer Reviews:
Life Lessons and Poker.......2007-05-13
This book combines philosophy, psychology and poker into an easy to read format that is thought provoking and fun. Does teach a few important lessons to help your game but more so about how to help your life.
Worth Every Cent!.......2007-02-26
I am not a Zen kind of guy and was avoiding this book for that reason alone. I bought it based on the recommendation of another player that I met at a tournament, and am glad I did! Chock full of common sense advice that would take you a lifetime of playing to gain (if then). To my relief it is not some sort of "touchy feely," liberal nonsense book, but real poker wisdom, offered in a enjoyable format.
not worth the time to read.......2006-02-24
keep or buy Zen, dump Tao. This book has nothing much to add.
Deceptively Strong. .......2006-01-23
I was vaguely aware of Larry Phillips and his "Tao" and "Zen" of poker before I decided to purchase them both a couple of weeks ago. As the reader probably knows, Steve Dannenman was carrying Tao around with him during the World Series this year. I will admit that this one isn't going to allow you to finish second out of a crowd of 5,000, but it is chock full of common sense which is exactly what one wants from an instructional guide. Phillips is no cardroom flunky, he is an erudite student who knows a little bit about everything; a renaissance man offering intimate insight on poker and human nature. I must say that several of the rules he offers are not consistent with conventional wisdom, but I agree with Phillips over the others. The notion that hot and cold streaks are the imagination of the individual player is often accepted, but Tao convincingly argues otherwise. Bad luck can last a few weeks no matter how many times you switch seats or tables. An example of his valuable perspective is evident in Rule 166 or the 75% rule. All he recommends here is that you book a win once you give back 25% of it. Those words are very wise and very accurate as greed is the death of every entrepreneur (which is the most charitable way of describing those of us joined at the felt to this glorious game). Phillips is a firm believer that emotions and the mental state of the player are a key variable in terms of who comes out a winner or a loser. Just about everything here is quietly valuable. Few of the things he says will make you exclaim "Wow!" but nearly all of them will make you a sounder player.
Complement your poker library with this one..........2005-01-05
"The Tao of Poker" will transform and mold your thoughts on poker like Sun Tzu's The Art of War does for generals. This is not to say that the author provides concrete X's & O's strategies for winning, but rather illustrates the proper mindset to approach the game. Concepts like mentally focusing, planning, and how to manage your bankroll are introduced. For instance, after big wins in Texas Hold Em tournaments, I often "recycled" my money into higher money games, generally losing it. One of Phillips suggestions is to pocket a certain percentage of any big win, take a walk and come back refreshed. While I think most of the precepts in the book are just common sense to any moderate skill player, the book also advocates a certain philosophy to playing the game of poker, one that is useful from the novice to pro player.
Book Description
"AT THE TABLE, YOU'RE YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY." --Stu Ungar, the world's greatest poker player
Do you play hands you should fold? Do you sometimes go too far with hands, hoping to get lucky while knowing that the pot odds don't justify calling? Ever kept playing even when you knew you were off your game because you were losing and wanted to get even? Have you let anger or destructive urges affect the way you play even though you know better?
Don't despair! Now, in Your Worst Poker Enemy, psychologist Dr. Alan Schoonmaker shows you how to reap the full benefits of the poker knowledge you already have by helping you to identify and stop psychologically based mistakes. This must-have book also features detailed sections that examine crucial points far beyond the scope of most other poker strategy guides, including:
Using Intuition vs. Logic
Evaluating Yourself and the Opposition
Understanding Unconscious and Emotional Factors
Adjusting to Changes
Handling stress
Dr. Schoonmaker will help you to recognize and defeat the often crippling psychological factors that distort your perceptions about yourself, other players, and the game itself and send you on your way to becoming the best poker player you can be!
Customer Reviews:
Surprisingly good..........2007-09-20
I have to admit that I've been on a poker book buying binge as of late and wasn't really expecting much from this book.
I read it from cover-to-cover in one sitting and it's a solid book on controlling yourself at the table.
Seriously a good read.
Great Title.......2007-09-17
This is a great book, both for poker and life itself. Finally, a book that screams at you to take responsibilty for your own actions. Imagine how nice it would be to play in person if everyone had read, and lived, this book. I am not sure that there is anything earth shattering here, but it is very in your face in effort to make us realize that only we are responsible for our long term results. Thank you.
Your Worst Poker Enemy.......2007-08-28
This is a very good book. Everyone that plays any game should read this book. You can be your worse enemy as the book says.
your worst poke enemy.......2007-08-10
Good philosophical book. It tells you like it is!
Worth reading it. It puts your limitations and egos in perspective.
Intricate details of playing poker hands is missing, but that is the whole idea! IT lets you know who YOU are.
Know Thyself.......2007-06-13
I received this book today in an order along with two others. After a cursory review I put the others aside and spent several hours reading "Your Worst Poker Enemy." I knew from the title that the book would in some sense be my biography - everyone's biography.
Shoonmaker, in the style I expected based on his other books, outlines why you are your own worst poker enemy and provides careful psychological analysis that will help you to make that enemy your friend.
The book is organized in five sections:
- Logic versus Intuition
- Evaluating Ourselves and the Opposition
- Understanding Unconscious and Emotional Forces
- Darwin: Adjusting to Changes
- Handling Stress
- Finally, essentially an appendix, a detailed review of suggested reading for players at various levels
The section that may be least anticipated by most readers - it was by me - is the one titled "Darwin: Adjusting to Changes." Here Schoonmaker discusses in some detail the changes that have occurred in poker due to the explosion fueled by lipstick cameras and the Internet. Poker players must adapt to these changes and to others on the way. Some of these changes are obvious to the most unobservant, but some fall in the category of "Unintended Consequences." One of the unintended consequences discussed is that Seven-Card-Stud has actually gotten harder because less-knowledgeable, less-experienced players have abandoned it for the (apparently to the uninitiated) easier game of Hold'em. If you are a Stud player it is of more than passing interest to know that the fish may have abandoned your game!
Schoonmaker will give you the pointers needed to "get your mind right" in order to play at your optimum. Poker is very much a "mind game" and the primary focus of this book is the player's mind, and in particular those "mind factors" that contribute so significantly to losing. He discusses various causes of losing play and what you can do to correct losing habits. This is the heart of the book, and it is done superbly.
In a quick read there is only one point with which I disagree. Schoonmaker makes a hard and fast distinction between logical players (Chris Ferguson, Mason Malmuth, David Sklansky, etc.) and intuitive players (Doyle Brunson, Layne Flack, Stu Unger). Though I agree with him in that these terms describe HOW these players play the game, I think a deeper analysis of the formative experiences of the intuitive players reveals WHY they play that way. Brunson spent his formative years (as regards poker) traveling with Amarillo Slim and Sailor Roberts from game to game in the Texas poker circuit. On the road and at other times away from the table this trio invested countless hours discussing the game, analyzing player betting patterns, strategy for playing specific hands, etc. Unger's father was a bookmaker and the son was apparently obsessed at a very early age with the numbers (see his biography "One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey ',The Kid', Ungar, The World's Greatest Poker Player"). His memory was legendary, so much so that application of that skill to Gin got him barred from playing Gin at the Vegas Casinos. My point is that these intuitive players developed their intuition through observation, deep interest, and deep analysis. The intuition came after years of preparation.
Enough of my quibbling. This book is an outstanding piece of work and deserves a place on every poker player's bookshelf - and a periodic re-reading.
Book Description
Read your opponent … and rake in the chips.
The world's best poker players can read their opponents' most subtle expressions and behaviors—no matter how hard their opponents try to hide them. A tapping foot, a change in vocal tone, and countless other clues “tell” an informed player what cards the opponent is holding and how they're likely to be played. The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Poker Tells explains everything amateur poker players need to start interpreting tells and using them to develop poker intuition.
Customer Reviews:
Strongly recommended to all poker players whether they are playing for high-stakes or peanuts.......2006-05-03
Thanks to the power of television, the games of poker (especially No Limit Texas Hold 'em) have emerged from their seedy backroom origins to the elegance of multimillion dollar hotels and tournaments. The Idiots Guide To Poker Tells: Learn How To Read Your Opponents' Every Move by Bobbi Dempsey and Andy Bloch (a top poker pro who has won over $750,000 playing poker) is an informed collection of advice on winning at poker by playing the players as much as the cards. The Idiots Guide To Poker Tells provides readers with foolproof tips to help recognize all types of "tells" (behaviors that reveal the strength or weakness of an opponents hand), as well game-saving advice on avoiding tells, recognizing fake tells, surefire strategies for dealing with the five different player personalities, and techniques for sharpening already natural skills at reading other players. For its outstanding knowledge of the game's inner-workings, The Idiots Guide To Poker Tells is a compact and portable paperback, and very strongly recommended to all poker players whether they are playing for high-stakes or peanuts.
Useless.......2006-03-08
I'm a regular player and was really looking forward to this. But I was even more disappointed when it arrived. Reads like the writer has never played, just a rehash of cliches. Save your money.
Customer Reviews:
do not buy this book.......2006-05-06
This book is really very bad, full of non-sequiturs and won't help you with your game one little bit.
Interesting 100 pages in a 250-page book........2005-12-26
This book aims to marry "The Psychology of Poker" by Schoonmaker, with Caro's Book of Poker Tells. The overriding theme is that Caro's Tells have to be interpreted in terms of the personality of the person making the tell and the specific circumstance when the suspected tell is being made.
The author presents six personality types, that corresponds to Schoonmaker's matrix of Tight/Loose and Passive/Aggressive play. The difference is that McKenna bases it on personality type, instead of Poker play. However, he shows that the latter is a reflection of the former, so both systems are analogous. (McKenna comes up with six types because he distinguishes between extreme Loose/Aggressive (which he terms "Party Hardy", instead of Maniac) and a less extreme form that he terms "High Roller". Likewise, the extreme form of Tight/Passive he associates with a Loner personality, and a less extreme form that he characterizes as a "System Player".) He describes each type in terms of: their perception of life, their personality style, strengths and weaknesses, general body language, traits and preferences, and the percent of the US population that fit each category. He not only discusses how to identify these types (as is done by Schoonmaker), but goes a step beyond to discuss how they relate to others, how to relate to them and how to setup a pleasing atmosphere for them.
My main fault with the book is that the first 90 pages are more "psychology of life" and are not directly focused on Poker. He is laying the groundwork for the following, but you can skim this material without much loss. There are then 100 pages associated with defining the player types and how this influences their tells. There are then another 20 pages of general psychology. The most useful part of this book is contained in a 4-page Appendix where he reinstates Caro's tells and how they are influenced by player type. You need the preceding material to fully understand this appendix, so this is more than a four-page book.
Read Caro's book first, or this one will not make very much sense. It is also an interesting adjunct to "The Psychology of Poker". This book is very useful if you have not figured out that Caro's tells can be misleading for some people, i.e., passive players respond passively, even when they are not trying to feign weakness and aggressive players can play aggressively even when they have a good hand. McKenna tries to give some guidance as to how to distinguish "normal" play from an attempt to mislead. His guidance is somewhat general, however, but still useful if it gets one to think "Beyond Tells".
slow starter...just don't quit too soon.......2005-10-12
I am always looking for new ideas and this title intrigued me. It started very slowly for me and I almost added it to the maybe someday stack. If I had stopped after the first 30 or 40 pages I would probably have given it 1 or 2 stars also, but the chapter on meta tells is some of the freshest thinking on poker to come along in quite a while and very useful in the real world. It goes beyond the basic tells of Mike Caro's book but you need to have read Caro's book to fully appreciate this one. I would also agree that the writing is not as good as one would think given the author's academic background and I did find myself rereading numerous sections because of lack of flow. This is why only 4 stars instead of 5. One other thing, the section on meta tells is really the entire value of the book in my opinion but you need to wade through the earlier portions of the book as they lay the foundation for the meta tells section. This approach to using tells and refining them based on player personality is fascinating and useful. Overall a very insightful and useable book if you can get past the slow start. Don't quit too soon and you will have some excellent new tools to add to your poker toolbox.
Beyond Math Poker.......2005-08-15
A book on poker tells that is a useful companion to Mike Caro's definitive "Book of Tells".
Beyond readability.......2005-07-17
Wish I could give this book more stars. I wanted to like it - the author's credentials as a psychologist and columnist for "Poker Player" seemed promising - but it's too badly written and too lacking in fresh ideas. It's the same old story, somewhat mangled and dressed up in the author's pet jargon.
For tells, you're still better off with the Caro book, even though it's dated; and for poker psychology, you're much, much better off reading the two 2+2 titles - the Alan Schoonmaker book, "The Psychology of Poker," and the John Feeney book, "Inside the Poker Mind."
Book Description
The King of Las Vegas and America's premier sports gambler reveals a powerful program for breaking all the rules, beating all the odds, and achieving all your dreams.
In The King of Vegas' Guide to Gambling, Wayne Allyn Root of Spike TV's King of Vegas(tm) demonstrates why it is vital to take risks in life-whether in the casino, on the playing field, or in the boardroom. Root lives an American dream: He makes money watching sports on television. In fact, as CEO of GWIN Inc., America's only publicly traded sports-handicapping firm, Root is a self-made millionaire with hundreds of thousands of sports-betting clients and fans. In this book he reveals the spiritual principles behind his consistently winning hand. Turning the popular conception of the casino denizen on its head, Root shows readers how to concentrate on the risks they take and to cultivate tranquillity in the face of life-defining, stressful moments. Bringing a unique contrarian approach to gambling, Wayne Allyn Root states his maxim of never following the masses and always taking the lead in life, and guides the way to navigate successfully the many gambles life offers.
Customer Reviews:
Review Scam?.......2006-11-19
Check out the other reviews on this book, and then check out all the reviews by that person. See the pattern? All of the reviewers have either only reviewed this one book or 2 books by Mr. Root. How credible are these reviews?
NEVER THOUGHT A BOOK COULD CHANGE MY LIFE.......2006-09-01
Mr.Roots contrarian philosophy and unique application of gambling strategy to life and business is right on the mark,and something never before seen in a gambling book. This book could actually CHANGE PEOPLES LIVES FOR THE BETTER, IT HAS MINE.I commend Mr. Root and his message,and highly recommend this book to GAMBLERS AND NONGAMBLERS ALIKE.
Loaded with usefull information.......2006-08-31
I've been a client of mr. Root for many years. When I heard about his new book I couldn't wait to read it! He did not let me down. The king of vegas guide to gambling is a book full of unique gambling wisdom.
Wayne's honest, heartfelt story of his long journey from a butcher's son in a blue collar town...to king of vegas is a true testament to hard work, committment, tenacity and the end result- the american dream. You never find that kind of inspirational and motivational business wisdom in a
gambling book. I give this book 5 stars!
I want Wayne's World!.......2006-08-31
I'm in awe. I'm amazed about just how much one person knows about life...risk...and winning. Thru Zen,Family or Spirituality I learned an entirely new perspective about life. Then he switches gears and tells me about risk....and how to have less risk thru Contrarian thinking and Value Investing. Now I'm ready to go the opposite way after I hear someone say "it can't miss"!
And finally, there's betting rules and a betting clock to maximize my betting opportunities. I didn't know that!! But what I enjoyed the most is how he took me thru the World Series of Poker. I not only feel like I was there but I learned so much I'm have many successes on the internet.His writing style is second to none during this fast paced chapter. What an incredible piece of work. This is a smart read for all risk takers, sports gamblers and poker players. And a must read for everybody else even if you only want to see how one man can combine success with family and business. Thanks Wayne Root!
Thank you for this book!.......2006-08-30
I just finished Wayne Allyn Root's book on the Zen of Gambling after receiving it as a gift from a friend of mine to whom I had recommended the Millionaire Republican by the same author. This book was a lot of fun since good books on casino gambling are few and far between and I have to admit I like to partake on my trips to Vegas. This book is more than just a nuts and bolts "how to play". Wayne is a very colorful individual (if any of you have read the Millionaire Republican or heard Wayne on the radio can attest) who gives some interesting insights on what it takes to be a winner. I won't give away the material, but its more than just knowing when to stay and when to hit in blackjack or what numbers to avoid in craps. With this book, its more about the mindset or "Zen". If you've ever had a tuff streak at the poker or blackjack table, or playing those "office pools" (haha) on Football Sunday, then this book can teach you to ride out the tuff times and maximize the runs. Finally someone has written this book!!
Product Description
A psychological self-help book that highlights the authors professional poker career on the World Poker Tour where in the year 2003 he was ranked as one of the top-ten tournament players in the world by Card Player Magazine. It shares the authors roadmap to freedom through his Ten Commitments that help him let go of the poisonous memories, thoughts, ideas and beliefs sabotaging his game and his life. The result is a radiant contagious smile, a joyous mind-set and clear focus throughout a poker tournament or any other endeavor. A beautiful full color book with many cartoons and quotes from Shakespeare and others to help illustrate his points. No-Limit Life is easy to read and relate to.
Customer Reviews:
Lyle Berman writes letter about Charlie's book........2006-02-28
February 16, 2006
When I purchased "No-Limit Life" from Charlie he asked me to be sure I read it. I am very glad I did. I couldn't put it down. I read most of it while I was playing a major poker tournment in Las Vegas. It is a beautiful colorful book, interesting, enjoyable, and puts a smile on your face at every page. It can help you see yourself differently and shift you life's priorities.
I purchased twelve more books as gifts for my family and friends. Later, I ordered another dozen because many of those who received a copy had the same response I had. This speaks of how I feel about Charlie's book. Not only will your poker game improve, but your life as well.
Thank you Charlie for writing "No-Limit Life". Players and non-players of poker all over the world should enjoy and benefit from your wonderful book.
Sincerely,
Lyle Berman
Founder/World Poker Tour/Travel Channel
Chairman of the Board/CEO
Lakes Entertainment,Inc.
Improving Your Game And Yourself.......2006-02-24
Charlie Shoten's "No-Limit Life" is a book that goes vastly beyond simply improving your poker game. In the book, Charlie helps the reader attack a portion of their game that many of us have no control over, the mindset. He has commendably figured out what keeps many people from achieving the maximum from their abilities, whether at the tables or in the game of life itself.
While most books only point out the signs of difficulties and problems, Charlie has not only shown the signs of what attacks our mental states but also offers ways to counteract these attackers. It is a significant step for a tome that acts as a "help" book when the help is provided in the reading of the book, instead of through much time, expense and continued analysis.
By reading and implementing the advise given in "No-Limit Life", anyone can achieve their goals and ambitions, whether they are a poker player or someone who is in a completely different field. It is useful to anyone in becoming a better human being and Charlie should be commended for his approach to looking at life and its various travails.
Buy it....read it....PROFIT from it!.......2006-02-19
I have been playing tournament poker for two years with mediocre success. I happened to meet Charlie at a Bellagio tournament and he was asking another player if he wanted to purchase his book. Charlie's style of play peaked my interest, so I asked if I could purchase the book too. I left it on my desk for close to a month like most people do, but after a few more losing events at the poker table, I cracked the cover and started my journey.
Once I finished the book, I had a whole new perspective about playing poker. The next tournament I entered was at the Bellagio, and can you believe it, I placed fourth and banked a very nice profit! A week later (Jan 31), I came back to the Bellagio and placed third earning another great profit. After that, I played the Mirage and won third again; and a week later, I played Mirage again and won first place!
Charlie's book has honed my psychological skills by allowing me to divert my negative thoughts and accelerating my positive ones. Poker is a game of people first, then you play the cards is what I have learned from this book; the biggest competition is your own mind!
Last month, I played a satellite with Charlie at the Bellagio. I made it to the bubble, but did not win my seat into the $1060 buy-in. After the satellite was over, I took a break and reviewed my copy of No-Limit Life. I decided to buy my way into the $1060 tournament because the field was over 150 challengers and the prize pool was close to $50k.
Well, I took my time as Charlie teaches, and I waited for my "time to appear," which happens to be the sixth commitment in Charlie's system. It paid off. I placed third, winning my biggest payout to date.
Because of Charlie's guidance, I have a new level of confidence with my game, and now I have the bankroll to step up to larger tournaments.
Thanks for the great advice and teaching Charlie...you are a true professional and WINNER!
Watch out WPT/WSOP, Frank "The Loan Ranger" is moving his way up the tournament circuit!
Not just a poker book, but a spiritual guide.......2006-02-07
I first met Charlie Shoten at Sam's Town casino in Las Vegas at a breakfast "meet and greet" before the first poker bloggers tournament. Charlie was scheduled to speak about his upcoming book "No-Limit Life." He offered insight into his Ten Commitments along with suggestions on how to eliminate 'Thought Terrorists' (TT) out of your life. Since that day, I had been waiting for his book to come out. I'm an avid reader and was eager to read about Charlie's thoughts on life and how it specifically applies to your poker game.
I had the opportunity to engage in several inspiring conversations with Charlie Shoten. I'd catch him in the hallways at the Rio during the World Series of Poker or I'd stop by his booth at the Poker Expo. Most recently, I've been running into him at the Bellagio where you can often find him playing in their daily tournaments.
We chatted about many different things. He gave me tips on improving my tournament game. We discussed his book and the intricacies of getting it published. And most importantly we spoke about personal freedom, a subject that intrigues me the most as a writer.
You need to add this book to your poker library. It's always refreshing to read a book that focuses on subjects that are not just about poker. Charlie wrote a series of articles for Poker Player Newspaper and the feedback from readers was so overwhelmingly positive that he expanded the concept of those articles into No-Limit Life.
Charlie Shoten shares with you some of his own personal philosophy and how if applied, you can improve both your life and your poker. No-Limit Life is a book that would be great for poker players of any skill level. I personally enjoyed his astute advice on being less of what we are not and discovering personal freedom to find a release of my inherent creativity.
The design of the book is very cool. The quality of paper used is top notch. The pictures are outstanding. Several of them were taken by Flip Chip. And even pictures some of your favorite bloggers are in Charlie's book, including yours truly on Page 191. On almost every page there are boxed quotes from both Charlie and a selection of great minds including William Shakespeare, Albert Einstein, Alfred Tennyson, Winston Churchill, and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. There are small illustrations sprinkled throughout the book where you get to see the cartoon version of Charlie Shoten.
On the margin of every left page, he lists keywords for his Ten Commitments:
1. Attitude
2. Focus
3. Notice
4. Intentions
5. Trust
6. Appear
7. Outcome
8. Forgiveness
9. Notice
10. Gratitude
Charlie spends a lot of time discussing his "Sixth Commitment" which is: I am calm, confident, and clear, and I wait for my best choice to appear. This is advice that you can apply to your life whether you are seated at a poker table or in a business meeting. I've found myself repeating Charlie's Sixth Commitment to settle down while I was on the verge of tilt during my last bad poker session.
Plenty of pros have read and embraced Charlie's book as well. Included in No-Limit Life are commentaries from notable pros who enjoyed Charlie's book such as Vince Burgio, Scotty Nguyen, Men the Master, Carlos Mortensen, and Miami John Cernuto. Even WPT founder Lyle Berman purchased twelve books so he could give them to his friends.
Since his book has been published, Charlie has shown me some of the glowing emails and letters he's gotten.
Here's a sample of what readers have been saying about No-Limit Life:
"You are far more than a poker player and I commend you for your work. You are teaching people to guide themselves, and that's the greatest gift a leader can give."
"Not all can say what they mean and mean what they say! The real task is to of course practice what you have taught in No-Limit Life."
"Your book has altered my perceptions so drastically, that now I can better handle the stress of professional poker. Thanks for changing my life."
"Your book gave me the knowledge and map I needed to have the courage to deal with my negative outlook on life. I have turned my future into something positive. The pages of the book were filled with an abundance of wisdom from someone who has obviously 'been there.' I finally had the recipe to be myself and eliminate my Thought Terrorists. This has allowed me to be a better and happier person than I ever thought to be."
A MUST READ! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!.......2006-02-04
A truly inspirational, thought-provoking book. I read it straight through in one sitting. Not just for the poker-professional wanna be; but for anyone who sincerely wants to change their life. Attitude is everything, and Charlie shows us what it's all about.
A great investment...something you'll find yourself reading over and over again and referring to often.
Thank you Charlie!
Book Description
A comprehensive analysis of Limit and Pot-Limit Omaha, Texas Hold 'em, and Seven-Card Stud as well as No-Limit Hold 'em, this revolutionary gambling book offers a general discussion of the three primary skills of poker—"people, probabilities, and money"—as well as a detailed overview of starting-hand selection and simple methods for working out probabilities relevant to these games. With analyses of a hundred examples of the most common situations in "after the flop play" for Omaha and Hold 'em and "beyond the fourth street" play for Seven-Card Stud, this book has it all. Dr. M. Mahmood has advanced degrees in both Chemistry and Physics; in 1992, he retired to become a semi-professional poker player.
Customer Reviews:
Nothing original.......2005-11-29
This book is somewhat difficult to read, and adds nothing to what the better poker books teach. I don't think this book will turn you into a losing player, but your money is better spent elsewhere. I sold my copy soon after buying it.
badly written.......2005-04-01
I had high hopes for this book - a highly educated author, who turned to poker about 10 years ago. The kind verdict is that it is hard to understand; the unkind verdict is that it is hopelessly and seriously wrong (in places).
I turned eagerly to the section on Hold'em. At the start of ch8 "Starting Hands", it says that "the return on investments of all the high pairs (TT or better) does not improve when more than 4 opponents are contesting the pot. High pairs, therefore, should be played against not more than 4 contestants." What on earth does he mean? You should fold AA just because 5 other guys reach the flop? Reading on does not do much to clarify. I think he means that with AA you should keep raising before the flop. But it is certainly hard to understand, particularly when two pages further on he explains that "Small pairs play best against more than 5 opponents".
I have a maths degree, so I can easily cope with odds calculations, but some of his are at best obscurely presented and sometimes seem wrong.
Disorganized, hard to read, incorrect information - avoid!.......2005-02-27
This book is a perfect example of how a mathematician with little experience or understanding of poker typically approaches the game. The result, in this case at least, is a complete train wreck.
I'm a professional poker player, a recent college grad, and the owner of about 50 poker books. I was excited but wary when I found this title recently; I've always thought there was a gap in the poker literature on this topic, approaching the game from a more rigorously analytical perspective. Many have tried, but just about all have failed miserably, and this is no exception.
The author, Mahmood N Mahmood, is originally Iraqi, and his incomprehensible writing makes it obvious that he is not a native English speaker. The book is filled with poor grammar, misused words, and awkward, unclear phrasing (at one point he calls a player's hand his 'attainment'). The back cover claims that he retired early in 1992 and became a semi-professional player, but I highly doubt that.
On the first page of the introduction, Mahmood reveals that most of his data comes from popular poker simulation software, and the rest from other poker books. I expected something original. The first title he credits as a source for statistics in this book is "'Super Systems' by Doyle Brunson". The book is 'Super System,' commonly referred to in poker circles as 'the Bible.' Tip: If you're going to try to pretend you know what you're talking about and write a book about poker, don't butcher this name. The second book he cites is "'Formula Won' by Michael J Barry". I spent some time looking but could not find any mention of this book anywhere. It does not appear to exist.
He ambitiously attempts to cover hold'em, omaha, and stud, each in pot-limit and limit forms. Apparently, Mahmood does not realize that pot-limit stud is almost never played, and no-limit hold'em is much more popular than pot-limit.
He refers to Omaha hands such as "A-K-J-T(s)" and "A-J-T-9(o)". It's common convention to describe hold'em hands as "A-Ks" or "T-9o" for suited and offsuit cards, respectively. This convention makes no sense for the four card Omaha hands.
On strategy, he states that A-K-J-T plays best against three opponents, and that A-J-T-9 is better and wants a lot of opponents. He doesn't explain why, although it's fairly obvious that he's basing it off showdown simulation results, which are meaningless for this purpose.
For hold'em, a good example of the terrible advice in this book is a discussion of "Q-7(s)", queen-seven suited. He is assuming you are in late position and that a player you somehow know has A-Ks has raised in front of you. He reasons that the hand becomes profitable and should be played if you can get at least four opponents, because it will win 21% of the time against AKs and three other random hands. This might apply if there was no more betting after the flop and the cards were just turned up, but that's not how poker is played. He also assumes that the other three players have average, random hands even though they've called a strong raise - totally unreasonable.
All of his strategies are based solely on the concept of pot odds - memorizing percentages, and comparing the size of the pot to the percentage chance of your hand winning. If it were that simple, poker would have died off from lack of interest long ago.
I just had an epiphany after writing that last paragraph. When I was first starting out in poker, I heard more experienced players calling Q-7 the "computer hand." When I asked why, they explained that there was an old book claiming the hand was profitable based on computer simulation results, when even relatively new players know that's not true - hence the mocking nickname. This must be that book. The original publishing date is 1988, apparently reprinted in 2003.
For excellent coverage of the general principles behind strong poker play, see "The Theory of Poker," by David Sklansky.
Books:
- The Secret
- The Simple Solution to Rubik's Cube
- The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
- The Taste of Night (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 2)
- The Ultimate Gift (The Ultimate Series #1)
- The Wisdom of Wilderness: Experiencing the Healing Power of Nature
- Twin Peaks: An Access Guide to the Town
- Understanding Your Living Will: What You Need to Know Before a Medical Emergency
- Vampire: The Requiem
- Wee Gillis (New York Review Children's Collection)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Credit After Bankruptcy: A Step-By-Step Action Plan to Quick and Lasting Recovery after Personal Ban
- The Virgin's Lover
- The Digital Film Event
- The Best of Business Card Design 7
- The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For
- Why Didn't I Learn This in College
- Wetland Plants of Oregon and Washington
- Basic Geometry of Voting
- Principles of Internal Control: Incorporating the Learning Outcomes and Content of National Accounti
- The Sultan's Seal: A Novel
Poker
| Card Games
| Puzzles & Games
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Inside the Poker Mind: Essays on Hold 'em and General Poker Concepts
No Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice
Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategies for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. III--The Workbook (Harrington on Hold'em)
The Theory of Poker
Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 2: Endgame
