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The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide: Tournament Edition

by Andy Bloch, Richard Brodie, Chris Ferguson, Ted Forrest, Rafe Furst, Phil Gordon, David Grey, Howard Lederer, and Mike Matusow
Released 2007-06-01
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42 Reviews

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5 stars Surprisingly Good!

2007-06-01     113 of 114 found this review helpful

I was suspicious of this book and wasn't sure it would include any new information that isn't in other poker books (Harrington or Sklansky and Malmuth). Many poker books rehash concepts (play tight early, more aggressive later). This book has several new concepts I haven't read before. For example, Howard Lederer talks about a hand versus Phil Ivey when Ivey raised. Howard raised all-in. Ivey folded. Lederer analyzes this nondescript hand and explains the concept of leverage. Andy Bloch in his preflop hands goes far beyond "play early tight, play quality hands" and gives a chart for the "Jam or Fold" game (small blind v. big blind). His chart, he believes, is superior to the Sklansky-Chubakov Jam of Fold ratings because in the S-C rankings the small blind turns up their hand. In Bloch's chart, the small blind does not (which is more realistic). Andy explains that the S-C underestimates hands such as 9-T s Jam value. Howard Lederer's chapter on Limit Holdem made me excited to play Limit holdem. He gives the reader a good limit system that the blinds can play out of position against a raiser. Chris Ferguson's chapter on postflop No Limit play is also valuable. Ferguson's chapter is like a minilesson with him. Other games besides Holdem are covered. Matusow in the 08 chapter explains why he raised with K-Q-J-6 facing heavy preflop action! The book is full of things like this. I was afraid that this book was an attempt to make a quick book on the poker boom with many authors writing a chapter for a quick paycheck and not taking responsibility for overall shoddy work. It isn't the case. You will find material here that you will not find elsewhere.

5 stars Move Over Doyle Brunson

2007-06-03     38 of 39 found this review helpful

This is destined to become one of the "must have" poker books. Brunson's Super System (I and II) covers the spectrum of poker as played in ring games at casinos. This volume is the counterpart for tournament play.

The title suggests a joined-at-the-hip connection with the web site. Nothing could be further from the truth - the primary connection I see is that the book covers the games played on the site, and the site covers the games played at casinos, the World Series of Poker, etc.

Michael Craig (author of "Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King", probably the best told tale ever of the biggest poker game ever) has done a masterful job of organizing the book. Though I did note a few small grammatical problems, none interfere with either the flow or the message.

Games discussed include: (1) No-Limit Hold'em (of course), (2) Limit Hold'em (similar name, different game), (3) Pot-Limit Hold'em (different strategy requirements), (4) Pot-Limit Omaha, (5) Omaha Eight-or-Better, (6) Seven-Card Stud, (7) Stud Eight-or-Better, and (8) razz. Long, long ago and far, far away I was a Draw Poker and Five-Card Stud player. Things I learned from those games make me a better Hold'em player, and if you'll learn a bit about other variations of poker you will find your game improves.

A story has been told about Chris Ferguson and Andy Bloch in which Ferguson spotted Bloch setting in a restaurant. When Chris went over to Andy's table he saw that Andy was poring over a binder of computer-generated tables, the result of Bloch's extensive simulations of hand versus hand, hand versus table, etc. Ferguson had done precisely the same sort of computations prior to launching his highly successful career in tournament No-Limit Hold'em. The similarity of their style of play - and their success - stems from this mathematical analysis away from the table. In one fact and concept filled chapter of 57 pages Bloch presents a series of tables showing some of the results of his simulations. This chapter alone is worth far more than the price of the book.

Other notable chapters include:
- A chapter on Seven-Card Stud by noted Stud authority Keith Sexton.
- A cram session on Razz strategy by Huck Seed and Ted Forest.
- Chris Ferguson on Pot-Limit Omaha.
- Ironically, Mike Matusow on Omaha Eight-or-Better - a game in which bluffing is particularly difficult written by a master of bluffing at No-Limit Hold'em.
- Limit Hold'em by Howard Lederer.
- Rafe Furst and Andy Bloch on Pot-Limit Hold'em.
- Phil Gordon discusses Short Stack Play in No-Limit Hold'em.
- Gavin Smith shares some of his tricks for Big Stack Play at No-Limit Hold'em.
- And more.

This book does for tournament poker what Super System did for ring games. If you aspire to be good - really good - at tournament poker, you need to study this book.

4 stars Poker advice, well packaged

2007-06-04     31 of 33 found this review helpful

Imagine having several of the world's top poker players each send you a personal communication describing their secret inner thoughts and winning strategies for Texas Hold `Em and other popular tournament poker games?

That's exactly how the Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide (Tournament Edition) reads. The book, edited by Michael Craig, is a collection of priceless essays from final table regulars like Chris Ferguson, Ted Forrest, Howard Lederer and even Mike "The Mouth" Matusow. It's a deep goldmine of information, including pre- and post-flop strategies, styles of play, and hard lessons learned from countless poker hands and years of experience.

More than half of the book's 400-plus pages are dedicated to No-Limit Hold `Em, the game with the annual weeklong championship offering a multimillion dollar purse televised on ESPN. The rest of the text provides strategy essays on other games, including Limit Hold `Em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud and even Razz.

The essays get into specifics, such as how to play big and small stacks, and to play certain hands in early and late positions. Everyone will learn something to improve his or her game from this book. The only soft spot in the text was the minimal use of statistical tables, but those can be easily found on-line in more detail.

Overall, Craig has put together a real winning hand with the Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide and players shouldn't hesitate to go all-in and get a copy.

Armchair Interviews says: This book deals you a hand of good advice

5 stars BUY THIS BOOK NOW!!

2007-06-08     23 of 24 found this review helpful

This is the type of book I hate to recommend to other players. It just flat out gives away too much information (see previous reviewer's comments re: content). Novices and those of us who have only been playing hold'em for 5 years or less could spend another 10 years on the felt to ever absorb this much knowledge.
I own 50+ poker books and countless DVD's. This is among the top 3, including the Harrington on Holdem series (1-3) and Super System. Michael Craig has produced another poker gem.
If you paid $100 for this book you would still be receiving a great bargain. Buy this book now while you still have time to exploit your opponents (that is before they read it too).

5 stars A true diamond in the rough...

2007-06-05     21 of 23 found this review helpful

In the midst of the poker frenzy that has erupted as a result of all the tv coverage and marketing, one clear result has been the emergence of myriad poker how-to books. It isn't surprising that many individuals and writers are capitalizing on a profitable opportunity and terrific timing, but the consequence is that there are so many out there which just don't produce quality reads or aren't from well-known names. This book is the answer to that!

In The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide: Tournament Edition, Michael Craig has assembled and drawn from some incredible talent who possess invaluable insights and lessons to share. But don't be fooled - this isn't necessarily going to try to instruct you on every possible hand with every possible strategical approach to each given situation. That would be impossible. What this guide does is far more impressive - it encourages the reader to consider the mindsets of the pros and how they approach their hands and the situations at the table. This book gets you, the reader, to think for yourself why you should play a given hand or utilize one type of approach in a particular manner. And as the various experts suggest, different hands can be played differently, depending upon given situations. As Howard Lederer says regarding his chapter on the theory of "Leverage," which is a concept that not previously been written about to my knowledge, "The goal here was to get you thinking about how leverage can help you after the flop" (p.45). There are, certainly, plenty of statistics and math to consider which are graspable to those whose trade isn't math, and Andy Bloch's charts are a nice reference for the strengths of pre-flop hands vs. all other hands you may face. There are new concepts as well as clarification and elaboration on some of those ideas that are familiar to the serious student of poker. I like that it really doesn't try to sell you on a particular overall method, but suggests some different and, even contrasting, approaches (especially chapter 5, titled, "[Don't] Play Like Ted Forrest)."

This strategy guide makes for not only good reading but also deep thinking. And that is a tremendous aspect of this book - the concepts are very deep, but the language and manner in which they are described are very comprehensible. It flows well, and you get the feeling that the different authors are almost conducting thoughtful interviews and are right there explaining why and how to do what they sugget. It doesn't have that stiff, didactic manner that some instructional books do; rather, it is told matter-of-factly and clearly. It reads quickly, and I found myself going back and rereading portions over again because there is so much substance in each of the chapters. And, as something of a relief, you don't have to be a math genius or have played for decades to grasp the principles in this book (but, as is suggested throughout the book, it all becomes more clear and applicable with practice at the table).

These are among the greatest and most successful poker minds alive, and what they have done is present their sometimes very different theories, approaches, and perspectives regarding No-Limit Hold'Em, but there are also chapters dedicated to Pot-Limit Hold'Em, Limit Hold'Em, Omaha Eight or Better, Pot-Limit Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, Stud Eight-or-Better, No Limit Hold-Em Online tournament strategy, and the enigmatic Razz. It even finishes with a chapter dedicated to Roshambo! Each chapter has conclusions that summarize the important details presented in the very full chapters. And Michael Craig's "Editor's Notes" and narration are vivid and entertaining in how they regard and present the pros with whom he has collaborated. Again, it reads as more conversational than lecture, which makes it a pleasant yet thought-provoking read.

I consider this an absolute must-have for any serious poker player. Super System was the first of the classics of poker instruction, and Sklansky's books and Harrington's volumes are at the top of their genre, but this compilation and edition is also a true masterpiece. It is a very intelligent read, and those who want to improve their games at any level would do well to absorb the concepts in this, although what they present are ideas and strategies that apply to the highest levels of poker. The advice given, and the smoothness of the delivery, make this the diamond that it is among all the other how-to books on the market.

5 stars Good information, well written

2007-06-26     18 of 21 found this review helpful

I wasn't expecting much from a branded book, but the impressive list of authors convinced me to give it a try, and I'm glad I did. So far I've read through the sections on hold'em (about half the book) and, while the authors give contradictory recommendations at time (this is intentional) I picked up an idea or two that I'm now using in my tournament play. I was particularly interested in seeing Chris Ferguson and other authors explain their differing opinions on how to play before the flop.

I recommend you don't get this book; I don't want the competition!

5 stars Great addition to your library!

2007-06-03     17 of 19 found this review helpful

A book that goes along with others on tournaments such as the Harrington on Holdem series in that it discusses more how to intrepret your opponents actions and how to take advantage of it instead of just charts and specific hands. Don't get me wrong, Andy Bloch's chapter has the most detailed charts you'll ever see if you want to really add some high-end math game theory to your game. But it's just a nice book that's laid out like mini-lessons from many of today's respected tournament players.

5 stars Excellent Tournament Essay Collection

2007-07-16     16 of 16 found this review helpful

Like others, I was a bit skeptical seeing the Full Tilt logo, thinking the book could be promotional in nature. But the amount of quality material here is excellent.

The book is geared primarily toward no-limit tournies, although the Huck-Forrest Razz chapter is a particular highlight due its highly user-friendly dialogue format. C. Ferguson's post-flop chapter is a must-read, and I like that he begins by analyzing the purpose of a bet:

1. Getting a better hand to fold (e.g., bluffing)
2. Getting a worse hand to call/raise (e.g., value betting)
3. Protecting your hand (e.g., flopping a low top pair heads up)

But my favorite chapter is Gavin Smith's short text on exploiting the big stack. He advocates going after pots before the ante to build a big stack by the time the ante's introduced, and then discusses specific plays to accumulate the big stack. One very interesting play is the flat-call steal, where a player raises and you flat-call widely if you have position and feel confident out-maneuvering the initial raiser post-flop.

A lot of very interesting material and quite well-edited. Highly recommended for tournament players.

- Collin Moshman
Author, Sit 'n Go Strategy

4 stars Very Solid Book...

2008-03-03     12 of 13 found this review helpful

As an avid poker player (I play at least 5 hours a week) who makes decent money, I was looking forward to this edition. The problem with books these days is that there isn't much new material out there. Doyle wrote his supersystem which laid the groundwork for aggressive play which wasn't the norm back in the day. Then Harrington came out with his three volumes which are the definitive go-to for all no-limit holdem play.

If you want the best no-limit holdem book out there, then this probably isn't your book. The Harrington books trump this book by a long shot. However, if you're looking for a one-stop-shop for the other games then this is the answer. The only section that I felt was subpar was the section on Razz which gave very subpar advice, data, or basic strategy. The stud sections are excellent and lay very good groundwork for both cash and tournament play.

So...if you're only going to stick with NL holdem, then go with the Harrington books...if you're looking for a little bit of everything, then i highly recommend this book.

5 stars Great book for those with Experience

2007-12-28     12 of 12 found this review helpful

This is a true gem in the wacky world of poker books. After Sklanski & Malmuth, Super System I/II, and the Harrington trilogy, there are very few poker books that actually offer original content or any new insights into the game of poker. True, Bill Chen's "The Mathematics of Poker" offers both - to some extent - but in a format that is better suited for someone working on dissertation research more than for someone looking to get an edge at a poker table. The value of this particular book comes from the differing perspectives of the authors. Gavin Smith, Howard Lederer, and Chris Ferguson (just to name a few) have disparate playing styles and it is reflected in the portions of the book they write. Some go as so far as to implore the reader to ignore some of the advice from the earlier authors. While Ferguson doesn't care for flat calling raises, Gavin Smith loves it, and both explain the reasons why. Ted Forest goes as so far as telling the reader to ignore his advice in the aptly titled "Don't Play like Ted Forest" chapter.

If you are considering buying this book, there's a good chance you know about position play, starting hands, and most other basics. What I loved most about this book is the fact that these pros tell the reader how they play, not how a hand should be played. Due deference is given to Sklanski and Malmuth, but the advice doled out is original and unique. It's refreshing to read how differently two pros would play the same hand and their explanations for doing so.

The only weak point in the book is the discussion about online poker is not as in depth as one would expect (or in my case, hope) in a "Full Tilt" title.

I would strongly recommend this book over most any other in the soup of modern poker books.

5 stars Hope this book does not come to Australia

2007-07-09     10 of 10 found this review helpful

I tried looking for this book at shops here in Melbourne and was unable to find it. I was forced to buy it from Amazon and I would have to say that this is one of the best books on Poker you will find. The book is geared to tournament poker.

The chapters are interesting and set out in the form of essays. i.e Post flop play, pre flop, Limit chapter, PLO Chapter, Razz, Online etc. and a chapter on the theory of leverage which after reading seems so simple that it should be common knowledge, yet it isn't.

It is a book that will really challenge your thinking and approach if you read it properly and if you grasp the concepts, it will improve your play.

The book is in the same league as the best of the Sklansky books and Harrington on Hold em. (although you will see things in here that contradict them!)

This is one of the better books available and I would fully recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their tournament game.

I hope this book doesn't surface in the shops here in Australia!

4 stars good enough

2007-10-10     8 of 9 found this review helpful

I was really looking forward to this book. After reading the reviews and seeing listed names that had participated I knew it was for me. I have to admit though, that I haven't read a section about razz because I don't know the rules of the game) and a chapter about Omaha 8 or better so I won't comment them. Besides, there are plenty of material to be read in this book even if you're not crazy about razz strategy. Essays I loved the most were the ones written by Phil Gordon and Chris Ferguson (also, I was pleasantly surprised with sections about limit hold'em, a game that is a bit ignored here in Europe) so I refreshed my memory a bit with those parts. I think this book is definitively not for beginners since it expects from you to know a lot of poker terminology and besides that, authors sometimes advise completely different approaches to the game or some specific parts of it (like playing pre-flop: if first to enter should you limp in from time to time or, as a rule of thumb, raise every single time?) So I think it might be confusing for the beginners who still haven't developed feel for the game or some style that works for them. Interesting book that let's you see how all the different poker personalities play this game.

5 stars Please don't read this book

2008-07-21     7 of 7 found this review helpful

In the world of poker literature, no limit hold em advice dries up and becomes useless pretty quickly these days. One year after its release, this underrated and underread book still holds advice that has yet to find its way into most tournaments. Almost every chapter regarding NLHE offers insights into the game that blows almost everything else away. Dare I say it, I think it even makes HOH begin to look dated.

Andy Bloch's chapter on preflop play is worthy of its own 5-star-rated book (even if I disagree with some of his advice, such as reraising with middle pairs while in position). Lederer's chapter on leverage is knowledge only a miniscule percentage of your opponents will be even vaguely aware of. Chris Ferguson's chapter on bet sizes is all you'll ever need to know about that subject. Gavin Smith's chapter on LAG play is a must-read for both the player wanting to learn to play that dangerous style, or for the TAG wanting to understand his loose-aggressive opponent.

In addition, there are great chapters on other poker games such as Omaha, Stud, and Razz (the Razz chapter being my personal fave). I honestly don't think there is a better tournament book out there. I also honestly hope it continues to fly under the radar for at least another year.

5 stars Good strategy volume

2007-07-18     6 of 10 found this review helpful

I haven't completed reading the entire book yet. The parts I have read are well written and easy to understand.
Each contributor is describing how to play from his/her point of view. I like that they go into their personal thought processes. We get several perspectives on playing styles. There is no one correct way to play poker.
I have studied both Supersystem I & Supersystem II and Scklanki's books on Holdem along with Harrington's set of books.

This new book should be a part of any new up and coming tournament poker player.

5 stars Ideal for advanced tournament streategy!

2009-02-11     4 of 4 found this review helpful

Most of the things you need to know are already written in other reviews.

Those reviews made me decide to buy this one, and I didn't regret it for a moment.

This book is excellent for tournament guidance, it contains material about various poker games, Hold 'em, Omaha, Stud etc, even Razz.

It is written in the style of Super System, with various people writing chapters in it. What is important is that this book is actually not for absolute beginners! You need to know the games to be able to fully understand it, but that is its big advantage also! It does not spend pages after pages on obvious stuff, it is full of advanced (if not proffesional) material!

For those of you who know how to play the games and maybe even tried their luck in a couple of tournaments (online or real life)...

and now want to make the next step and become an actually good tournament player, this book is GREAT!

Fully recommendeded!

After all, if Chris Ferguson, Andy Bloch, Ted Forrest, Howard Lederer, Mike Matusow etc give their best it this book (and they do, have no doubt about it!), How can you miss this?

PS: Personally, I would buy this book only for the charts that Andy Bloch gave in it!

Andy has created a "chart of rankings of 169 two-card combination", and then:
-charts of playable hands by position (in percentages, from the previous chart),
-hands to play by position in ante and no-ante tournaments,
-playable hands by position after a reraise,
-Jam or fold and
-"every hand against random hand / top half hands / top quarter hands / top 10% hands"

these charts are pure gold! And they are nowhere else to be found!

Thanks Andy!

5 stars Contradictory genius

2008-11-17     4 of 4 found this review helpful

I was a poll watcher on election day this year, and since there were long chunks in the middle of the day when nobody was voting, I brought this book along with me.

Wow. I've probably read about 40 poker books in the past three or four years, and this one truly rivals Harrington and Gordon's volumes as a great read, with immediate practicality.

I was worried when I bought it that it would just be a rehashing of all the tips that Full Tilt gives out on their website from the pros, but it was nothing like that.

Ferguson, Matusow, Forrest, Lederer and more gave great information about styles of play that they employed, but the great thing was, there was contradiction among them, showing obviously, we each need to find out what's best for us. I think Ted Forrests' chapter was incredible, easily my favorite. This book also has chapters on the the non hold'em games, and with HORSE and other tourney's gaining more and more popularity, I found these extremely valuable.

This is one of the best poker books out there.

5 stars Better than expected

2007-08-11     4 of 7 found this review helpful

I thought this might just be a quick Full Tilt hack job, but it it truly excellent. The Ted Forrest and Chris Ferguson chapters are worth the price of the book.

5 stars My favorite

2008-12-26     3 of 3 found this review helpful

Bought several hold-em books. This is by far the best. I keep re-reading different parts and learn something new each time. Chris Ferguson's chapters are especially helpful, informative, and easy to understand.

4 stars Not quote comprehensive, but about as good as it gets these days.

2008-10-10     3 of 3 found this review helpful

Michael Craig (ed.), The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide: Tournament Edition (Grand Central, 2007)

"Comprehensive" is not the way to describe this book, but I'm not entirely sure what is. Why is it that so many poker books are so... imposing? This isn't quite the doorstop the two Super/System offerings are, but it certainly aspires-- well over four hundred pages. As with those two books, this one contains a number of chapters contributed by a number of different high-profile poker stars, among them Mike Matusow, Howard Lederer, and Huck Seed. Unlike most of the poker books I've seen recently (and like the Super/System books), The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide doesn't limit itself to Hold'em, taking on such esoteric subjects as Omaha/8. There's even a Razz chapter. (Thus the presence of Huck Seed, most of whose WSOP bracelets have come in Razz events.)

A lot of it's stuff you've read before, but it never hurts to hear it again, and-- especially if you've spent most of your time reading about Hold'em-- there's much to be learned here as well. Personally, I think it's worth the price of admission just for the Omaha/8 chapter. ****

5 stars A must Read

2007-09-06     3 of 5 found this review helpful

If you are really serious about your poker tournament strategy, so you have to purchase this book. I put it at the same level of Dan Harrigton's books. Some concepts are so advanced that you should read more than once to understand it.

5 stars Holdem Poker Tournament

2007-08-28     3 of 10 found this review helpful

This is a very good book and I have added it to me Poker library.

5 stars Full tilt Poker Strategy Guide

2009-01-06     2 of 3 found this review helpful

Full of good info. May help take my game to the next level and hopefully beyond.

5 stars In depth look at poker's greatest minds

2008-11-24     2 of 2 found this review helpful

This book is a great way for inexperienced tournament players to understand what is supposed to be going through their heads whenever they're playing a tournament. Probably the best thing about this book is that you see that there is not only one way to play correctly. You get to see things from different perspectives, and I think that is a great way to learn. Overall this book is a must have for a poker player that is looking to get into tournament poker.

4 stars A Keeper

2007-12-13     2 of 5 found this review helpful

Enjoyed this book.I would have liked to see more about online play but whats here is great and alot of it is applicable to online. Its a great complement to the Harrington books.

4 stars Intermediate Tournament Play

2007-10-08     2 of 3 found this review helpful

If you're serious about improving your tournament play this is a good book to add to your poker library. Lots of advice from well-known pro's for the various stages of hold'em tournaments (and even a few chapters on omaha and stud). While you may not agree with everything written in this compilation, and at times it's hard to follow all of the various contributors, it's a good insight into the minds of some of the best players around!

5 stars Excellent Poker Book.

2010-04-26     1 of 1 found this review helpful

This book contain good insights into Texas Holdem. I was impressed by the number of poker pros that contributed to the book. I particularly liked Chris Ferguson's ideas.

5 stars Great Poker Book

2009-08-26     1 of 1 found this review helpful

You got the best guide to Tourment Poker. There is Holdem, Omaha and Stud Poker guide lines. It teaches you well. I like te Chapters with Howard Lederer and Phil Gordon. Its a great book with a lot of information to improve your Tournament skills. Thank you Full Tilt Poker.

5 stars A Unique Voice in Every Chapter

2009-07-28     1 of 1 found this review helpful

The best part of this really excellent book is that each of the players comes through as a unique individual talking about a different aspect of the game. Michael Craig was succeeded in tightly editing the book without losing the essential style of each of the players. Gavin Smith sounds like Gavin Smith and Mike Matusow is clearly "The Mouth". Even the nit-picky Chris Ferguson comes through in his authentic voice. Tough task--well done.

4 stars A wise investment

2009-06-15     1 of 1 found this review helpful

The first thing I would say about this particular publication is also my only gripe; anytime you have poker players write for the purpose of reading (go figure right?), is that its going to be dry, emotionless and really hard to fallow. But then again its poker and not "The Notebook". Aside from that, the lessons and insight given are nearly priceless when considering the context. Even if the only tournament play you experiance is your weekly home game, this book will pay for itself the first time. If you do play at a more serious level, you cant afford to miss out on the information shared.
Extremely in-depth analysis that sheds a fresh new light on areas that you may have overlooked in you overall playing style. I very wise investment indeed.

5 stars The book is the nuts!

2008-04-22     1 of 2 found this review helpful

Brilliant all round book, which I've learnt and gained much more poker knowledge from. Im not one for reading books but I couldn't put this one down!

5 stars great book

2008-02-27     1 of 5 found this review helpful

My order came promptly and it is a very good book to get some tips from

5 stars A great, great book

2007-12-21     1 of 1 found this review helpful

This is an incredibly good book. I review it pretty regularly. There is alot of great information in this book. It is not a beginner's a book. However, it is a book that should help an intermediate player improve his game tremendously...I suspect it can help intermediate players become good, solid players.

The biggest plus is these pros share their thought process. This is tremendously valuable. For example, in his chapter, "No limit Hold'em Play After the Flop"...Chris Fergunson proposes this simple question, "Why Bet After The Flop?"...it is a great question that really encourages you to think about what you're doing.

Howard Lederer writes about "leverage"...an incredible concept of making small bets (with the implied future cost of the pot) regardless of your hand strength...that you can win small and big pots with. Andy Block shares "stats" on blind play that you'll probably review again and again.

Gavin Smith shares his stealing approach that shows why he is such a dangerous player. Phil Gordon provides useful information on playing a short stack. Ted Forrest encourbookages you to trust your insticts and not play strictly "by the book."

Since I'm a NLH player...I can't comment on the non-Hold'em sections of this book.

If you're an intermediate NLH Tournament player...I think you will have much to gain from this book. It will be well worth your time...I know I'm a better player because I've read this book.


standtall

5 stars Comprehensive

2007-10-08     1 of 2 found this review helpful

I have read over 30 poker books, and I feel that this one is one of the best all around reads. You get view points from a dozen professionals in all aspects of all the games. Definitely a must read.

5 stars A Valuable Bood

2007-08-03     1 of 5 found this review helpful

There's a lot of material in this book and I certainly haven't absorbed it all, but this is a really valuable book. I highly recommend it.

5 stars The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide

2010-08-02     0 of 0 found this review helpful

I am very satisfied with amazon.com service. I received purchase very fast, even earlier than I was expecting. The item was safely delivered. Thanks a lot! Book is really nice. It was a good present.

4 stars A good mix of different games and perspectives

2010-07-20     0 of 0 found this review helpful

This book covers different poker games and each chapter is written buy a different poker pro. I like getting one book and not only getting just one persons view on how things should be done. Although I don't play anything but hold'em, I still enjoyed reading about the strategies to other poker games. Definitely one to get for the poker library.

1 stars Full Tilt Poker Guide

2010-07-02     0 of 7 found this review helpful

I don't want anyone wasting their time reading this poker guide, especially if you play on full tilt. As most people know poker players are as honest as they come and I have to say this book is not worth your money...

5 stars Full Tilt poker strategy guide tournament edition

2010-03-11     0 of 0 found this review helpful

One of three books that changed my game. If you play sit and goes or multis this will help you game and is one of the few I felt worth its weight in gold. I am curently reading it for the third time. I do not give reviews but this one I felt I should. This will be one of your favorites. Good luck and I hope I see you at the tables.

4 stars Good for beginners, few tips for advanced players

2010-01-11     0 of 0 found this review helpful

If you're a beginner with some experience under your belt, but only limited knowledge of poker tactics/strategy, you're likely to improve your game drastically after having read this book. It covers all the basics of NL Hold-em, including betting, bet-sizes, pre-flop/post-flop strategy, as well as big-stack and small-stack play. It also covers Omaha and a few other poker variants. In other words, it's the perfect book to get if you're just starting out.

On the other hand, if you have some experience and are familiar with the basics such as the 3x-raise, stealing, re-stealing, position, leverage, big-stack play, pot-odds, etc. this book offers only limited info. Moreover, if you're looking for material on NL Hold-em exclusively, this may not be the book for you, as only 10 of the 19 chapters are about the game (the remainder being dedicated to Omaha, Razz, Stud).

In other words, for the more advanced players, it's a great book to get your basics straight, but don't expect much new. Only two chapters offer more advanced strategy. These discuss pre- and post-flop strategy from a math-pont of view, grouping raising/calling-hands based on hand-quality/position/other players' actions/etc., giving you nice data-sheets to study and consider.

Another thing worth noting is the cover, which sports the Full Tilt-logo. It may leave you with the impression that the book is written with an emphasis on online MTTs. This is not the case. An entire chapter is dedicated to online poker, but the info there is pretty much useless, unless you've just started out. Tips in the chapter include: raise in SB if BB is sitting out, take advantage of the real-time pay-out info, etc.

4 stars Full Tilt Poker, Strategy Guide

2009-11-18     0 of 1 found this review helpful

Very good book for decent players. Will probably only read half of the chapters. Enjoyed it so far.

5 stars If you are a poker player, you need this book!

2008-09-09     0 of 3 found this review helpful

Buy this book, its one of the best out there and it covers many gametypes

5 stars A Poker Bible

2007-12-18     0 of 3 found this review helpful

Great compilation for those interested in all forms of poker. Great instruction from some of the greatest names in the sport.

Buy it from AmazonNew for $19.79