Hold'em Wisdom for all Players

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I agree with Nick and Milhouse below: this book is mediocre at best. I doubt that Daniel Negreanu contributed a single idea to the writing of "Hold 'em Wisdom for all Players." There isn't one bit of unique advice in here that hasn't been seen in the poker literature for the past two decades. In fact, it feels like some ghostwriter all but copied and pasted large blocks of text from David Sklansk's works on hold em (but deleting the mathematical or strategic explanations for various plays).

Now don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Daniel Negreanu. I was hoping to glean some sort of insight into his thought process at the tables while reading this book. But quite simply, none of that is here. "Hold 'em Wisdom for all Players" advocates a tight, weak style of play that I doubt Daniel Negreanu would ever employ. It focuses on basic card values, provides no particularly helpful guidance on reading your opponents, and is shallow in its reasoning and explanation for its various "bits of wisdom." Even for beginners, this book is far too elementary, taking the form of "thou shalt not play J8 off-suit" without any explanation of math, positioning, chip count, etc. I was hoping for a book that would provide some insight into how to play an intelligent, but aggressive game of poker; this book can only teach you how to play a truly conservative, borderline passive game. This might be enough to help you win a fair bit of money against drunken tourists at the $1/$2 ring games in Vegas, but this style of play probably will not work against more aggressively unpredictable online players.

For all that, I'll give the book three stars because "Hold 'em Wisdom for all Players" may still be useful for rank amateurs in staying out of too much trouble while learning the game. The book also isn't bad in the sense that these bits of advice have been considered conventional truths in the poker world for decades now. And maybe I'm being nice because I like Daniel Negreanu and even read his blog on occasion. In any event, if you've read Sklansky and Harrington before, then this book is wholly duplicative, if not inferior, to those works. But if this is the first book you were looking at for learning Texas hold 'em, it wouldn't be a bad choice.

I'm a big fan of Negreanu, and have had the pleasure of watching him on pretty much every televised game he's been on. Unfortunately, I'm in agreement with many of the other reviews here, in that this book is simply disappointing at best.

There's no new information here, nor even any unique insights into old information. Having read dozens of other books and always finding some new wisdom in them, I can't say I read a single thing in this book that was worth the money I paid for it. By all means, buy any book but this one. Phil Gordon's Little Blue/Green Book, Super/System II, Harrington on Hold'em (highly recommended!), any of Sklansy's books, are all great picks, and far more value for your dollar than Hold'em Wisdom.

This book is average. If you have read any poker books you've probably heard all the concepts in this book, and you've probably heard them in greater detail. It's an easy read and the book is a good review for some basic concepts.

It's difficult to recommend this book. If you are a beginner there are better books out there and if you an intermediate or advanced player you have already heard most of these ideas.

I disagree with the reviewer below on pretty much every point.

I've played poker, both live and online, for the past 4 years or so, and I was anxious to pick up this book to get some insight into DN's game.

I was extremely disappointed. I realize the book is designed to be a quick read, outlining various concepts, but there is nothing approaching wisdom here.

I've read dozens of poker books and have been able to pick up something, however big or small, from each one. This book is the exception.

Wisdom like "dont play J8, it's tricky", or "check-raise the maniac", or "go all-in against good players when you're not as good, because it's your best chance" ... aren't wisdom at all. Perhaps they could be if the book had bothered to provide some insight and not just headlines.

(btw - the above paragraph represents about 30% of the actual content of the book).

BOTTOM LINE - It's not worthwhile for true beginners because it doesn't provide any detail. It's not worthwhile for mid-level or expert players because there's nothing remotely new here.

It appears that DN (who I am a fan of) has adopted the Krusty the Klown endorsement strategy. Slap your name on whatever you can, and spit out product quickly before your 15 minutes are up.

To the beginner this book may be less than expected/desired. To anyone familiar with the game it is a refreshingly easy-to-read summary of Negreanu's approach to the game.

There are very few numbers, reflecting Daniel's "read the opponent" philosophy. The novice player may be disappointed that he doesn't give a list of starting hands. Instead the author discusses starting hands in terms of position, player types, etc. He does give a brief but adequate discussion of odds, pot odds, and bet selection based on these, but no extensive tables of the things so many poker books emphasize.

Written in short chapters, each touching on a particular topic, he gives his view on topics such as Check Raising, Stealing the Blinds, Playing Suited Connectors, etc. Throughout the book, he directs the reader to the "head game" rather than the numbers game.

I believe anyone can benefit from a quick reading of this book. However, a novice will also need exposure to a more traditional exposition in order to get a firmer grip on the numbers.

I noticed only one error in my first reading. On page 81 in the second paragraph the change should be from 2c to either 2s or 2d if the 50.1% figure is to be correct. Changing to 2h gives 49.3%. This is really a trivial difference, but the purist in me can't refrain from pointing it out.

In summary, the lessons presented in this small volume and the thought processes discussed are what make the difference between winning and losing. If you would like to learn the basic "tricks" that Daniel Negreanu uses this book is an excellent place to start.

Daniel Negreanu, Hold'em Wisdom for All Players (Cardoza, 2007)

It seems these days as if every professional poker player on the planet has a book (or a number of books) out, is writing a book, or is negotiating a book deal. Pretty tall order when the World Series of Poker is going on as I write this. The most recent (until next week) of these is Daniel Negreanu, who dropped two books on us within the space of a few months. Hold'em Wisdom for All Players, the smaller of the two, is a collection of articles he did for various websites and magazines. To be blunt, there's not a great deal here you haven't read before, as long as you've read three or four books on the game; the reason to pick this up and read it is that Negreanu's teaching style is a great deal different than, say, Dan Harrington's. The information to be found here is in small, easily-digestible bites that may be a little easier to fully internalize than you've seen before. Also, Negreanu directly addresses a few topics most pros only mention in passing (the playing of small suited connectors, for example), and that can be worth your time as well, if you haven't figured out what to do with them on your own.

For the beginner, or as a refresher course if you're feeling down in the mouth. ***

My title might sound like an oxymoron, but it's quite accurate. If you know strictly nothing of Poker, this book is not for you. On the other hand, you've already read a lot of classic books on the game (which I haven't), then you may not need the book altogether.

I like Negreanu a lot, and he's the only Poker player I actually care for. I had never read a single book on Poker, so I decided to give his a try. The book is easy to read, funny, laid-back and entertaining.

The book is made of 50 tips, or short chapters, about given topics. On the whole, I felt like I knew most of these things; which I thought meant I was quite good, then, but it's highly likely that if you're any good and experienced, you'll know most of these tips too.

So, in conclusion, a fun read for all people who know Poker but aren't professionals. I'm an "experienced beginners" and I consider myself not bad at all, and I enjoyed the book even though some parts were not new to me (which made me feel confident that I learned well enough in my practice).

Daniel 'Kid Poker' Negreanu is one of the most popular professionals on the poker tournament circuit today, and a true 'crowd pleaser' who combines his poker expertise with an approach to playing the game that does not rely upon having a 'poker face'. He is currently a three-time WSOP Champion, and was named the 2004 Player of the Year by his peers. One of the most respected 'high stakes' players in Las Vegas, as well as a seasoned winner at all the established WPT and WSOP tournaments at home and abroad, Daniel now shares fifty powerful tips designed to make aspiring Texas Hold'em players increase their chances of making the final table. Deftly presented, these 'user friendly' strategy nuggets are a as applicable to cash games as they are to tournament play. Daniel covers such diverse but commonly encountered issues the top 10 rookie mistakes, five reasons for losing at poker, bullying bullies, exploiting table image, techniques for equalizing with professional players, and more. Whether your just an armchair observer of Hold'em tournament play, or an aspiring beginner sitting down at kitchen table games, or a tournament player seeking to improve your play, you need to give a careful reading to Daniel Negreanu's "Hold'em Wisdom For All Players"!

I like the way this book has been written. It borders on the basic to intermediate player theories, but has some very good advice. I found the way it was written made it easy to understand and an enjoyable read.

This book is well written and a fun read. It is not intended for "experts" and I am not sure why a self described "poker expert" would need a book to improve their game. With 50 short chapters (2-3 pages each) this is a great book to pick up for quick tips on how to improve your game.

Like most of the other reviewers, I'm impressed with Negreanu's poker play. His ability to put opponent's on a hand and to win with such frequency is astounding. I picked up this book hoping for some novel insights. Negreanu, after all, claims it contains wisdom for all hold'em players. Not only does Negreanu provide nothing new or incisive for those of us with an advanced understanding of the game, the book doesn't even qualify as a something useful for beginners.

Negreanu's "advice" boils down to: be nice at the table, don't tell your bad beat stories, mix up your play and try to put your opponents on a hand -- and, oh by the way, I'm wonderful. Although he covers a number of important topics (pot odds, reading opponents, playing a short stack, etc.), he doesn't cover them in enough detail to provide a reader of any level with any insight into the game. It seems as if he spent no more than an hour writing each chapter. Indeed, most chapters are only a few pages long and too many contain his recollections of hands he's won. Worse, the tone of the book is often didactic -- don't softplay, be friendly, don't get angry, blah, blah, blah. I finished the book, but it wasn't easy.

If you're just starting out, Phil Gordon's "Little Green Book" is well-written, insightful, and with enough analysis and real advice to help a beginner or intermediate player take his game to the next level. Moreover, Gordon is never didactic or condescending. If you're a little more advanced and have the time, I recommend Dan Harrington's three-volume set on playing no-limit tournaments. Maybe the best series ever written on No Limit. Truly an outstanding piece of work.

Reviewers who complain that this book contains no new ideas are correct, but they've missed the point completely. There aren't all that many new ideas left to right about. What this book does is explain most of the basics in a way that is much clearer and more entertaining than the vast majority of its predecessors. No, this is not a book for players who already have a lot of skill. But I'd rank this right up there among the very best hold 'em books out there for beginners, or maybe advanced beginners. No, it won't replace the Harrington books, which in my opinion blow the rest of 'em out of the water, but this is a damn good book--well written, and full of many important, if not original, concepts.

This book is similar in format to 52 Tips For No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em Poker In that each chapter is mostly independent of the others.

The sections with advice on Hold'em hand situations are geared toward players that already know the basics of hold'em. However, anyone that's read a few books on the game will find some of the advice repetitious.

The book was entertaining and educational for me. I didn't buy the book originally because of the reviews. Then, a friend of mine loaned me a copy and I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. I've read a lot of Poker books lately, and I'd put this one close to the top for fun to read value. Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 1: Strategic Play is undoubtedly better for someone that's looking for an almost encyclopedic description of one system for playing Hold'em. Daniel's book is obviously not intended for that purpose, but rather contains tidbits of mostly common-sense advice that can be inserted into anyone's game, as well as situational advice on specific hands.

He also talks a little about tilting, dealing with bad beats, rookie mistakes, offers an explanation of small-ball vs long-ball Hold'em strategies, and a lot more. There are 50 chapters, and each one covers a topic like these. Had the publisher shown the chapter headings on the Amazon site, I would have bought the book immediately in-spite of the somewhat negative reviews for it here. Particularly when compared with ecstatic reviews on clearly inferior Poker books I've also found here.

It was a fun book to read, and I can't see how anyone could be disappointed with the content. It's a mass market book for all Hold'em players, as the title clearly states.

Buy it, you won't be disappointed.

I was somewhat skeptical about this book after reading some of the reviews on this site. Nevertheless, because Daniel is my favorite player, I wanted to give it a try.

What a great book! It's so . . . Daniel! Informative, entertaining, at times humorous, and so easy-to-read.

One of the problems I have with some poker books is that they get too damn complicated. I mean, seriously, have you checked out Chen's book, The Mathematics of Poker?

Just before I sit down to play at the WSOP, I'm going to rifle through this book one more time to remind myself how Daniel advises to play smart, particularly with those troublesome hands like pocket jacks, small pairs, and suited connectors.

Does the book uncover the super-secret Jedi formula to winning at poker? Of course not. Can this book help make you a better and smarter player? That's my bet.

Harsh reviews for this book are hardly accurate
You can't read a book called "Hold'em Wisdom for all players" and expect to get caro's book of tells and psycho analysis details summarized.
Anyone in any sport or game of skill realizes if you stop "working out" you become weak. This book is an easy read and a quick reference as a reminder to not repeat past mistakes. It keeps the basics in your head with a quick "cliff notes" format of pretty good. Only Liars and 5+ year poker player veterans would say they never make mistakes that this book points out.

I found the book mildly entertaining but not very educational. I had hoped for more on the basics of Texas Holdem and this was not forthcomming.

I enjoyed this book. I have been mainly playing No limit cash games for about a year. I just recently started playing tournaments. I understood how to play holdem but what I failed to realize were the details and strategies of the game. This book does not go into full detail about how to master techniques or the basics of the game. This book is designed for people who understand there is more to the game then just cards but don't really think about all the details involved.

Before I bought this book I played in about 10 home holdem tournaments and out of 12 people, I was at best the 7th one out. Usually I was 10th or 9th. I got frustrated and wanted to get away from Tournament play and just go back to cash games. Then I came across this book and started to realize the key mistakes I was making. I swear to you, I was only half-way through the book and had a tournament at my house and ended up splitting the 1st and 2nd place winnings with the other person. This book opened my eyes up to things that I was doing wrong. I would recommend this to people who understand the game and are interested in tournament play or just want to improve their game overall.

This book is great for every poker player. I've been playing for years and Daniel still gave insight on things that I had never thought about. I attempted a few techniques he suggested this past weekend at the casino and they worked perfectly.

Good book. Really geared toward beginner Texas Hold'em players. Gives you some good basic rules to live by. If you're looking for more in depth strategy, you will need to look elsewhere. If you're looking to get into the game or build your confidence as a new player, this book is for you.

This is a nice short, but to the point book, great for beginners. If some one is just starting to play, get them this book, it addresses several rookie mistakes. The material was presented in a very readable format. Looking forward to his new release.

i thought this book would give me insight into how daniel plays the game, one of my favorites. unfortunately, I found the book to be a mere cursory over view of aspects of the game with out any details or discussions on daniels specific game. maybe my expectations should have been lower but when one is dealing with negreanu I think expectations should be high.
sorry dan.

This book teaches you how to think like a poker player, and how to exploit certain fields of the game. If you're looking for a book that tells you when to raise, fold, check and so on, this is NOT the book for you. This book simply shows you a good amount of playing styles that you may not have thought about.

This book is not statistical, but an easy to read beginner's poker book.

Daniel is on fire, this book is one of the best I have read so far!!! Visit SuperAggressive.com for free bonus money if you want to play there.

If this book were titled "Hold'em Wisdom for New Players" I would have given it 5 stars, as it does provide a lot of answers to questions a new player faces. For advanced players the book doesn't offer that much. I will say this is probably the easiest of all poker books to read and is suggested reading for the newby before you delve into the meat and potatos of poker theory and mathematics. I would recommend this book to a new poker player to be followed by Phil Gordons little Green Book. The information combined in both books will get you to the final table. They did me, since reading these two I have final tabled 7 times and still progressing.

This book is easy to read, but offers little new advice. No new ideas like i was hoping for but maybe his next book will be better. Its a tweener book because its not for people who are starting to play holdem and its not for people who have been playing for awhile.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Would highly recommend this book for the serious and amateur Texas hold-em player.

The title says that this is Hold'Em Wisdom for All PLayers. However, in the first few 'chapters', it's explained that the advice he is giving is for novice or beginning players.

And that's exactly what it is. If you already have a basic understanding of pot odds, draws, starting hands, etc then you can forego this book. It is all pretty fundamental.

However, I would say that if you are a complete beginner then this book would probably be a good starting place. That said, I'd still say Harrington on Hold'Em 1 is a better place to start.

I like this book alot... I still don't know everything i want to know about Texas Holdem, but i have a lot of useful tips and information. I bought this book because i am a Negreanu fan and I like his style of playing. He writes as if you are talking to him and it is a very easy read.. I finished it in a few hours. If you like the author and are interested in learning more about his style than you will enjoy this book. IF you know nothing about Texas HOldem and looking for a how to book, you may need to look elsewhere.

I'll give it 3 stars simply because I believe it can help intro level beginners and/or really bad players who think they know how to play poker. I will admit a couple concepts got me thinking about concepts in a way I've never thought about them before. But, for a that is supposed to have 50 great tips, I'd say only about 2 or 3 of them got me thinking past, "uhhhh. duh".