Hold'Em Poker for Advanced Players (Advance Player)

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This is simply the best Hold'em book ever written.

The first half of the book follows a traditional style. The authors cover opening hands, position, the "if you're checking a lot, you're a [bad] player" philosophy, calculating basic pot odds, and a variety of other topics essential to your game. This half of the book should be memorized. Don't kid yourself; if you don't know how to play a suited jack/nine from the fifth position, you will not win consistently playing Hold'em. Calculating pot odds separates the men from the boys, but you will need to get a copy of the Theory of Poker to truly cover that topic.

The second half of the book is a wealth of short essays covering topics ranging from how to play especially difficult hands to more general topics such a slow-play and the semi-bluff. I can't tell you how helpful this part of the book is. For a newbie, there is too much information here to absorb, but just reading the text will help you recognize when players are using these techniques against you. With time, you will learn how to use these techniques yourself.

The second part of the book also is an excellent reference for those times in a game when you just were not sure what the correct play was. Make a mental note when that happens and bust out this book when you get home. More than likely, you will find the information you need to make the correct play the next time. Keep in mind that when you're not sure how to play out a hand, your opponent likely has the same problems. If you learn from these difficult, often misplayed hands, you can gain a significant advantage over your fellow-players.

Bottom line: Read this book over and over again until you can recall it line by line while sitting at the table. There is not a better way to spend your time than reading this book if you want to increase your hourly take at the Hold'em table.

Five Enthusiastic Stars - HawkeyeGK

When I first bought this book i wasnt technically an advanced player. I understood the game, the rules, and many plays from just playing poker a lot. The problem with Hold'em is no matter how many books you read, you are destined to loose hundereds or thousands of dollars in the process of your Hold'em education. We have books like this one to give tips on how to cut down on the cost of your education. Honestly, if you're a regular player at the game of Hold'em you got to have this book for your collection. I say collection because all Hold'em players have a book collection :)

Must reads:
David Sklansky's - Theory of Poker
Doyle Brunson's - The Super System

The absolute must of them all
= Mike Caro's - Book of Poker Tells

This book gets more in to detail of things to do in certain situations or variations of Hold'em than it does about basics of the game. I really dont think anyone is going to get lost buying this book and being a beginner. You at least need to know what the basics of the game are, which can be learned by watching the World Poker Tour or World Series of Poker on TV. What David goes into more are Low limit, high limit, loose games, tight games, etc. and tips on what to do in certain situations against many or few opponents.

I cant really say too much more that hasnt been said in all the other reviews. There is a lot of good info in this book. The bottom line is, for this game you must be as educated as possible about every kind of play there is. If you learn one thing in this book that will gain or save you a pot that you wouldn't have walked away with, then it has most likely paid for itself right then and there!

The ideas contained in this book are outdated and useless, even harmful. The concepts were developed by Sklansky in another era for another game. The modern game typically has two to three players seeing the flop for two to three bets. When Sklansky wrote his original book based on his experiences in relatively low limit games i.e the 10-20 game at the Gold Nugget) where a tight game was described as one where around five players saw the flop for half a bet or a full bet. Another section of the new book talks about games where no one at the table takes the game seriously. Those games just don't exist at levels high enough for the player to have a chance to overcome the rake (20-40 or higher).

Particularly dangerous is the book's oft stated theme of rating suited hands much higher than non-suited hands. For instance, 10 J suited is rated equivalent to A Q offsuit. Playing small suited connectors is suicide in the average high limit game (seeing the flop against one or two opponents for two to three bets). There is only a minimal difference between say A Q offsuit and A Q suited in this type of game because (1) you hit flushes very rarely (about 4% of the time when you're suited) and (2) you'll actually make more flushes with the off suited hand. Playing garbage hands in hopes of hitting a 1 in 25 flush is the biggest single error made by bad players and this book sytemically reinforces this error. This 1 in 25 shot is particularly ill advised when you play in game with lots of two or three handed flops.

The other problem is that strategy suggestions repeatedly encourage calling way too loose and raising way too tight, just the opposite strategy that consistent winning players employ. I suspect that Malmuth knows that the strategies suggested won't work in high limit games and are thus of no use (or even detrimental) to advanced players.

It is certainly true, however, that an amateur player could benefit from the book as long as they understand that the book will not turn them into a pro or enable them to overcome the rake in low limit games.

Finally, the authors discussion focused almost exclusively on structured limit games. There are only a handful of truly successful limit poker pros in the world. Anybody that can play, even a little bit, should focus on playing no-limit or pot limit. Even the authors admit that many of the really difficult situations are break even decisions in limit poker. In open limit games, however, these situations are extremely critical.

Psychology, tells, and betting strategies are so much more important in no limit that most working, practicing holdem/omaha pros refuse to play structured limit. Limit poker is great for the house, because they end up with all the money. If you have some talent (and some passion) for the game and you're trying to become a serious player, pass on this book and pass on limit poker in general.

I was furious after I read some of the other reviews of this book. I looked only out of curiousity, considering I had already read (and reread) this book four year ago- before Varkonyi won the WSOP on ESPN or the WPT was being televised on the Travel Channel. The fact was, this book changed my life and my playing to a degree where I considered myself semi-professional. If you want a book on "How-to-begin-learning-poker" get Skalansky's skinny book on Hold 'em. But these pages are packed solid with enough information to make the book seem even heavier in your hands than the number of pages implies. Markus Damanski from Germany found it hard to understand, maybe english is not his first language. Jamie Landry from Seattle said she had to read it two whole times before she gleened a couple ideas from it! wow. And J. Gelling from NY gave it one star with an example quote to illustrate it's complexity which he could not follow.

BUT... my response is: Noam Chomsky was not easy to get through. St. Thomas Aquinas made me want to pull my hair out. J.R.R. Tolkien's Silmerillian is just a bunch of nonsensical words! My points are as follows:

1. THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE TO FIND THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS BOOK. I have read them all. Yes, all of them. Many times.

2. THERE IS NO WAY TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION IN A MORE PRECISE FASHION THAN IT IS. I had to read sentences, paragraphs, and whole pages over and over and over again until I understood it too (just like Chomsky & Aquinas), but there is no way I could I have said it more succinctly.

3. THEY ASSERT THAT SINCE SKLANSKY OFTEN REFERS TO LIMIT HOLD EM ON HIS LESSONS, IT HAS LITTLE OR NO VALUE IN NO LIMIT HOLD EM. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. I could not reasonably move up to no limit hold em until I could understand and apply (with dicipline) the ideas and theories he presents for limit games.

I play all over CA and NV at medium stakes ($5/$10 No Limit or $10/$20 Limit) against dozens of old men and young rookies (I'm only 28) who think they know it all. But it only takes a conversation at a short smoke break or a couple rounds of the blinds to recognize the basic theories they lack. And they scoff at me, "bah, i never read those damn books, sonny."

Well, most of us are not smart enough to have spontaneous knowledge of complex ideas. The next best thing we can hope for is to be smart enough to follow the line of logic of smarter men than us like Einstein, Chomsky, Aquinas, and yes, even Sklansky. If you can't follow their advanced theories yet, go back and reread the basics.

I shudder to think of reading an Einstein book for "Advanced Physicists" less than reading an idiot's review of it.

Worth it's weight in gold? Hardly. Worthwhile to read several times? Definately.

Overall, this is a solid, advanced poker book. It is full of numerically based, money making advice as well as intricate "plays" designed to extract the most value from a hand.

With that being said, the reader must be warned that the author, in addition to being a solid poker player, is a busnessman and is aware of the money this book will make you if you take it's advice. Thus the hefty price tag.

I should stress that this is an ADVANCED book. The author makes the assumption that you are playing with tight agressive SMART players. If you are consistantly playing low limits and getting beat by idiots drawing out on you this book will not solve your problems (i.e. it is intended for $5/10 and up limits.) Additionally, if you have not played quite a bit of hold em', you might not fully understand the value of some of the advice that this book has to offer.

Overall I highly recommend this book along with the shorter, hold em' book (titled "Texas Hold em'" I believe) by the same authors. The information is solid and will undoubtedly help your game.

I have most of their titles-the best poker advice backed up with easy to understand examples. contains the least amount of dubious advice of any poker text. this book will make a difference to your bankroll. No matter how good a player you are you are a clueless newbie until you read this text. Once caveat: Keep in mind that in general their advice is directed towards your playing in a game with tight aggressive skilled players. These authors no longer play in low limit games and to some extent have lost touch with the type of player the low limit playing reader faces.You should find another title to read that addresses games with loose bad players in it so as to obtain a proper strategic approach to all situations. A good poker book teaches you how to think about situations more so than what to do in specific situation.Any text by the team of skylansky malmouth is worth it's weight in gold. Look for a revision of some of their classic texts, subtitled- "year 2000 or 20c. update"?

The most updated version of the book is excellent for all forms of play in Hold'em. This book is primarily designed for the more skilled games, $10/$20 limits and up. However, the updated version (1999) has a wealth of information about playing against less skilled players you find in lower limit games ($2/$4, $5/$10, etc).

This book is clearly for advanced or at least experienced players only. Beginners will not take much if anything from this book! It's pretty clear it builds off a few books more toward the beginner, which I haven't read. If you aren't experienced at this game, check out the more beginner level books. The concepts in Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players are extremely complex. Most notably, many of these concepts are very subtle in the book. They're very easy to pick up if you are a solid Hold'em player. But if you are new to the game, they'll be difficult to pick up and much of the wealth of information in this book will be completely lost.

This is must read information for anyone who wants to play this game at any serious level and win money.

This is one of the books on the "required reading" list for the Poker Discussion Group in San Diego. It is really absolute must reading for anyone who intends to play Texas Hold'em in a casino and wants to be a winner. One notable thing regarding this book is that if you have not read "Hold'em Poker" by David Sklansky, this book may not make much sense to you. It really is for advanced players, and describes many plays that are sophisticated and beyond the scope of a beginning book on poker. The hand rankings are critical for beginners learning the difficult art of pre-flop play. The advanced plays described in some of the later chapters become the basis for winning play after the flop, particularly at the middle limits. Some of the plays are not all that useful in the small limit games, but the section on "loose games" is critical for beginning players learning how to navigate large multiway pots. Overall, this book is must reading, and anyone who hasn't read it is probably not going to be playing anywhere near optimally, no matter what limit of Texas hold'em they play.

I consider myself an above average player who was looking to take my game to the next level. I hoped this book would take me there, but I found it too confusing. The normal tip goes something like this: In this certain situation, you may want to consider checking or raising, unless you think the bettor may be bluffing or is tight aggressive, in which case a strong play would be to check-raise. If you're in an early position, definitely think about folding, but the blinds may want to call half the time, however only if the pot odds are right and 4 other conditions are met... Now take 150 similar -sophisticated- plays, and thats the contents of the book.

Would I recommend this to others? Well, certain players may want to consider buying it, while about 1 in 3 may want to think about checking with their friends first to see if they have a copy. A good play might be to consider a used copy, but only if the price is below the normal buy-in of their weekly game. Most should consider folding, however, a small percent of the time you should buy 2 or more copies for your friends to confuse them for the next game.

Note: No limit is not covered.

For people just surfing a list of poker titles, you will have a hard time understanding this book if you don't have a grounding in basic poker theory and some game-specific reference material already. Most of the terminology used by Sklansky and Malmuth is explained in detail in _The Theory of Poker_. For an easily read and perhaps more clearly written introduction to Texas Hold'em, I recommend _Hold'em Excellence_ by Lou Krieger or _Winning Low-Limit Hold'em_ by Lee Jones.

Both of the basic books came after this book, however, and both pay extensive tribute to its lessons. It makes sense to read the simplified versions first, and then progress to this.

An example of the different level of detail can be found with discussions of how to play a pair of jacks before the flop. Lee Jones tells you to raise with it in early position, and reraise the pot if it gets to you beforehand - which itself is sound advice, because you want to make worse hands pay to catch cards that beat yours. However, Sklansky sees it differently and goes further in explaining himself. "If no one has opened and you are in an early position, it is usually best to raise with JJ in a tight game and to just call with it in a loose game. With two jacks you would prefer either to have no more than one or two opponents in the hope your hand holds up without improvement, or to have as many opponents in the pot as possible when the majority of your profits come from flopping three-of-a-kind. The worst scenario is when exactly three or four opponents see the flop with you. This most likely would occur if you called in a tight game or raised in a loose game." This won't sink in nearly so well until you've built some good fundamental assumptions about playing the game and put in some hours of playing and thinking.

No book will make you a strong player by itself, as Sklansky will point out in the introduction to any book on poker he's ever written. However, if you've read the Krieger and Jones texts a few times and come out a winner after six months of hold'em at the $3-$6/$4-$8 level, you might want to invest in this as your spring training before taking a shot at $10-$20 stakes and higher.

I am an advanced player, and I can tell you: this book is not very helpful to the great majority of readers. Sklansky and Malmuth certainly seem to know alot about poker. But they just don't know how to communicate their ideas in a useful fashion. (As they acknowledge in the book, they decided to self-publish rather than employ an editor to help put their knowledge into reader-friendly shape.)

Some of their recommendations are obvious (i.e., raising with two aces), but that is okay: how-to books are supposed to do that. But much of their advice is of this type: "In this situation, you should definitely call. However, sometimes a raise is the correct play, and on other occasions you should fold just to mix up your play." This kind of "advice" mixes up only the READER. And the authors neuter some advice by hinging it on the personal characteristics of the remaining players (i.e., whether they are likely to fold, call or raise.) Reading your opponents is an important aspect of poker, but that is something (1) learned only through a great deal of experience and (2) impossible for even experts to do without having played with the other players. Finally, as others (and the authors) have noted, the book is not well-written or organized.

I give the book 2 stars because about 50 of the 300+ pages really does contain useful information. But you have to wade through alot of mishmash to find it.

There are lots of other books out there that present USEFUL information to players from novice to advanced. You should seek them out instead.

This book is weighty and technical. I could imagine Malmuth and Sklansky discussing the exact way to play a hand before writing it down (along with all the variations). Play descriptions will be provided in one sentence and take a lot of thought to understand, especially for beginners like me. You will have to go to the tables and come back to the book to fully understand all the aspects of their discussion. This means that those with more experience will gain more from it. This book is for those who play higher limit games, perhaps 10-20 and up because poorer players predominate in the lower games. Poorer players don't respond to betting action like they should, partly because they are ignorant and partly because the cost of mistakes, or staying in lousy hands, are so low. Your education will hindered in those games, therefore this book is for serious hold'em players who wish higher study of a structured Casino game. Interestingly, despite the advice by so many books to be tight-aggressive (including this one), there is a good use of examples with poorer hands that might be played from late position. I hope I added something to earlier reviews.

I just recently started playing poker, and in less than a year I am a consistent winner at any medium limit holdem that exists. I play 3-6, and I play 30-60, and I owe my winnings to this book. The stategies discussed are nothing short of brilliant. The only shortcoming of this book is that if a reader takes it too seriously, it can actually cost you money. The most important thing to remember is that this book, unlike most other poker books, does not tell you WHAT DO TO...it mearly presents everything that you need TO CONSIDER in order to make the correct decision. Regardless of what limit you play, this book is a tool that can be used to assist any intelligent player in making the correct decision.

After reading several of the 2+2 offerings, I finally got around to picking up this one. I have to say that it is an excellent companion to Ed Miller's superb work, Small Stakes Hold'em. What I love about Hold Em for Advanced Players is that it recalibrated my fundamentals which is exactly what the mathematician ordered. It seems that the more I'm online competing, the more likely I am to make plays I should never be making. One can only be beaten so long by knuckleheads making straights with 9/5 offsuit before you start becoming experimental and see raise after raise with suited connectors that may have no value after the flop.

Admittedly, the book is not brand new, but they did update it to make it more in keeping with today's aggressive, aggressive, "I'm all in like Gus Hanson," game. The focus is ring games, which most of us play them online. I did not heed the author's advice when I got it (to read it straight through first), but skipped ahead to the new chapter on playing in loose games. Based on my experiences, their advice was on point and quite helpful.

I perused the reviews below, and, I have to say that I disagree with the recent about there being too many exceptions to the information given. I find the inability to state things categorically, and, for every instance, to be in the nature of the game. Endless and bizarre exceptions basically are Texas Hold'Em. It's semi-formal rules with exceptions everywhere you look. If there were not so many contingencies, the fish would never win, and, as all of us know, the fish win quite a bit. The randomicity of the game causes authors like Malmouth and Sklansky to alter their advice slightly depending on the situation, and to always try to find a way for the player to get an edge and slant the odds in his favor. And what is "in his favor" depends on the hand, the street, and the bet. A great many people long to impose order upon poker, but you cannot completely do so. With any form of gambling there will always be some chaos inherent; there's no getting around it. Once you accept this fact, you tilt far less. As for the writing style, okay, these are math guys. No, they aren't great writers, but so what? We are looking for their expert analytical guidance. I don't care if the sentences are choppy and devoid of personality. If you ask me, my game could use a little less personality. As a fellow soldier in the trenches, let me say that this would make a valuable purchase.

I don't know if other reviews touch on this, but this book is intended for limit holdem games. While many of the ideas can be applied to no limit games, the author continually discusses limit play. This is important since there is little in the book about pot odds and implied odds. And since the author assumes you are playing limit games, the discussion regarding these topics is limited to "if you are raised on your right" and so on. For people who want specifics about how much of a raise on your right should cause you to fold, this book is lacking.

I will say, however, that the section on hand rankings has improved my play (in both limit and no limit games). But if you are looking for a specific no limit book, you might try something else.

Wow, what a mind bruising experience! I practiced law for 11 years, I program code for a living now and I've written two books myself (leasing and bankruptcy) so I know full well about what is confusing and what is not. I've also been playing poker for 28 years.

THIS IS CONFUSING.

I returned the book because it is so littered with caveats, exceptions and intricate variations that it's impossible to draw meaningful themes. Moreover, the jargon makes it very difficult to follow (because the jargon, itself, is vague and because the context in which it is used is difficult). For example, there are passages which advise you to play certain ways if the table is loose, but the players are aggressive, but the table is tough and the caller is tight. HUH???

I'm off to the bookstore to get another book!

It's important to understand that this is a textbook, not simply a casual read or handbook. The information is presented in a manner that is to be studied, not skimmed. I've talked to some people who were very disappointed in this text. They told me it didn't give them tips or rules to use when they played, which they expected because everyone speaks so highly of the book and say it is one of the best. Simply put, these people were not advanced players and they just didn't have what was needed to understand this text.

Sklansky approaches the game from an analytical stance. He teaches you about concepts, not specific situations. He presents you the theory of how to make good decisions, he doesn't teach you how to walk into every game and win. Sklansky repeatedly reminds you that if you make more good decisions than bad you will come out ahead. The text explains to you how the game is about odds, rather than luck or emotion. It gives you the information you need to understand the game from a mathematical and statistical standpoint. If you instantly feel queezy when thinking about those things, this probably isn't the book for you (yet, anyway). If on the other hand, you're able to handle intense analytical rhetoric, definitely get a copy of this text, it will blow your mind and you'll likely see the game in a completely different perpective.

Before getting this text, really evaluate your abilities. I liken it to the following: Let's say you are a diehard CSI fan. You know what tests they use, what type of things you can DNA from, and how to play slueth. But, do you think you would be able to pick up a text on advanced molecular biochemistry or molecular genetic assays and be able to understand the theory covered? You might be able to pick up a little here and there, but overall you'd likely think the text was jibberish that made no sense to you. That's alright though, you aren't trained in forensics or molecular biology. You haven't studied it for several years so a book written at such a high level would logically not make sense. Poker for Advanced Players is much the same. Most people can't pick up a text aimed at a graduate or professional level when you've only taken a few introductory courses.

Does this mean that you will never understand? No, it just means that you need back up and start near the beginning. You need to train you're mind to think a certain way.

However, if you are seeking quick and easy tips on how to win more money this probably isn't the approach for you. There are plenty of books available for those kinds of tips.

I am really wondering about the reviews on this page. Some were critical, but then there was a huge mass of positive reviews, completely ignoring the obvious problems with this book.

Let's try to get a picture of this. A book is good if it not only contains valuable information, it must also transfer this information to the reader. The second part is where this book fails completely.

In an essence the book offers you a collection of plays. The authors are trying to come up with concepts and rules, but at the same time they are giving so many exceptions, that the concepts and rules become vague and unreliable. In the end the reader is completely confused and doesn't know what to do with all of this.

Also their starting hands are questionable. Some guys did research on it and they discovered a few errors (http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/People/mummert/poker/). Now it is up to the reader whom to trust, which adds even more to the confusion.

Overall I gave 3 stars for the information that must be hidden somewhere in this book. I didn't find much, but I can't deny that some conclusions made me say "ahhh". If you don't mind reading the same stuff twice or more before you vaguely understand what the authors wanted to say, I am sure you can find a few gems.

This book will definitely put you in the twillight zone of poker education. When you read it you have the feeling that there is lots of important stuff presented to you, you just don't know if you will ever understand it.

Several reviews say that is book is not for newbies. I disagree. If you know the basics of the game I cant think of a better way to start off on the right foot. Why waste your time losing money for a few years while youre becoming an "advanced" player. Keep in mind though that you need to be a data junkie to enjoy this book. It's kind of like reading a calculus book or something. You can't just sit down and read it front to back and expect to be a successful player. Be prepared to read the same information over and over until it makes good sense and becomes second nature. Also be prepared to memorize A LOT of information. If youre not willing to put in this kind of effort, don't buy the book.

This review is a direct response to the review written by Gamboler. It is clear that Gamboler has little knowledge of expert play and is most likely a member of the huge army of loosing players! I have read Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players so many times I have wore out the pages and the cover. And let me say that I beat my game for two big bets an hour using the concepts in this book. This is the best book ever written on Hold'em, cosequently, and serious player or potential serious player really need to read this book.

I've tried to make my way through this book twice unsuccefully. His style of writing is very very hard to follow.

However, what he says makes a lot of sense and the theories behind his ideas are very sound and profitable.

So, if you can climb your way through the jungle of tangled ideas and methods that he describes, you will be able to advance your game. If you're looking for something that flows a little easier then you should try picking up another book.

Also, to be mentioned, is this book covers only limit hold'em, not the more popular no limit of today's games.

Noone can maintain this book is well written. It is 'organized' in a chaotic way, and the writing style is terse and somewhat boring. However, the reason to give 5 stars to this book is that it gives an enormous amount of information (compared to books that are much easier to read such as Lou krieger's books), and the information is accurate. Time and time again I noticed that after thinking about some issues for a long time I finally arrived at conclusions that were already written down in this book.

You have to read and reread and reread this book to get everything out, because it is too much to digest at once.

Buy this book only if you play fixed-limit hold em, not the pot limit and no limit games that most people play, all the strategy in this book relates to fixed limit and DOES NOT carry over to no limit. I don't remember this being mentioned on the sleeve, and it would be easy for a NL player to add this to their library only to read it and find out too late that it does not apply to NL.

Just so you know!!!

This is not a book to read while drinking a beer and watching the ballgame on TV. Like most Sklansky books, it's packed with information delivered in a dry, straightforward style reminicsent of college math or engineering texts. The ideas, while often subtle, are very powerful if the reader will take the time to read, re-read, and probe them in poker games and out.

Much of the material is in the form of brief essays. The portion on non-optimal play in loose games is worth the price of the book all by itself. The same can be said of the heads up play section. I recommend that you take notes and re read the sections several times as you study, then chat online (2+2 forum is a good site to do this)with some playes about what you've learned.

This book in my opinion is Sklansky's best book, with Theory of Poker a close second. Take the time and make the effort to understand what he's saying and take your game to a new level.

I have read every book on poker from Baldwin, Brunson to Greenstein and Harrington. These books are loaded with alot of information and alot of hope. I truly believe through my intense study of the game and through many years of grinding it out, there is only one way to become an advanced player and that is through experiance. There I said it. You can read a poker book a day, and still learn nothing about proper game play till you put it on the line and see what happens. The main intent of these books are to have you ponder on the mind frame of a poker player. But unless you have played the game for 25-30 years like the one's writing the books, you can't truly appreciate what they are talking about.

I am certain that once you learn the basics of the game in question you shouldn't buy a single book telling you how to perform, save that money and buy a software where you can try your own strategies through countless simulations. In a weeks time I have played up to 5,000 to 7,000 hands and learned from myself, how to play a hand or how to play it different.

I hear It already you can't learn poker from a software. So untrue. Remember the game in question here is Limit, where the only way to win is through straightforward play and value betting. A software is the same way. Of course a software on No-Limit would be nowhere as valuable due to obvious reasons. I am a consitant winner at any level up to 40-80 because I have seen so many hands in so many different situations. And they hype from the one guys reviews about the rake will kill you in limit, don't play limit, blah, blah, blah. Buddy, just like NLH, it's about game selection. The rake will kill you in a very tight game, when 3/4ths the time your in the pot you will fold quickly but not in a game where your profit comes from others mistakes.

Good luck at the tables.

This is an excelent book, but take the title to heart. It's for advanced play. Perhaps a better way to put it is to say that this boook contains information you'll need to properly play mid and high limit hold 'em. If you're playing low limit hold 'em then you should be studying Lee Jone's book "Winning Low Limit Hold 'em" and Sklansky's first Hold 'em book.

Some of the plays in this book will still work in low limit games. But remember, in low limit games people will play just about any cards and they rarely fold. So the extensive coverage of bluffing, semi-bluffing, reading cards, and so on won't be of much use in a low limit game. But once you're ready to "tighten up" and play in the larger money games this information becomes very important.

This is a great book if you know a lot about poker. The first time I read this book I was very confused about the concepts within the chapters. However, once I played at the casinos, EVERYTHING made perfect sense. My game has greatly improved because of this book.
One thing to be cautious of: many of these concepts relate to higher stakes tables. Even 5-10 tables may have too many players who are not good enough to use these strategies on. Also, if you like to play poker but do not have much experience at casino tables, you will have difficulty reading this. I read a few of these chapters a couple of times when I first got it because it is truley for ADVANCED players!
Overall, if you are a good player and want to become great, this book will definitely help. It is a great book with MANY different concepts.

When reading the section on "The First Two Cards: Early Position" I kept asking myself "how do you know that?" I compared his hand rankings with the results of a monte-carlo simulation (Chance's Hole Cards Table) and they weren't all that accurate. If the very basis of his work isn't all that precise then how could all this complexity possibly be justified? Is there a cult of Sklansky? Also, be prepared for very poor writing. Mr. Sklansky's thought process are almost spaghetti-like making him hard to follow increasing his cult-like status. Also, using his poker-like approach to marketing, this book really requires that you also purchase "Hold'em Poker" and the "Theory of Poker." Apparently it isn't hard for him to find good customers.

I thought I knew Texas Hold 'Em pretty well, so I bought this book and read it. I was fascinated with the presentation, but confused with the material, definitions and some tactics. Bottom line: I'm not as Advanced as I thought I was. I found myself reading and re-reading pages trying to understand the concepts he was trying to deliver. I managed about a 50% success rate in understanding.

This is more of a "caution review" than a review. Poker players - if you think you're "pretty good" like I did, you should start with The Theory of Poker, which a lot of reviewers have recommended (I, myself, ordered it and am reading it now). It should bridge some gaps in understanding. If The Theory is too easy of a read, then you're ready for Advanced.

I'm still glad I bought this book, cause I have a tool that I can use in the future...just not right now :(

Hold 'Em Poker for Advanced Players by David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth is a book that truly was ahead of its time. Originally published in 1988 and now in its 3rd edition, this book was the kind of resource for Hold Em players that was simply in short short short supply at the time that the WSOP had 167 entrants in the main event and Johnny Chan repeated against Erik Seidel. Now nearly 20 years after it was first published, this book still contains outstanding advice on how to improve your game, from the basics of starting hands to discussing pot odds, implied odds, steals, and bluffs. While this book is marketed towards the LIMIT Hold 'Em player, that doesn't mean that No Limit players can't get something out of this as well. Discussion on the types of things mentioned before (starting hands and odds) still are very similar as you transition from Limit to No Limit, they just need to be "tweaked" a bit as you move up in games.

The one thing that this book will NOT do much for you is learning to play NL Tournament Hold Em (NLTHE), so if that is your main focus, pick up Dan Harrington's EXCEPTIONAL books which discuss the subject. If you are a cash player mainly and want to improve your game or are even just learning the game, you would be making a wise decision to pick up a copy of this book.

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This book can be tough to read if you're not really familiar with hold'em, but once you get used to the lingo, it's a good read. I especially enjoy the Q&A at the end of the book because it's helpful to review for different strategies. They give a lot of good examples on how their strategies apply too, which is very useful.

This book has some good information but boy are these guys bad writers. I think one of the guys is a mathmatician. I guess he must have skipped English class. Many times I found myself reading a sentence 10 times over and still didn't have a clue what the author was saying. Overall I would give it 3 stars. I play online and found some of the stuff useful even though it's sometimes hard to get through. Definately not a book for beginners. If any of you are looking to play online by the way check out my poker site. I review poker rooms where you can play online. I'm pretty stoked, so far I've won about $4,000 playing online. My site is at: pokerstart.com

The strategies described in this book are rock solid. Following them closely, I am up 2500 in on-line 5/10, even though I'm playing mostly late at night when the games tend to be tougher.

Be warned that those of you looking for a quick read may be disappointed. It requires a considerable investment of time. I have re-read my copy cover-to-cover about 5 times. After the first few readings there were some things with which I disagreed, but the more I play the more I see that he is absolutely right. The guy knows Hold'em.

The strategy he describes is beautifully balanced so that it is difficult for your opponents to read you, and you'll find they are constantly disgusted when you show your hand. To get the balance, though, you need to follow the full strategy, not just pick out individual "plays". Again, it takes time to absorb everything.

Highly recommended.

I hope there are many "Robert's" out there who think this book is dumb... i ve played over 20 yrs of steady hold'em... Slanksky knows gambling....and especially poker.

It is a technical book .....so if you re a newbie.....or if you dont really want to focus on the game (like RObert -- no offense robert, we need fish like you in a game)...

A Must buy book for serious player!

Everytime I go back to this book I alway find holes in my game. This is a must read book especially if you are planing to move up to $10-$20 or higher. While reading the book I've seen how a certain play was used against me. I also recommend Mike Caro's book The bodylanguage of poker. That book alone paid for my last trip to Las Vegas.

David clearly understands the game and is well verse in the probabilities and potential outcomes of different stages of a round of Texas Hold'Em. However his advice, and corresponding play on the few nationally broadcast events I've been him in, essentially boils down the "hope that you get good cards before the ante eats you up"

Alot of people can win when they get good cards, but the books I want to read are about pros that win time and again with or without good cards .. I'd recommend Doyle Brunson's "Super System" .. written almost 3 decades ago .. it has most insightful advice I've come across to win at Texas Hold'Em.

I read a lot of poker stuff and I have acquired a good understanding of strategy in conjuction with other texts, especially from applied mathematics and gambling psychology. This book explains in depth the strategy, reading hands and even psychology in an enjoyable manner. But I think it still has no full coverage of odds calulus and interpretation and math behind the poker. I found Catalin Barboianu's "Texas Hold'em Odds" far superior on this count. I recommend it as a completion for this book.

The name of the book implies that it is only for advanced players but a significant portion of the book is dedicated to hand rankings and their correlation with position play. Although the points are nice to review over, most "advanced" poker players would have a solid foundation on the basics of preflop play.

In light of this, I would think that this is actually a book that is well suited for beginners as well. The book follows a systematic formula which describes more advanced information such as specific hands and how they are to be played in the latter half of the book while the opening parts give the readers a general idea of how to start your preflop play. In this fashion, beginners can follow the book chronologically and practice the "theory" as he/she advances in their game. This practical application is extremely important from my point of view.

Overall, I think that there is value in owning a copy of this book, especially if you're in the beginner-intermediate skill level range. More advanced players may prefer books that are solely dedicated to less techincal aspects of the game and more into strategic play.

This IS the bible to limit hold'em....a must have.

I have been playing Hold 'Em successfully for 10 years and finally decided to buy this book because I heard so much about it. It was not the best investment I've ever made.

Sklansky and Malmuth are both very knowledgable about the game...odds, probabilities, etc. But they are not great writers (and they admit that in the beginning). The book is very boring...and not well written. Most of the info is common sense, but there a few pearls of wisdom.

It is DEFINITELY not for a poker newbie. But if you have some time in at the tables and want something to read on the john, give it a shot.

Unless you are a professional player this will be a hard read. But it is PACKED with useful information. This needs to be on the desk of every Hold 'em player.

This book is definitely the deepest reflexion on poker strategy, tactics and techniques. Anyone playing in 10-20 and over should study this book with attention. In lower games some of the tactics presented are yet too much sophisticated. I highly recommand it for any serious player !

I was hoping the book would be good. most reviews are. However the topics are not really covered at all, more introduced. It was like talking to a drunk bloke about sports, most points are important and relevant but its presented in a way that makes it confusing. They openly admit they dont want the book to be rated on the quality of the english. Just as well, long rambling thaughts that don't form conclusions. Not what I wanted or needed. It actually manages to take the fun out of reading and texas holdem all in one go.

this book so few talk about pot odds.

and not correct.

if you try low limit game. don't read it.

I can't sure is it work at high-limit game.

Truly for the advanced player, this book will confuse the new player. Once you feel like you can play well and have a good understanding of the game, this becomes a must read to take your game to the next level. The book could use a bit of editing for clarity, but is still the single best book on holdem poker out there.

Hands Down this is the best Poker book ever written.

The major complaints about this book are how it's written, the authors are fairly poor writers, and even though the text is brilliant, its difficult to understand.

If your looking to really improve your game and are willing to struggle reading and rereading a fairly dense and difficult book than this one is perfect for you. If you just want a fun read that will improve your play a little stay away from this book

For fun easy reads there are many good books, my favorites and Phil Gordon's Little Blue and his Little Green books.

I've read (or tried to read) this book three times over the course of several months. I am displeased on several levels. I want to let people know other books are far better.

Lousy formatting and lack of grammar lead me to determine this book has been published by novices. I would not be so upset, except the content is questionable too, not just the format. At best, this book is NOT a reference work (because it is SO hard to follow a train of thought). I wonder about the other publications of Two Plus Two Publishing?

Advanced poker advice given here is for folks NOT interested in statistics or numbers. I feel obligated to inform readers that Sklansky's "Hand Groupings" are arbitrary--they have nothing to do with statistical chances of winning.

The most irritating aspect of this book is the constant advertisement for other Sklansky books. Comments like, "For those of you who are interested in the rationale behind these rankings, see HOLD EM POKER by David Sklansky" (Sklansky 2005:17) reinforce my money was NOT well-spent in buying this book.

If you dont feel confident with your strategy and tactics this is a great book to read.Although I would recomend reading "the theory of poker" first by sklansky as these two books are like two peas in a pod.

Lots of strategy with good examples. A must read for serious students. Difficult read for novice. I recommend to use as a reference. I have read sections multiple times. With each reading gaining more insight to the complexities of hold'em.

I purchased this book a few weeks ago. After reading this book only one time and utilizing many of the tips that Slansky and Malmuth have given, I've gained back 5x the amount of money I put into the book in only four games. This is a must buy.

Skalansky's method is based on card groupings, and when and where to play them. The book is not a beginners guide to Hold'em, and so the authors focus on specific hands, and what to do in certain situations.

This is not a gloss over, page through kind of book. Helpful tactics are discussed, but I think it needs to be dug into to really get the most out of it.

I believe this book has made me a better hold'em player, but I have material from elsewhere as well that I think is just as good.

If you have his first book, then get this book. Dives deeping into everything. MUST GET if you are serious about holdem poker!

This book is just okay. It's boring and has repeated information that's better said in other books that I have read on the matter. Look elsewhere.

This book is a must for anyone who wants to be able to play Hold 'em and win. In this new edition, Sklansky and Malmuth add over 100 pages of new material which deals with playing in loose and short handed games. Hold 'em will be the number one poker game in the 21st century, and anyone who plays it without owning this book will simply be left behind.

Before I read this book, I was losing regularly in the poker rooms of Las Vegas. Since studying the concepts discussed in the text, I am now WINNING regularly. Now when I bet or raise, not only am I confident that I'm making the correct play, but I know WHY it is the correct play.

Sklansky and Malmuth take a simple, step-by-step approach. They can explain even the most complicated mathematics in easy-to-understand language.

If you want to take poker seriously, read all the Sklansky, Malmuth, and Caro that you can get your hands on. If you play Texas Hold'em, read this book first.

This has to be something to add to your collection... if and only if you are truly an advanced player. The average player needs to grow a bit before all of the gems in this book can be revealed.

A new player should buy the book, put in on their shelf and plan to read it as part of the next set of books to read and ... and after they've picked up the subtleties of the game.

This book is set up great. Small quips about various aspects of poker. This book is great for limit.

This has full coverage, while the intro Hold 'Em Poker book has a better intro to the game (and is probably required reading before this book because it kinda just jumps into the details). The ideas will certainly improve your results (nearly every time I play I make a profit instead of the hit-or-miss before reading these two books).

advanced players do not need this book... dont waste your time

This is the fundamental text of Hold'em for serious students of the most complex form of poker. Hold'Em Poker for Advanced Players is as deceptively simple as the game itself. While the book is an "easy read", the simple and concise writing style of the authors belies the multitude of information and savvy advice contained within every page. Each reading stimulates one to a thought provoking analysis of hands played, whether won or lost, and how those hands could have been played more profitably. The authors carefully define poker theory and tatics in a context that naturally applies to all poker games, and then show how to apply these concepts into a coherent winning stratagem for Hold'em. A beginner may initially be better served by a different text, but every player with aspirations of winning should certainly study this book. I wholeheartedly recommend you invest in this classic.

If you read the Cardplayer magazine then you already know how insightful the authors are. When I was learning to play mid/high limit poker 10 years ago I read their 7 card stud book. I had been warned it was not for beginners, but I bought it anyway. It was an interesting book that I've probably reread 25 times over the years. This book is just as good and even a beginner (if he/she is a serious player, in other words no wild card games), this is a must read

I have worn this book out, it is better than a nine high straight. Everyone that grabs a chip and a chair owe it to their bankroll to read Sklansky........johnnyhughes.com

Is the finest book on Hold em' that I have ever read. It has clear tables and info on the odds of improving a hand and money management as well. I highly recommend the book for all serious players.

I was constantly breaking even before getting this book on online poker sites. After reading it, I took nearly all of the guesswork out of my playstyle and recently just bought a new guitar entirely with winnings.

I recommend this book to anyone who already considers themselves decent at poker and already has good intuition as to spotting how others play to determine what they have... or don't have. This book will not probably help you with those things. This book is best for those who are already good at poker but either have their game strategy wrong or off a little.

The best part of this book is it makes it much more easy to spot poor play from other people at your table and thus allows you to profit hugely from that.

Sure, there are tips in the book - but there isn't any supporting...anything. You are expected to just take things on face value. Also, it is TERRIBLY written. I think I read the word "finally" 4 times in a chapter. It's terribly nonsensical at many times. It needs a complete re-write and edit.

The thoughts are chaotic and presented sloppily. It takes 3 reads to understand paragraphs most of the time...

TERRIBLE READ.

Every time I read a sklansky book and tried to encorporate it into my game I lost my money. I stay away from his stuff period.

This book is extremely good for gaining a solid foundation of Texas Hold 'em. I read it on and off for around 6 months and realized that while I learned some valuable lessons and picked up important bits of information I need to read it over and over again to truly take in everything that is being said. For me it is like a good movie that you see once and figure you saw it all only to watch it again and pick up something new, then a while later watch it again and see even more that was missed.

I highly recommend this book for students of the game. This is essential reading if you want to compete seriously. Even if you think you know it all and the book makes sense, read it carefully and understand that many serious players have read, re-read and learned significantly from this and the other classics. It will help your game.

Hold 'em Poker for Advanced Players is simply the best single volume study of Hold 'em as it is played today that I have ever read. It is endlessly informative, rich in detail and illustrations, complex in its treatment of complicated concepts, and insightful in every important way. It omits nothing of any importance to the game.

The book begins with a consideration of general starting hands requirements, adjusted for playing style, position, etc., and follows through on the play of each, as well as general considerations for each type or class of hand, and its relation to the innumerable factors impacting expectation or the play of other. Once this analysis is dealt with, Sklansky deals with a whole series of more individual or isolated cases or concepts and miscellaneous topics. The important details considered are too many to list here; Hold 'em played well is an enormously complex game, and Sklansky addresses it from every angle.

Sklansky's writing style is very dense. He does not blather on about his personal experiences, drop names, or chat; he instructs in the style of a particularily dry math or statistics professor. He is direct, thorough, and exhaustive (sometimes exhausting). You will not read this book in one sitting and become a professional caliber player. You need to play, then return to the book and read much of it again; upon doing so the reader will find, again and again, that now he finally really understands some new concept. It is a work of extremely subtle and complex analysis.

Nobody playing Hold 'em for money today can do without this book.

I really am not a fan of the reviews, but I feel that I have the obligation to recommend this book because if you read it, you will understand better the others players' game, and the best of it you'll get a big edge over them.

This is a great book by the original expert in Texas Holdem, David Sklansky. After learning the basics this book is great for teaching the finer details and less obvious nuances of the game. It's a must for anyone who's serious about learning Texas Holdem.

My husband loves this book he takes it everywhere with him, he says it is really good and reads it often.

For those of you who know the basics, this book is certain to expand your knowledge and improve your play.

This is a very usefull book for people who already have experienced the ins and outs of hold-em poker. By taking you from the pre-flop to the betting on the river, the author covers many aspects of advanced hold-em poker.

This book is written in such a way as to not overwhelm the reader. Short little lessons about all kinds of different poker concepts.

Great for limit players.

People become good poker players (as opposed to average/above average) when they adapt to tight players or aggressive players/loose or tough games. After re-reading this book (its even denser and more difficult to digest than Small Stakes Hold'em) I saw my game go from an ultra tight game to just below the optimal tight-aggressive style I'm trying to develop.

While the book is geared more towards the 7.50-15 (Pink chip games)levels and up; this book works at low level brick & mortar games and micro level online games as well.

If you play limit poker..this is the book to get you to winning status

The greatest Book on Hold'em. This is the book that will make you $. All of the others can get you slightly above break even...but thios one will push you squarely in the black