This book introduces basic concepts of 6 different poker variations including; 7 card stud, 7 card stud Hi/Lo, Texas Hold 'em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Crazy Pineapple Hi/Lo, and Low ball. Other chapters include topics such as strategies, bankroll considerations, private/home games and it also introduces the reader to the Casino/club atmosphere, hand rankings and provides a glossary of commonly used terms in poker.
I think this book would be good for the beginner who has never or barely been exposed to the game of poker, or to the individual who wishes to learn a new game. Personally, Texas Hold 'em is my favorite game and I have tried to study as much literature on the game as possible. I found this book to be of little service in improving my game. However, this book also sparked an interest into a game I had never heard about called Crazy Pineapple Hi/Lo. The way in which the author writes makes it easy for the reader to follow and understand the simple concepts provided in the book. He also provides different scenarios which elaborate how a player would play utilizing basic strategy.
I personally am upset with the title of this book. I do not believe this book will turn the reader into a "winning player" at the casino, but perhaps one who understands the fundamentals. The author has done a great job in providing the basics to many variations of poker. I feel that he has left out some things that should be discussed (but truly one cannot cover all the topics in 6 games in one book). However I also think Silberstang introduces the concepts of value betting, bluffing and making drawing hands pay, very well!
Overall I would give this book two dollar signs out of five .... $$ It's easily affordable, and the concepts in this book pay for itself easily. For the beginner he/she can pick up a lot (but please understand there is a whole lot more to know!) For one who has more experience, this book may not provide a lot of strategies on how to play that you don't know already, but it may introduce you to a new variation of poker, otherwise it still would make for good reading on a plane, bus, or in any event where you may have to kill a little bit of time. |
