Sunday, May 14, 2006

Hold ’Em Poker, by David Sklansky

Hold ’Em Poker, by David Sklansky

I love the game, Texas hold ’em, Omaha, or even Booray, cards are one of my favorite pastimes. I used to host a couple of regular games, but got out of the habit not long after my dad died. I’ve been wanting to start playing again, so I decided to re-read Hold ’Em Poker again. This is a book targeted at beginners wanting to learn limit poker, not the no-limit games made so popular by the WSOP. It covers the rules, basic strategy, hand analysis, and betting tactics. It is less technical than other texts on the market, but great for the refresher I wanted.

I’m finally coming to terms with the fact I’m never going to be a good poker player. I’ve got a good general card sense but I simply don’t have the aptitude with numbers that is required of a truly good gambler. Rarely am I the big loser in a game, but it is just as rare that I’m the big winner. Generally I can sense when to bet and when to fold (although I do have a pathological resistance to abandoning a bad bluff) but it is just that—a sense. The math involved in calculating pot odds I understand, but can’t seem to internalize. Reading this book again has made me realize that while I enjoy the game, I’m not in any danger of being on ESPN anytime soon!

First Sentence:
Hold ’em poker is fast becoming one of the most popular poker games in America.

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