Poker for Dummies

1 av 1 läsare tyckte att följande recension var bra:

Great all-in-one manual, April 29, 2010

This book is very informative - it covers how to play different poker games (not just Texas Hold 'Em), covering the basics for beginners, to more advanced strategy for well seasoned players. The book is well set out, with each chapter split up with sub headings to make referencing very easy. Everything is explained in minute detail and even repeated again in later chapters. There is more information within than just how to play the games - there are also tips on everything from bluffing techniques, to money-management, to bios of previous World Champions. I don't have any other poker books so I couldn't say if the book is particularly missing anything, it seems to be pretty well covered. The book is extrememely thorough - if you want to become a professional poker player they have a plan of attack ready to help you, or if you just want to know how to host a comfortable home game, you can feel confident on how to go about that too. Most importantly this book is motivational, not only encouraging you to work to improve, but makes you want to put the time and effort in. You can have confidence in it know what it's talking about as it is written by experts - more than just those mentioned on the front cover, some chapters are specially written by people in that field. For these reasons I recommend this book to both beginners and people who know how to play, but want to improve.

There are just a couple of negatives I can say about it. Firstly, as a reader from the UK, I found the book very Americanised, which you may say could be expected as it is an American book - but books that sell globally tend to have a global appeal. All the analogies in it (usually sports analogies) are of American sports, which if you don't watch them because they aren't shown in your country or for whatever other reason, the analogy isn't particularly useful to you. Secondly this book is getting old now, ten years in fact (and I only saw two things that suggested to me they had a small unpdate at the back of the book before they reprinted). This means in the World Series Of Poker chapter, there is no information on anybody later than 1999 (near the end they mention Chris Moneymaker from 2003, this is the update I talked about). Secondly, the computer chapter looks ridiculously out of date now (e.g. get Windows 95 at least it says). Thirdly, some of the software it recommends is likely to have been much improved on by now - the technology chapter should definately have been rewritten. Fourthly, I can't say for sure but I bet some of the addresses to write to and people to write to are not-applicable anymore. So if you want up to date recommendations for further information, this book is not for you.

(Don't be put off by the equally large paragraph on negative aspects of the book - its just easier to give specific examples of things). 4* OVERALL!

1 av 6 läsare tyckte att följande recension var bra:

ok as far as it goes, February 25, 2009

I purchased this because, from its title, it seemed the ideal book for me. I am very keen on poker indeed, from the psychology to the sweaty basics of it. Also I am a dummy. I'm not stupid, I'm actually a dummy in a shop window in Surbiton. My dummy friends and I have been wanting to play poker for longer than I care to remember (mind you we are a patient lot, that's in our nature). I leafed through this colourful and illustrative book, and yes, there was information about the different hands and odds and so on, but nothing on dummy-specific issues, such as concealing cards when one has no hands, or none that can move, how to arrange an appropriately high table, what snacks to lay on, how to best employ our helper monkeys (who already do such a good job with holding up books for us that we feel guilty about imposing on them to help us with poker) All in all I and my plastic friends were a little disappointed.

4 av 5 läsare tyckte att följande recension var bra:

Pretty good, April 16, 2006

First few chapters are pretty basic, especially if you know the basics of the game.

But some of the later chapters are worth reading. Will definitely save you money (more than what you will pay for the book!), but it won't make you a pro. Hard work and practice still required.

2 av 22 läsare tyckte att följande recension var bra:

Bad, February 13, 2006

I wouldn't recommend this for even first time players. There are so much better books availible!

5 av 7 läsare tyckte att följande recension var bra:

Good book, December 8, 2005

I've had this book a while. It's great as reference but don't think that you can sit down read all thorugh it and bcome a master - the one thing you need as with anything else is practice.

Some of the ideas and concepts are clever (the bit in Hold 'Em about what is a good hand to go on before the flop based not only on cards but also position was good) but some are just damn obvious.

Overall a 3 star book. It has helped a bit, but is hasn't changed my life and it won't change yours.