March 27, 2006

Weighing the Odds in Hold'em Poker

If the reviews of this book are any indication - this is one to pick up. I'm always having issues with estimating my odds.

I just received this book and have been unable to put it down. This book by Yao (a former derivatives trader) is masterful. It includes the best quantitative discussion that I have seen on calculating pot odds and on starting-hand match ups, with an excellent discussion of which hands play well against few hands and which play better against multiple-hands (thereby distinguishing between good calling hands and good raising hands). It includes a thematic discussion of different plays (the check raise, bluffing, semi-bluffing, etc.) as well as a discussion of common situations on the flop and beyond, all with excellent examples. This is not a book for a rank beginner, but should be accessible to anyone who has read the any of the currently-popular limit books (Jones/Miller). Unlike some of the books by 2+2, this book is organized and readable. It is kind of refreshing to read a poker book that has great substance and is also well written (with no apologies needed for the writing)!

At Weighing the Odds in Hold'em Poker