Bad Beats and Lucky Draws: Poker Strategies, Winning Hands, and Stories from the Professional Poker Tour

There are only three people in this era that have ten wsop braclets and only one with the most cashes and thats phill hellmuth jr. So come corrected and buy every book and buy every dvd the living legand has to offer. This book is good literature and is the only good book by a pro who is sharing actual stories of the highs and lows on the pro circuit.

I bought this book, read it, and enjoyed it very much. I'm not really getting all the negative commentary directed at this book. It's not all about the bad beats Phil has taken: he does mention some circumstances where he got lucky. I realize Phil acts terrible at the table sometimes, but I find it hard to hold it against him when you consider the good things he does. I have it on good authority that he's one of the few generous tippers at high limit poker (I know dealers who dealt to him when they worked in Vegas). In fact he gives money to almost everyone he comes in contact with, like homeless people and retail clerks. So he wants to act up at the table? So what? Another important consideration is that his antics make good TV. If you're a serious poker player, bear with me and try to look at this from the standpoint of a casual player. If you're watching a poker match, would you rather watch Mike Matusow and Phil Hellmuth play, or Harrington and Ferguson? Those last two are my favorite players, but you have to admit it would be boring to watch them sit there and stare at each other for a couple of hours. With Matusow and Hellmuth you get lots of bleeped dialogue and laughter from the audience. This 'bad attitude' that Phil's got has been worth millions to him in endorsements. Maybe I should try it!

This book is a fun read making for a good bedside reader... or in the "library" if you know what I mean! Phil Hellmuth is a person you either LOVE or HATE. Many people on online forums chastise his seeming crazy antics and dumb play at the WSOP, but results speak for themselves and Phill is the winningest tournament player. Phil's first book Play Poker Like The Pros sold like crazy yet every above average holdem player laughs at the content... then again, maybe it's GOOD for poker that so many new players are learning from Phil! Regardless of your opinion of Phil, this book is a fun read. The various "fish stories" are great entertainment. If you LOVE Phil then you'll love this book. If you HATE Phil then the stories in this book (about superstition, ESP, profiling players, etc.) will just reinforce everything you already feel for Phil. This book won't change your mind about Phil, but it is worth a read through once. And maybe only once. :)

Nobody simply likes Phil Hellmuth. You love him, hate him, respect him, fear him, want to kill him, and sometimes all of the above. At the very least, he inspires passion. But, no matter how you feel, there's no denying the fact that Phil is one of the top five greatest poker players of all time. And during his nearly twenty years at the top of the game, he has acquired wisdom. Not to say that he always acts wisely, but Phil is able to take what he's learned and pass it on to the rest of the poker playing world. It's in that way Phil is in a class by himself. He translates often esoteric poker jargon and complicated table experiences into language that we all can understand. You wouldn't know it to look at him, but Phil is an excellent teacher. Both "Bad Beats" and "Play Poker" are spectacular teaching tools -- must haves for all people interested in the game. [...]

Phil has some great stories of epic poker battles and includes some advanced strategies gleaned from the hands. The hands are organized by events such as WSOP, WPT, European Tour and also by genre--Reading Players, Weird Hands, and Guest Contributions. Many of the pieces are from Card Player Magazine, but I hadn't read any of them before and having them all together helps get a better sense of the poker world and how to actually play in tournament situations. It's a enjoyable read.