Championship No-Limit & Pot-Limit Hold 'em: The Bible to Winning

I just reviewed Championship Hold'em a few moments ago and relayed there the way in which that book specifically helped me earlier in the week when I played in a couple of live tournaments out in Vegas. Now this book, independent of the other, was quite useful when I sat at the 1-2 No Limit game at the MGM Grand and also when I played the 2-4 at the Tropicana in their Poker Room. Previous to reading these two books by Cloutier and McEvoy, I had finished three by Sklansky. I found that by following Sklansky's Small Stakes Hold'em I was playing far too conservatively to win. The blinds were eating me up and I rarely got any good cards to enter pots with. The opinions of Cloutier and McEvoy are far more practiceable I believe. What we have here is a weed's eye view of what one should do when playing pot limit and no limit hold'em. There is some overlap with the other book but both are valuable on their own. The authors conclude that pot limit requires more skill than limit but that no limit requires the most skill of all. While I was in Vegas, outside of the Rio where the World Series of Poker was being held, I did not see any mention of pot limit games but I've been in them a couple times online and have to state that it's one a most exciting variety of poker. It can get crazy fast and the book is quite insightful in describing the way in which one should specifically play. The reader is given crystal clear advice on what to do in particular situations and the two authors seem to cover every single contingency that should arise. I was helped by the plain language and non-condescening prose of these two champions. I also liked the practice hands that were included. "Doing" definitely enhances learning and I found that to be the case here.

This is an excellent book on pot limit and no limit hold'em, but the title can be misinterpreted. When it comes to side games, the pot limit section is very helpful, but the no limit talk pretty much covers tournament play, specifically the WSOP. For no limit side games, I would recommend Super/System. Doyle and TJ seem to agree on most points, such as being careful with AA or KK etc. with only a few discrepancies, but they are different players with different styles. The only other benefit for side games that TJ's book has is that he gives more detail in the reasoning for why AJ, AQ, etc are high risk hands, but Doyle does cover it too. Get this book, but if you want to play side games, get Super/System too. [...]

I bought this book. The book is written in a very informal style. However, the first day after I read it I finished 6th out of 1600 in one tournement in which I never finished higher than 400 in before. This guy knows his stuff, but do you have the discipline and patience to follow his advice? This is not a formula book, as in play this way, and this way only. TJ goes into the real aspect of NL tourny play, as in playing the player, and not making mistakes. I would rather you not read this book because I don't want anyone who follows it to play against me. But if you do read it pay attention, TJ's style is understated to say the least, but he lays out a system that will win you tournaments.

The stories throughout are worth the price alone. Add to that Cloutier ( & Mcevoy) giving sound poker advice, and you get a book to look at for years to come.The book is focused on both pot limit and no limit, and the advise is split evenly throughout. It offers a ton of strategy, practice hands and different view points (Cloutier and McEvoy are both great players, but play certain hands very differently). The writing is such that you feel that TJ is sitting next to you, telling you how to play - - an aspect that I really enjoyed. The book ends with tails from TJ, a collection of poker memories from his days traveling from game to game throughout Texas.

This is an excellent book on pot limit and no limit hold'em, but the title can be misinterpreted. When it comes to side games, the pot limit section is very helpful, but the no limit talk pretty much covers tournament play, specifically the WSOP. For no limit side games, I would recommend Super/System. Doyle and TJ seem to agree on most points, such as being careful with AA or KK etc. with only a few discrepancies, but they are different players with different styles. The only other benefit for side games that TJ's book has is that he gives more detail in the reasoning for why AJ, AQ, etc are high risk hands, but Doyle does cover it too. Get this book, but if you want to play side games, get Super/System too.