Middle Limit Holdem Poker [Paperback]

Bob Ciaffone (Author), Jim Brier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2002

Middle Limit Holdem Poker discusses holdem strategy for the $10-20 through $40-80 levels (the middle limits). The book discusses over 400 hands, nearly all taken from actual play. This extensive use of practical examples has set a standard for poker writing that many subsequent poker books have attempted to emulate.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bob Ciaffone and Jim Brier are both professional poker players and poker columnists. Ciaffone has several other poker books to his credit. In 1987, he captured third place in the World Championship tournament.

Product Details

• Paperback: 332 pages
• Publisher: Bob Ciaffone (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966100743
• ISBN-13: 978-0966100747
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #516,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wish you couldn't find this book here, May 10, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Middle Limit Holdem Poker (Paperback)

Of the dozen or so poker books I've bought in the last two years, this one has gotten by far the most repeated use. The writing is clear and logical, and the quiz/explanation format is perfect when I'm wondering whether I played a hand correctly. In the last four months I have gone from someone who was terrified of hold'em to a consistently winning player, thanks in large part to repeated study of this book. I think most people will find it much more useful than Sklansky and Malmuth, simply because the practical examples are such an ideal teaching tool.

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wish I could pan this book, June 1, 2002

By 

Carl Skutsch (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Middle Limit Holdem Poker (Paperback)

The problem is, giving this book a rave review may get people I play with to read it and then I won't make as much money. Still, I must do what I must do.
This is a great book on holdem, and deserves to come from a guy who calls himself 'the coach.'
Each chapter covers a particular issue (pre-flop play from early position, turn play, etc.), with a brief but useful introduction and then adds numerous extremely useful examples, with correct play pointed out and explained for each example. Useful to read straight through or just go to problem parts of your game (value betting on the river, for example).
My only warning is that this book is probably not for beginning players. It has no easy charts on what to play and when and assumes some basic holdem knowledge. That said, for any player beyound the beginner stage this is an excellent book. You won't be sorry (but I might).

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Under-rated Book, November 13, 2004

By 

Wolf Finkbeiner "wolffink" (Fayetteville, Arkansas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Middle Limit Holdem Poker (Paperback)

By under-rated, I don't mean the number of stars Amazon reviewers have given it--instead I mean the limited number of references given to it by other authors. Ciaffone's book gives the reader poker problem after poker problem, arranged by themes. There are tons of problems and Ciaffone does a great job explaining the nuances.

One of his first (p. 67) was this one: the flop is Kh, 7c, and 5s -- what is your action with each of these hands Ad,7d; 8d,7d; Qh,5d; 6c, 5d; 8c, 4d; and 9h, 2c. Or two hands with middle pair, two hands with bottom pair, and one gutshot straight dra and one abomination. Ciaffone argues that the same action is correct with all these hands--you try to steal the flop since there are not too many opponents and you only have to win one out of three to break even.

The 2+2 books are great for theory, but poker players need to see plenty of examples of theory in practice. Ciaffone's book gives you plenty of problems. It's one of the few poker books I think could give a guarantee it WILL improve your play. Perhaps if it was entitled "Think Like a Poker Pro" (taking a page from a chess classic by Kotov), it would get more attention. That's fine. The fewer people that read it, the better perhaps!