Customer Reviews

No Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Those of us who have been playing and studying poker for years know what huge contributions David Sklansky has made to poker and this book is no exception.

No limit holdem had all but disappeared(except for tournament play) until about three or four years ago and any one playing today understands the explosion in poker is primarily centered around no limit holdem. Many veteran players like myself have tried to adopt and adapt a solid limit approach to no limit and achieved mixed results. Often the mixed results have left us wondering if were are getting better or just experiencing a good run. This book will help you think about and understand the game better than most of the previously published no limit material.

Many of the "greats" that we have come to know play and teach the game through their own experience and developed "feel" for the game, which is nearly impossible to teach. By learning the underlying theory of no limit holdem as taught by Sklansky, the student comes to understand how "situational" especially no limit is and how to think about the game in numerous situations. Those players willing to study this book will accelerate past the players who are primarily playing an adapted limit game or by trial and error. I have already expanded my approach and thinking process after only one reading and am eager to re-read it after a few more sessions of play. Highly recommended.

Stick with 2+2's other NL books by Harrington (vol 2 & 3). Ed Miller and David Sklansky show their inexperience in NL in this book. They do mask their No-Limit shortcomings by filling a lot of the book with Limit Holdem analogies (their strength) and a lot of mathematics (another strength).

Sklansky is the son of a mathematician, and Ed Miller is an MIT graduate. Their strength is in mathematics, and they excel in Limit Holdem due to it. However in No-Limit, they have no qualifications. Sklansky isn't known as a good NL player (the next time I see him in a WSOP NL final table will the first time), and Ed Miller doesn't even frequent the middle-stake games. How much stock would you put into someone else's limit holdem advice if they don't play higher than 10/20 holdem? It's like that guy who's playing 3/6 holdem with you, but he acts like everything spewed from his mouth is a blessing for those lucky enough to hear. Except with these authors, they actually do have credentials from another form of poker, so many people will assume, they also are an authority on other forms of poker. Would you take tennis lessons from a good ping pong player?

They make a lot of observations about NL situations with math, but they don't actually give out a game plan of how to logically think through a hand the way a pro does. They fill the book with these types of situations:
Assume he has these hands: 99, AT, T9s, and if the pot has this much money ($500) and you have $1000 left, and opponent has $1000 left, then the following bets will net you X%, depending on how frequently they call Y% or they raise you back Z%. Then they proceed with the math to explain each possibility. Of course, they don't actually go over many hand reading situations to explain which hand the opponent may have and how they would play it. It doesn't help to know which move to make, if I can't deduce what hands he has, and that should be the focus of any quality poker book, which 2+2 claims to produce. This one falls short, and it's due to the authors' lack of NL ability.

This book's strength is that it shows why certain plays are mathetmatically correct. That doesn't mean, you can't take those conclusions, and figure out the correct play to make.

For example: If you have AK and you raise, then if our opponent raises with KK, we can use math to show why it's correct to fold. That doesn't help me if I raise with AK, and my opponent raises me, sometimes I should raise again, sometimes call, sometimes fold. I don't know he has KK or AQ or 87, so how's the math help me now? It doesn't. This is a very simple example for those who play small stakes or are new to poker. But this is the best example in summarizing this book.

It's an interesting book.

But a lot of the examples assume:

* Your opponents have their heads firmly implanted up their butts.
* You can never fold your big pair.

To a certain extent, these are just simplifying assumptions to make the math easier. They lead us down some silly paths, though, in my opinion.

I think Miller and Sklansky have played predominately in strip casinos at a level where they don't play the same people that often. I think that's why they're not too worried about leaking information with their bet sizing. I've been playing a lot with the same people for a long time now, and we're exploiting patterns we discovered in hands played years ago. (Maybe the hidden lesson is that with good game selection you can play against opponents who aren't paying attention.)

On the whole, the book goes against the conventional wisdom. It makes for a more interesting book because of it, but I think they're wrong sometimes. Don't make it your first NLHE book.

Arguably no author has had a greater impact on poker and especially the theory behind the game as David Sklansky. His Theory of Poker was and still is the quintessential book on poker theory and is as important today as when it was released. But Sklansky's practical expertise lies in Limit; his equally excellent Hold'em for Advanced Players is one of the top 4 or 5 books written on the subject. The idea of him releasing a NL book was rightfully met with cynicism and speculation as to how his theoretical and mathematical approach would translate and the answer is in:

Perfectly

NLHE:TAP is simply the best textbook on the subject. The best book for gaining an understanding of how math still rules the game, even if the math is much more complex than it is in limit. But Sklansky stresses that he's simply giving the concepts needed to approach situations with and, to borrow a pithy cliche from the book, he's teaching you to fish and to eat for a lifetime instead of giving you a fish and allowing you to eat for a hand or two. The "Fundamentals" section is the primary "teaching you to fish" part. If one were to master these concepts one would know how to react to most any situation that would come up at a poker table. Sklansky stresses the importance of concepts such as hand reading and manipulating your opponents that can't be taught in a textbook, but while not everyone can master those concepts (it's something that only comes through experience and practice) most anyone can master the fundamentals with time and effort.

What follows is a chapter-by-chapter review. It should be said I'm a professional who plays live $1000NL and multi-tables online $200NL and $400NL and no book has helped my game as tremendously as TAP which I've read cover to cover at least 3 times and have returned to sections more than that.

--INTRODUCTION & ABOUT THIS BOOK--

This section lays down what Sklansky hopes to achieve with this book. At the end of 'About this book' he says "A theoretical understanding of No Limit might not allow you to beat every game or every opponent but it's almost guaranteed to make you a better player." and that is the goal of the book.

--THE SKILLS FOR SUCCESS--

This section lays down the keys for NLHE success, which are:

Manipulating the pot size, adjusting correctly to stack sizes, winning the battle of mistakes, reading hands, manipulating opponents into playing badly.

Sklansky goes on to describe each, but this book is particularly focuses on manipulating the pot size and adjusting to stack sizes as these lie in the game's fundamental format. While he does touch on the other issues it is clear that these are elements that can only be mastered with time and experience.

--NO LIMIT AND THE FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM OF POKER--

This analyzes NLHE in the framework of Sklansky's fundamental theorem of poker (see Theory of Poker or do a search online); he sums up in the end simple: "Good no limit players magnify their opponents' weaknesses and make plays to which the expected response is a mistake. Good players also actively avoid falling into situations where they are likely to make a mistake."

The bad player quote is, obviously, roughly the opposite.

--THINKING IN TERMS OF EXPECTATION: PLAYING THE NUTS ON THE RIVER--

An important chapter despite its brevity. In fact, its central concept has been one of the most important elements in my growing game. Sklansky shows how the goal in NL is NOT to assure a call when you have the best hand, but to make the most; your Expected Value, or EV is gotten by multiplying the chance you'll be called by the amount you bet. He gives the example of playing the nut straight on the river on a 4-card-straight board. He shows how often times a big overbet offers the highest EV because someone with a straight will have a difficult time folding.

These situations pop up often where a big overbet would make much more money than a small, "value bet" and it's been one of the biggest money makers in my game (especially online).

--THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPLIED ODDS--

Effectively shows how implied odds rule the game. Sklansky shows why calling pre-flop with a weak hand even against an opponent known to have Aces is a profitable player if you can extract enough from them if you flop a better hand. Sklansky then illustrates the importance information plays; meaning the less you know about your opponents hand the lesser the bet you can profitably call and vice-versa.

--DON'T JUSTIFY THEIR OPTIMISTIC CALLS--

The flip side of playing for implied odds is not allowing your opponents that luxury by offering them too high implied odds with hands that you plan on paying off if they outdraw you. He emphasizes knowing ahead of time how far you plan to go with a hand and says that if you plan to pay of big future bets you should bet more to cut down on implied odds, while if you plan on folding you can bet less.

The two implied odds chapters should be the first you internalize and master. To understand implied odds is to understand the basis of all NLHE.

--BET SIZING--

Perhaps the most complex chapter as well as most important after implied odds. Sklansky shows how to size bets when facing an opponent with weaker hands, be it draws or made hands. The section includes many sub-chapters which illustrate how your bet sizing should change based on different situations. One of the most enlightening was "not taking away their rope" if you have a hand that can beat their draw even if they hit. He gives the example of top set against a flush draw. Many players would be tempted to bet large so as to make them pay to draw out, yet the fact that your opponent can hit his flush and give you a full house means you would want them to stay around; especially if you could fold if you KNEW they hit the flush.

--THE HAMMER OF FUTURE BETS--

This short chapter is on counter implied odds (CIO) and despite its brevity is one of the most important. Ed illustrates how folding a hand as good as top pair, medium kicker on a board that is straightening and flushing will often be correct because there's 3 ways to lose:

1. You have the best hand and are out-drawn.
2. You have the best hand and are bluffed on the river.
3. You don't have the best hand.

CIO is one of the most important concepts in NLHE and one of the most stupidly ignored. The prospect of facing large future bets with weak/vulnerable hands should make any good player pause.

--BLUFF SIZING--

Less essential than the previous chapters, but Sklansky does emphasize to bet just enough to get the job done; meaning don't risk more than necessary to maximize your EV. He shows examples where bigger bets are better as well.

--BLUFFING ON THE TURN AND RIVER--

An advanced concept only to be used in games where players can fold big hands. Sklansky shows how to size a planned turn/river bluff that will put you or your opponent all in and how to maximize both its effectiveness and how much you can potentially make.

--BET SIZING FOR INFORMATION--

This is one chapter I haven't reread much. Sklansky expresses cynicism over the effectiveness of the concept and I've never used it much myself. He simply says that paying for information is only profitable if the information is accurate, which at a poker table often isn't the case.

--PLAYING THE NUTS ON THE RIVER; MORE EXAMPLES--

This goes back to the chapter on "thinking in terms of expectation" and is an elaboration on the concept with more examples, this time listing examples when smaller bets may be better.

--VALUE BETTING ON THE RIVER--

Another chapter I haven't read much, but I probably should. Sklansky shows how your bets should change (and if you should bet at all) depending on how likely you are to be best and how likely you are to be bluff-raised.

--ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE POSITION--

Everyone knows how important position is in NLHE, but absolute position (being close to the button) is different than relative position (being to the right of the better). The latter is a unique concept which illustrates the value of being able to check to the better and see what everyone else does before you have to respond.

--RAISING BEFORE THE FLOP--

Sklansky lists 5 reasons to raise:

1. Value
2. Isolation
3. Stealing the blinds
4. Deception
5. Manipulate the pot size

Any limit player will be familiar with 1-4, but 5 is a concept perhaps most important to NL as Sklansky explains. In fact, its importance likely trumps 1-4 since the primary profit in NL comes from the sizeable pots that can be created by the NL betting structure.

--SIZING YOUR PRE-FLOP RAISES--

Relates to the previous chapter. Sklansky rejects the "raise a standard amount always" theory and gives a compelling argument as to why and why different hands require differently sizes raises. He then goes on to list examples of "big pot" hands and "small pot" hands and how much you should raise facing different opponents. A very important chapter.

--A PRE-FLOP STRATEGY--

Sklansky emphasizes how tricky this chapter and how it is NOT meant to be a "one strategy to rule them all" but simply a guideline to newer players who can feel lost as to what to do pre-flop. The strategy is quite solid (similar to mine - especially online) but perhaps looser than many would expect. For example, Sklansky's recommendation for playing all pairs, all suited connectors and all suited aces even in early position.

--ADJUSTING TO STACK SIZES: AN EXAMPLE--

A good illustration of how stack sizes changes the way you play a hand.

--BLOCKING BETS--

A good chapter on using blocking bets and how to work them into a balanced strategy. I admit I don't use them enough even though they can be very effective against passive players.

--THE CALL BLUFF--

Another good chapter on an often ignored concept. It's a play I use a lot and I think Sklansky is right for bringing some attention to its meta-game strategic value because if you work it in with slowplays and legitimate calls you invariably keep out of position opponents on their heels.

--CHECK RAISING--

A genuinely weak chapter as Sklansky says the concept is too complex to analyze before the river and its use on the river isn't terrifically elaborated on either.

--BETTING YOURSELF OFF A HAND--

A very interesting chapter on the concept of semi-bluffing when in position before the river. Sklansky illustrates what situations are best for bluffing and which are best for checking behind hoping to either stack your opponent if you hit or make another hand that might still be best. This is another concept which has helped my game a huge amount.

--BLUFFING WITH A FAIRLY GOOD HAND--

Another interesting concept showing how you should sometime bluff (or value bet) with hands that are 'fairly good' but vulnerable and likely to be beat or be best. Sklansky acknowledges that traditional wisdom says you check these hands, but in NL they can often have more value as bluffs or value bets.

--PLAYING STRONG DRAWS ON THE FLOP--

A common dilemma in NL: You flop a strong draw like a flush with inside straight draw and are facing a bet - do you move in/raise or just call? Sklansky skillfully breaks down the situations and illustrates what concepts you should consider (stack sizes, number of outs, opponents' tendencies) before making the decision. Another very useful chapter.

--MULTIPLE LEVEL THINKING--

An illustration of how thinking effects how hands should be played and, for example, when you should call a possible bluff. Not the best chapter, but a good example of the concept.

--SWAPPING MISTAKES--

An exposition on how NL is a game of making the right mistakes to capitalize on opponents' mistakes and how knowing the fundamentals allows you to constantly adjust your game to the best strategy while falling back on the basics when necessary.

--ADJUSTING TO LOOSE GAMES & PLAYERS AND ADJUSTING TO WEAK TIGHT GAMES--

These two chapters may have among the biggest impact in how you approach these types of games/players in the future. Both Sklansky and Ed illustrate how you should adjust to these games to make the greatest profit. These two chapters are invaluable to players who play in games that fall into these categories.

--THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING SHORT STACKED--

A very unorthodox chapter that ignores traditional wisdom about the evils of playing short stacked. Sklansky illustrates why it may actually benefit certain players and what you gain by it. I must say that I've tried the strategy online and consistently seem to come out loser; but it's as likely my failure as Sklansky's as the chapter isn't a detailed strategy of how to play a short stack game but a defense on why it's not inherently bad.

-CALLING PRE-FLOP ALL IN RAISES--

An invaluable chapter to tournament players especially who will face many all-ins and not know what hands to call with. Sklansky offers a chart based on players' move-in tendencies (Very Tight, Tight, Average, Loose, Very Loose, Any Two) and what hands you should call with with what odds (offering 6:5, 3:2 and 2:1 as examples).

--THE SKLANSKY-CHUBUKOV RATINGS--

An interesting chapter about the prospect of moving in with hands pre-flop in comparison with stack sizes and when it can't be wrong. I admit I have yet to use this chapter though the concept is quite interesting.

--SOME PRE-FLOP HEADS UP MATCHUPS--

Compares the equity of hands heads up; a relatively useless chapter to anyone who knows these odds or anyone who's seen enough TV poker or experimented enough themselves to figure them out.

--MANIPULATING YOUR OPPONENTS--

A light overview of ways to manipulate your opponents into playing bad. Most of this information is obvious and not particularly enlightening.

--TELLS--

Much like the last chapter.

--CONCEPTS AND WEAPONS--

This is a "quick-fire" section of 60 concepts that cover all kinds of different topics. This is more of the "practice" section of the book even though it often recovers some concepts of the previous chapter. It's actually a great section full of lots of great advice and, well, concepts. Definitely something to come back to many times.

In conclusion if you're looking for ONE NL book to make your bible it can only be this one. My copy is torn and bent and mashed and creased to hell, which is something I generally HATE to do with my books, but this one has been so useful it almost feels good to have such a torn book as it reflects how good it is to have been used so much.

This book covers so many key adjustments from making the transition from limit to no-limit it blew my mind away. I really learned a lot of new ideas from this book. I still have trouble acting on the information at the table as I get quite nervous and the higher thinking aspects of my brain shut-down. Clearly, if you are able to think on your feet you can suceed by applying the different strategies outlined. The take home message of the book is NLH can't be taught as a formula (do this here, fold here) as it requires several layers of thought to analyze what a $200 bet means. I am sure to need to re-read this one many times, but it is far better than P. Gordon's first effort.

As long as you have a basic understanding of the underlying concepts of poker (see: Sklansky's 'The Theory of Poker') this book will improve your no limit game. It teaches concepts above and beyond the basic "tight and aggressive" formula that most every other book advocates (rather simplistically, I might add). If you want to consistently make money playing no limit hold 'em, reading this book is a great start. The most important thing for beginners to learn is written on page 124:

"In deep stack no limit, preflop hands derive most of their value from how well they extract money after the flop from your opponents. Comparing hands based on how often they win a showdown or on their poker "hand rank" is worse than worthless."

Couldn't have said it better myself.

In my circle of poker geeks and fanatics, there are few publications whose release was as eagerly anticipated as No Limit Hold `Em Theory and Practice. We've been talking about it since January at my internet discussion forum. Some of the initial responses were not flattering so I wasn't sure what to expect by the time my copy arrived. Frankly, upon completion, I'm astounded the book is as great as it is. Theory and Practice is consistently interesting and pertinent. My guess is that, in a few months time, this one will be as tattered and reread as my copy of Hold `Em Poker for Advanced Players.

Those individuals who were disappointed by these pages are players in the stratospheric limits who are so skilled and talented that most of us average Joes are incapable of relating to them. Perhaps it is too basic for the NL 25,000 gang, but do guys like Taylor Caby and Prahlad Friedman really need books or advice from others at all? As for the rest of us, perhaps 99 percent of active online players, NLHETP will have tremendous worth. The most striking thing about it is its unconventionality. Practically everyone I know says that playing with a short stack is "leaving money on the table," but the authors refuse to endorse this assessment. They illustrate times in which playing with a short stack can actually be optimal. The playing draws and blocking bet sections were quite necessary as they are ideas which most of us recognize but still manage to execute poorly. The Sklansky-Chubukov ratings of hands are for use in specific circumstances only, yet are so valuable I think the edition will lay alongside my computer for a good many months to aid in future decision making. New readers may also want to consider starting from page 244 and reading "The Concepts" section first as their insight and applicability will help you right away.

Some of the clever phrases and descriptions here are as fine as what were shared in Harrington on Hold `Em Part I. I particularly liked the description of the weak tight player as possessing "monsters under the bed thinking" and also their notion of "The Hammer of Future Bets." This is a book that had to be written, and, from here, I'll wager that Two Plus Two will come up with texts more specific that theoretically lie within the territory carved out by NLHE Theory and Practice.

My only reservation is due to a bit of political correctness engaged in by the authors. They purposely used the pronoun "she" in reference to unknown poker players in their examples. That they do this in relation to poker competitors is absurd as most poker players are men (as are a gigantic majority of those who read poker instructional guides). I suppose that next we'll be describing unknown iron workers and pipe fitters with "she" and "her" as well. It came across as quite contrived on these pages. Poker, in my mind, stands outside and above, society. We don't need to embrace whatever mischief devious social engineers happen to concoct; although, such superficial annoyances in no way detract from the book's tremendous substance and merit.

This book is excellent. I should note that it is highly conceptual. Rather than offering "starting hand charts" or a detailed analysis of how to play different hands, it discusses the things a player should think about at a no-limit table. That being said, I do think the "Concepts" portion of the book offer an excellent bridge from the theory to the practical. As another reviewer wrote, some people may want to start with the Concepts portion and then later read the more theoretical portions of the book. It depends upon your own learning style. Of particular interest... the book again and again highlights the differences between limit vs. no-limit play. As an example, blind stealing is very important in limit play, but not as important in no limit when there are deep stacks still uncommitted. For anyone making a transistion from limit to no-limit, you absolutely must read this book to understand the subtle differences between the two games.

This book gets a three star rating because it does some things very well whilst omitting some critical details. The first portion of the book talks about bet sizing. It gives some very practical advice about how much to bet to encourage your opponents to make mistakes, how much to bet when bluffing, how to size your "blocking bets", how much to bet preflop and so forth. This section is excellent.

Some of the other topics are covered in a rather haphazard manner. In the check raising chapter, he covers the very specific case of check raising heads up on the river. For other situations, the book says "Only expert players recognize the best opportunities for the play...A book really can't do the subject justice". Sometimes the calculations are based on figures that in real life are simply prohibitively difficult to obtain. One example begins "So if you have one chance in three of stacking your opponent if you catch a straight...". How exactly one deduces the probability of stacking an opponent when you river your straight is never quite explained, perhaps because it falls into the "A book can't really do the subject justice" category. The second section of the book is titled "Concepts and Weapons" and it does provide useful and practical tips that should improve anyone's game.

The main shortcomings of the book revolve around the topics it doesn't cover. The book does not mention concepts such as pot equity and hand ranges, two ingredients that I believe are critical to today's game. Sure it's important to know how to price your opponent out of a flush draw if you're sure that is his exact holding. However, real life scenarios are rarely that simple. What happens if there is a flush draw on the board and an opponent bets into you and you suspect he's holding a flush draw half the time but will be holding top pair top kicker the other half of the time? This book does not provide the tools for dealing with this type of problem and others like it that no limit players face repeatedly on a daily basis.

To wrap up my review I will use a medieval analogy. If you're already well equipped to deal with the battle that is no limit hold em, this book will certain give you some extra weapons and patch up some holes in your defence. However, if you're looking for your sword, shield, helmet and body armour I would recommend starting with other resources.

No limit Hold'em: Theory and Practice is not for begginers. You must have more then a basic knowledge of poker to get anything out of this book. This is not a cookie cutter book of when to play what hand, but more a book of situations. The math in the book can also can a bit cunfusing if you dont know what your doing. I think this book is best for good low limit and middle limit players looking to move up in limits.

This book can take a good player and take him to the next level. However if you are not that good of a player I believe this book could accutually hurt your game. I took awile for all the concepts took sink in. I suggest reading the book then playing for about a week, then rereading the book and playing for about a week. Repeat the process untill things start to sink in.

This book is amazing. I believe it belongs in every serious poker players library. The concepts wont sink in immediatly but when they do its like a light going off in your head. Dont be upset if your start to lose when first trying out the things you read in the book, it will take awile to learn when the right times are to use them.