Customer Reviews

Phil Hellmuth's Texas Hold 'Em (Collins Gem)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

If you already own or have already read Hellmuth's Play Poker Like the Pros then forget about buying this book. It is merely a reprint of chapters one through seven, chapter 15, the appendices and glossary in that book. Maybe if they had been above board and advertised this, it wouldn't feel like I got ripped off!

OOPS...there are 14 WHOLE PAGES of new material...my mistake!

This is word for word the same book as Play Poker Like The Pros. He added a chapter.
The book is one of the worst out of all the poker books. Top ten hands are a joke, nothing about position and actually playing.
I think anyone who pays for this is helping perpetuate a scam. This is clearly a revision and should be sold as such, not as a new title. Hellmuth and the publishing company should be fined by the government for selling this book as "new".

Most anyone has an opinion of the Poker brat, Phil Hellmuth. I knew going in that the book was going to be a lot of self-promotion and fluff. Phil did not disappoint me :) He mentions his website and other sites quite often. Unfortunately, a lot of poker books do that, including Super System II. It is annoying, but not too bad.
What was good about the book was the indepth look at limit and no limit poker from various degrees of expertise, ranging from beginner levels to advanced. Phil explains what to do after the flop against certain players, how much to bet and why. I was really amazed at the level of information Phil has revealed in this book I bought for under $5.00. The main bonus I got from this book is that I have not read some of the info Phil explained before in any other poker book. His analysis of other players at the table and how he plays at them is remarkable.
Some people said this book is a reprint of chapters from one of his other books. I say, good for the rest of us. I do not have any of Hellmuth's other books and probably will not buy any others from him, but I was pleased to have this one to refer to while playing.
Phil explains his strategy for winning tournaments and making final tables, which he is very good at doing, regardless of whether you like him or not. He mentions strategies for internet playing and how to advance in tournaments. In the appendix, he shares several experiences from past tournaments, including the WSOP. I see no way you could be disappointed with this book for the price, unless you have read the info already in one of Phil's other books. For me, I was very happy and felt the book was definitely worth the price and more.

I foolishly bought both these books seeing I could get a discount if I bought both. I got them separately in the mail and thought they accidentally sent me two of the same book. Yes they are that similar. I will in the long haul probably benefit from the material in both but think that it should be boldly advertised that most of the material is directly copied from the original book.

Being a good poker player does not make you a good author. If you know anything at all about texas holdem you will be disappointed with this book. Nothing but cookie cutter advice and bragging about being the best poker player in the world.

Phil obviously knows a lot about Texas Hold'em, he just doesn't share much if it in this book. If you think Phil is the smartest man on earth and devour anything he touches, then you'll love this book. He does a great job of pointing out situations where his brilliant intellect helped him win past tournaments. Unfortunately, he fails to deliver on the purpose of the book, helping US play better. It appears to me that he wrote it while on a long flight, the morning before his publisher's deadline. Don't bother with this one.

First of all, let me say at the beginning that I have not yet finished this book. I've only gotten through the first few chapters. But, in those first few chapters, I've learned skills and strategies to Texas Hold 'em that I didn't even know existed.

Phil Hellmuth is very candid in his comments. The book is written like he's sitting, talking to you one on one. It makes the book flow much more easily. I honestly believe that if you had a regular Hold 'em game with some friends each week, after reading this book (assuming no one else had), you'd probably walk out of the room with every cent that was brought to the table.

No, it's not an advanced Hold 'em book. But, I don't think it's supposed to be. It was my very first Hold 'em book, and I just couldn't believe how well it improved my game. My first test was in the video game World Series of Poker 2008 where I was losing every single game until this book. After reading the first few chapters and adding some patience to my game, my character walked away the winner for the very first time.

Well worth the money if you're into Hold 'em for fun. If you're already very experienced and want to go pro some day, maybe not the best book for you.

This is a good book IF you don't own the book it is a condensed version of. This is NOT a new book.

This book is well worth the cost, especially if you are just starting to play the game. While perhaps a bit simplistic, the review on player types and top hands is very helpful. And good caution for new players, that poker is a game of patience. By playing steady, with solid hands, you give yourself a chance to snatch the big cash.

I found this to be somewhat useful, poorly written however and the book measures about 6 inches tall by 4 inches wide. Very small print, very small package. You have to respect Phil, but you find your own poker opinions quickly at odds with that of the poker brat.