This book explains how to play poker with pot-limit or no-limit betting. General theory is discussed, along with its application to several different poker forms, including holdem, Omaha, lowball, and seven-card stud.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Bob Ciaffone (USA)and Stewart Reuben (UK)are both well-known professional poker players and writers, each with several poker books they have authored. Ciaffone teaches poker; his students have won over two million dollars in prize money. He has a third place finish in World Championship play (1987).
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
36 of 39 people found the following review helpful
By Jakuda
Most of the negative reviews below come from LIMIT players who have probably read Sklansky's books and expect a lot of "if A then do B or C" and a lot of specific advice.
Big bet poker is a bit different in that it would be foolish to give such specific advice. You're going to cost yourself a lot of money (profit or just lose money) if you play cookie cutter poker.
Ciaffone and Reuben's book is good in that it teaches you about how to take into consideration your stack size, your opponent's stack size, and the pot size before acting among other important concepts. That alone is worth the cost of the book.
Big bet poker is a bit different in that it would be foolish to give such specific advice. You're going to cost yourself a lot of money (profit or just lose money) if you play cookie cutter poker.
Ciaffone and Reuben's book is good in that it teaches you about how to take into consideration your stack size, your opponent's stack size, and the pot size before acting among other important concepts. That alone is worth the cost of the book.
Regarding the review below: They recommending betting a set on the flop more in potlimit than in no-limit. Checking a set (when you have a pocket pair) in potlimit is going to limit your profits because if everyone checks behind you can only bet/raise the size of the pot on the turn. In nolimit, you can bet whatever you want whenever so checking isn't as costly. Also how does flopping a set when you have a pocket pair automatically imply there is a dangerous flop. In anycase, I ramble. Go to the twoplustwo.com forums to find other positive reviews of this book by MANY bigbet poker players.
Mason Malmuth also HIGHLY recommends this book for you sklansky and malmuth fans.
27 of 29 people found the following review helpful
I bought this book several years ago, before the no-limit craze, when pot-limit and no-limit were played in tournaments and in Europe, and limit dominated American poker. At the time, I wasn't sure what to make of it since I had little experience with big-bet poker, so I asked the opinions of a few players I have a lot of respect for. I knew it was good, but I was a bit surprised at the superlatives in their praise.
I've gone back and read bits and pieces many times since then, and longer chunks a few times. It really is excellent. Even with just a few minutes, you can get something from it - inspiration for a new play, quick insight into a new game, etc. There's a good discussion of the differences between pot-limit and no-limit, which is very useful for those with experience at one trying to adapt to the other.
A few of the other reviews are misguided, which prompted me to add my own. The long review criticizing specific advice takes both the situations and recommendations out of context. As another reviewer pointed out, the recommendation to play big hands strong on the flop is in a discussion of pot-limit, not no-limit, where you can't just check to the river and then move in if the pot is still small.
Another criticism was the idea of reraising all-in with a big draw on the flop. Obviously, this is a bad idea as a regular play, but that's not what they are recommending. As an occasional move against certain opponents, this can be a very powerful move. The other player may have been bluffing, and fold quickly. Or, he may have a good hand, like top pair/top kicker, and lay it down. Even if you get called, you still have around a 35% chance to win. And after you show down a drawing hand after moving all-in, you'll get more calls on your big made hands in the future.
Another supposed "criticism" is that the book doesn't cover hold'em exclusively. The recent hold'em craze is relatively new, driven by the WPT on television. Before a couple years ago, even most pro poker players didn't play much no-limit hold'em. Then and now, people play lots of other games. That this book covers many games shouldn't be a surprise: it lists six games on the cover in big print, under "COVERING". The people who keep making these complaints (several criticize Super System 2 for the same thing) must be new to the poker world in the past year or two.
The section on "strip deck poker" that another reviewer complained about as obsolete takes up barely over one page. It just talks very briefly about the rules and what proper strategy would be, and then adds a quick story about a hand. In that page, Reuben even says, "I am glad to say this game is little-played now. It is excellent for cheating, as two players can easily communicate to each other what their hole card is." I thought it was interesting.
Ciaffone is an American with decades of experience playing, teaching, and writing about poker, with a fairly conservative playing style. Reuben is English, where pot-limit is just about the only form played, with a super-aggressive style. Both have impressive poker resumes, and their contrasting playing styles provide useful perspective.cover odds, percentages, or have
This is not a book for beginners. It doesn't charts of what starting hands to play, and doesn't make blanket statements about what to do. It assumes you already play fairly well and are looking to improve to a higher level. It serves that purpose well, and is even interesting reading, with a few jokes thrown in - unfortunately, very rare for a good poker book.
I've gone back and read bits and pieces many times since then, and longer chunks a few times. It really is excellent. Even with just a few minutes, you can get something from it - inspiration for a new play, quick insight into a new game, etc. There's a good discussion of the differences between pot-limit and no-limit, which is very useful for those with experience at one trying to adapt to the other.
A few of the other reviews are misguided, which prompted me to add my own. The long review criticizing specific advice takes both the situations and recommendations out of context. As another reviewer pointed out, the recommendation to play big hands strong on the flop is in a discussion of pot-limit, not no-limit, where you can't just check to the river and then move in if the pot is still small.
Another criticism was the idea of reraising all-in with a big draw on the flop. Obviously, this is a bad idea as a regular play, but that's not what they are recommending. As an occasional move against certain opponents, this can be a very powerful move. The other player may have been bluffing, and fold quickly. Or, he may have a good hand, like top pair/top kicker, and lay it down. Even if you get called, you still have around a 35% chance to win. And after you show down a drawing hand after moving all-in, you'll get more calls on your big made hands in the future.
Another supposed "criticism" is that the book doesn't cover hold'em exclusively. The recent hold'em craze is relatively new, driven by the WPT on television. Before a couple years ago, even most pro poker players didn't play much no-limit hold'em. Then and now, people play lots of other games. That this book covers many games shouldn't be a surprise: it lists six games on the cover in big print, under "COVERING". The people who keep making these complaints (several criticize Super System 2 for the same thing) must be new to the poker world in the past year or two.
The section on "strip deck poker" that another reviewer complained about as obsolete takes up barely over one page. It just talks very briefly about the rules and what proper strategy would be, and then adds a quick story about a hand. In that page, Reuben even says, "I am glad to say this game is little-played now. It is excellent for cheating, as two players can easily communicate to each other what their hole card is." I thought it was interesting.
Ciaffone is an American with decades of experience playing, teaching, and writing about poker, with a fairly conservative playing style. Reuben is English, where pot-limit is just about the only form played, with a super-aggressive style. Both have impressive poker resumes, and their contrasting playing styles provide useful perspective.cover odds, percentages, or have
This is not a book for beginners. It doesn't charts of what starting hands to play, and doesn't make blanket statements about what to do. It assumes you already play fairly well and are looking to improve to a higher level. It serves that purpose well, and is even interesting reading, with a few jokes thrown in - unfortunately, very rare for a good poker book.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Pot-Limit & No-Limit Poker is currently the best book on big bet pot-limit and no-limit poker. The big bet involves a lot of human elements (intimidation, trickery, bluffing, etc.) that the more technical limit game does not. It's very easy to master the limit game with expert play, but it's much harder to apply the same techniques and expert formulas to the big-bet game. If no-limit or pot-limit is your game, read this book!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not Holdem Only
Since I am giving this book such a high rating, I will start out with the criticisms that I think are somewhat justified. Read more
Published on January 7, 2008 by William Reich
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended
There's a lot of good, practical advice in this book. It's true that some of the sections cover games that you're unlikely to play today, but there's still solid thinking that you... Read more
Published on November 16, 2007 by David Nicoson
4.0 out of 5 stars
High level analysis
Stewart Reuben presents an expert's analysis of a series of about 50 omaha hands that he was involved over the past few years mostly in London poker rooms. Read more
Published on March 23, 2006 by P. Kiefer
2.0 out of 5 stars
Am a Hold'em player
I have read alot of poker books and this is in the bottom (of the ones I have read). It is to shallow and doesn't give you much of the practical information that other books do... Read more
Published on March 11, 2006 by Andreas Johansson
5.0 out of 5 stars
For Serious Players
A clear guide to the differences in situational strategies between Pot Limit and No Limit. A definate must for the serious poker player.
Published on February 25, 2006 by John R. Clements
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's a helpful book, but it's old
This book is good, but it's not for beginners. It used to be that it was very hard to find a NL holdem game anywhere, even in Vegas, and thus when the authors wrote this book the... Read more
Published on February 1, 2006 by Cottonmather0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Old School Poker.
This is the second offering by Stewart Reuben I've read. Previously, I finished How Good is Your Pot Limit which I found surprisingly good. Read more
Published on December 26, 2005 by Bernard Chapin
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book will make you money
And that's saying something. Currently, this is the best text on big bet cash game poker available. Highly recommended.
Published on November 28, 2005 by P. Binion
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lots of potential, average performer
This book is a good book. The biggest problem with the book is how the information is laid out, because the authors are poker players and not teachers. Read more
Published on August 28, 2005 by Nicholas Moore
5.0 out of 5 stars
small book loaded with no-limit and pot-limit tips
Good book if you are already experienced with poker. It gives you tips to use when holding different hands and against different types of players. Solid book. Read more
Published on July 6, 2005 by F. Alvarez
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