Winning at Internet Poker For Dummies [Paperback]

Mark "The Red" Harlan (Author), Chris Derossi (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764578332 | ISBN-13: 978-0764578335 | Publication Date: February 4, 2005 | Edition: 1

Take poker online the fun and easy way!

Five years ago, 50 million people were playing poker recreationally or professionally. Now that number is more than 100 million, including a huge influx of young people. Online betting is up nearly four-fold over the past year, with total wagers running over $30 billion. Winning at Internet Poker For Dummies provides the lowdown on the hottest game around, highlighting the best sites and virtual games and showing how to make secure online bets. The book covers setting up an account, securing funds, navigating a basic online poker game, using Internet abbreviations and lingo, observing online poker etiquette, playing popular online poker games such as Texas Hold 'Em and Omaha, devising a winning strategy, and participating in tournaments.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"easy-to-follow guide" and also "great value" (The Manx Independent, July 2006)

From the Back Cover

Find the right site, set up an account, and play to win!

The fun and easy way^® to take poker online and win!

Passionate about poker? This easy-to-follow guide gives you the lowdown on the hottest games around — including Texas Hold 'Em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud. Read up on how to find the best sites, put your money online safely, size up your opponents, and take your poker game to the next level.

Discover how to:

• Set up an account
• Make secure online bets
• Devise a winning strategy
• Follow online etiquette
• Participate in online tournaments

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Wiley Publishing Inc.; 1 edition (February 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764578332
• ISBN-13: 978-0764578335
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #835,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Good for a "Dummies" Book, November 21, 2004

By 

Robert Tsuk (Cupertino, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Winning at Internet Poker For Dummies (Paperback)

As a budding online player, and working in the computer industry, I had heard some buzz surrounding this book. I was anxious to see it and managed snag an early review copy.

On the whole it is excellent.

Harlan and (especially) Derossi are fairly well-known insiders in the computer industry and are working on a next-generation poker site (I think it's shown in the book as a "Modern" table, and if that's what they're doing, it's very cool). This book is different from the other online books I've read in that it focuses exclusively on the differences between what they call "brick-and-mortar" poker rooms and those online.

Refreshingly, basic poker knowledge is assumed, you won't find even a sentence in here about what-hand-beats what. Although they make continual reference to "Poker for Dummies," to learn the basics, I think you're better off with Sklansky's "Theory of Poker," Jones's "Winning Low-Limit Hold 'Em," or Miller's "Small Stakes Hold 'Em."

Their section on judging a poker site for quality is great. The bit about online pitfalls and their piece about how to read Internet "tells" are both good. The single table tournament section is the best I've ever read on that topic specifically.

There is some mention in the book of Omaha, even less on Stud, but the book (like online players, I guess) clearly has a Hold 'Em bias.

What's a little strange is, aside from the chapter on single table tournaments, you will find very little general poker strategy. So if I have any bone to pick with this book it's that it's misnamed. It shouldn't be called "Winning at Internet Poker for Dummies," instead it should be called something like, "Nuances of Internet Poker for Everyone."

Don't buy this expecting to learn how to play poker (you won't). Do buy this if you're interested in gaining an extra edge in the online world that you might otherwise miss. (Which is to say, if you're playing online, you should read this.)

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All the online tips & tricks without the Poker 101, February 2, 2005

By 

Tim Enwall - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Winning at Internet Poker For Dummies (Paperback)

I've played in home games for over 20 years and just a little bit in casinos (I don't really like the idea of paying a rake, tipping a dealer and tipping a cocktail waitress - I also prefer to eat my buddies' free food). But lately I'm toying around with playing online (I STILL don't like that rake idea) and was looking for a book that would essentially tell me everything about online poker without giving me some ridiculous Poker 101 lesson. Man did I ever get that in spades. Harlan and Derossi are clearly hardcore poker guys who're also computer geeks.

Their checklist on what to do on disconnection is great and they spend a long time drilling on idiosyncrasies of the online world . Their sections on strategy for single table tournaments, head's-up techniques and short handed play are excellent.

The only thing I completely disagree with them on is they seem to have a real beef with freeroll tournaments (they essentially think they're a waste of time), but everything else they talk about I'm cool with.

I just happened to be in the bookstore as they were putting this book out for the first time and bought it on a whim along with the Hilger book that I'd already picked up. I was sorta skeptical and more than a little ashamed that it said "Dummies" (is that REALLY a good marketing strategy for a book?); but after looking 'em both over I have to say that even though this one is half the price, it's about four times as valuable as the other.

The great thing is they didn't try to re-teach me poker theory. Their philosophy is all the poker stuff you know from RL (real life) applies here, but there are lots of wrinkles to be aware of: A player with Internet playing savvy will beat the exact same player that doesn't have it.

They refer a lot to "Poker for Dummies," a book I've never read. What I have read is all of Sklansky's Hold 'Em books, and this one seems to fit right along with them just fine.

I didn't consider myself a "dummy" even before I bought this, but I'm even less of one now.

28 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars YOU WILL NOT BETTER YOUR GAME WITH THIS BOOK, June 18, 2005

By 

M. L. Trudnos (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Winning at Internet Poker For Dummies (Paperback)

First off this is not a 'WINNING AT INTERNET POKER' book...it is a 'EXPLANATION OF INTERNET POKER'. I bought this book hoping to learn something. The first (and I am not exaggerating this) 2/3 of the book has nothing to do with actual poker playing. Throughout those chapters they discuss how to use your computer to choose and download a poker program. I saw that they had a chapter on tournaments. All they do is simply explain the enviroment of the tourney (i.e. how many people are in certain tournaments, how much you have to pay to get into them...) You will not learn any actual strategies or what to do in certain situations. I recommend buying this book if you have never in your life played any poker over the internet. If you saw the world series of poker on your TV and thought to yourself 'hey maybe i can play online' then right at that point this book wouldn't be the worst idea. Let me take an exerpt from the book...page 18 5th paragraph..."If your screen is kind of fuzzy, and you don't normally stare at it for excessive periods of time, you may want to consider upgrading to a new monitor. Gawking at fuzzy images for hours at a time is draining,"...

And if you want more examples of what you are in for buy the book and read the whole thing. Once again to emphasize...YOU WILL NOT BETTER YOUR GAME BY READING THIS BOOK, IT IS A WASTE OF TIME.