Is Gary Carson a Dirty Phrase? - Page 2

PokrLikeItsProse · #11 08-07-2007, 05:43 PM

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I gave his book on hold'em a quick read a couple of years ago. I actually thought it was quite good, especially since he wrote pretty extensively about adjusting your play based on table conditions. Probably very few here will agree with me but that's okay too.

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I think of it as a companion to SSHE, which is focused more on a loose passive table. Carson's book is more interested in loose aggressive settings. I'd suggest reading both books with an open mind while actually thinking about poker.

Carson's book has its flaws. It doesn't seem to have much at all on turn and river play. I seem to recall that it has some laughable psychology, especially in the part concerning female players. But it also has its strong points. My favorite chapter in his book is the one on theories of poker.

fraac · #12 08-07-2007, 08:14 PM

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My favorite chapter in his book is the one on theories of poker.

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That would be the one he wants to make a whole book out of. I suggest he does, rather than his proposed no-limit book, which would surely arrive to a crowded market.

sethypooh21 · #13 08-07-2007, 08:17 PM

I also thought Complete Book of HoldEm was interesting, even if I disagreed with it on many fronts. I'll 3rd(?) the endorsement for sections concerning the theory of holdem.

FortWorthJim · #14 08-08-2007, 01:55 AM

I also own Carson's book and liked it, but it was like checkers to the chess of Small Stakes by Miller.

Carson has some interesting things to say in his blogs or even a few of his posts on RGP. But it is hard to respect someone who is that much of an ass and a know-it-all but has absolutely zero accomplishments to back it up.

He plays 1-2 no-limit ... live. He had a blog about putting together a bankroll for the 2007 WSOP. A few months before the tournament, he had to give up the ghost. He couldn't do it.

How can there be this much of a gap between a theorist and an actual player? Malmuth sometimes gets ragged on here for his actual play, but wasn't he at least a winning 20-40 or better limit player for quite a while?

Sklansky doesn't play in "The Big Game," but he does play pretty big.

Carson rags Negreanu and lots of other name players, but he strikes me as a guy who is so scared to fail he does nothing at all.

PokrLikeItsProse · #15 08-08-2007, 06:07 AM

Carson is an interesting fellow. If I remember his life story correctly, he's bipolar, something that caused him to go from some sort of executive-type job to homeless at one point. I want to say that he might have had other problems like alcohol, but I'm not sure.

I know Carson has played higher in the past. I just don't know how high. I have seen descriptions of him playing in 20/40 limit games before.

Carson has a chip on his shoulder specifically when it comes to Negreanu because of some sort of heads-up freezeout that DN supposedly backed out of.

Adman · #16 08-08-2007, 07:12 AM

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Sklansky doesn't play in "The Big Game," but he does play pretty big.

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I read a book that was recommended by Ed Miller on his website called "Winning secrets of poker" by a guy named Peter Fornatale. It is basically a collection of interviews with several poker players- some famous and well known, some unknown professionals. One of the interviews is with David Sklansky. In it, Sklansky mentions that he plays 800/1600 limit. I think that certainly qualifies as "big."

As far as Carsons book is concerned, I think it is quite a good book. He had some very interesting things to say about the game of limit hold 'em that at that time, had not been said previously. Of course when SSHE came out, Carson's book became basically obsolete.

Atrophy · #17 08-08-2007, 09:37 AM

Interesting posts. I mainly picked his book up because of the reference in SSHE. I stumbled upon his blog the other day and have been reading some posts. He does seem to have a lot to say about a lot of subjects.

FortWorthJim · #18 08-08-2007, 03:37 PM

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Carson is an interesting fellow. If I remember his life story correctly, he's bipolar, something that caused him to go from some sort of executive-type job to homeless at one point. I want to say that he might have had other problems like alcohol, but I'm not sure.

I know Carson has played higher in the past. I just don't know how high. I have seen descriptions of him playing in 20/40 limit games before.

Carson has a chip on his shoulder specifically when it comes to Negreanu because of some sort of heads-up freezeout that DN supposedly backed out of.

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If I remember right, Carson agreed to a match, but wanted to be able to make a show about it, something along the lines of "average joe vs. big-time pro."

Negreanu said that's ridiculous, let's just play.

I remember it as Carson criticizing Negreanu, Negreanu doing the macho "let's play heads up" thing, Carson agreeing, then making demand after demand after demand until Negreanu gave up.

JohnG · #19 08-08-2007, 03:48 PM

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[I remember it as Carson criticizing Negreanu, Negreanu doing the macho "let's play heads up" thing, Carson agreeing, then making demand after demand after demand until Negreanu gave up.

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Negreanu offered Carson 10-1. Carson accepted, and thought he could raise 100k. Carson certainly didn't make demand after demand until Daniel gave up. It was Negreanu that kept backing out, largely due to being broke at the time.

andyfox · #20 08-08-2007, 06:22 PM

Carson was extremely nasty when he used to post here years ago, he and Mason had a falling out because of it; Mason was correct to kick him out of here. But I think the reason for the lack of mention of his name here is that he has nothing in his published work worthy, any more, of continued discussion.