[George Rice]

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Snyder's book changed all that. I recognized myself in one chapter (a classic wuss) and finally, finally understood position.

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That's perfectly understandable for a couple of reasons.

First, Mason agrees with most of what Snyder recommends. If Snyder is in fact wrong where they differ, and right for the wrong reasons when they don't, you still should do well against the mostly unknowledgeable opponents you'll be facing.

Second, S&M's style is more general and theoretical than, say, a cookbook type text. Obviously TOP falls into this category. But HPFAP falls into this category too. I read HPFAP for years and would understand it better the more experience I obtained. But there was a large leap after reading Ed Miller's book, even though it differs in that it's geared towards small stakes games (but 20/40, 30/60 and even 40/80 frequently play like small stakes games online). I think the main reason was that hearing the same information using different words and from a different point of view helped me understand the material even more.

I haven't read Snyder's book, but, from what I heard others quote, it's more of a cookbook style of book. And I suspect that I will also get something out of it, once I bring myself to buy it.

I suspect after you've mastered, or think you've mastered Snyder's book, and go back to Harrington's book, you'll discover there was a lot more there than you initially realized.

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Frankly, this whole thing started off, in another thread, as a rather civil discussion/disagreement. Unfortunately, it went downhill fast.

Whatever the math, how about someone step up and try to bring some civility back to this disagreement?

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I think the discussion is mostly civil. It may seem 'heated' at times, but there's nothing wrong with that.