Kill Phil: Worth it for Advanced?

FGators · #1 08-12-2007, 12:19 PM

I just received Kill Phil from PokerStars (used my FPPs on it and Ace on the River). As I have begun to delve into it I'm starting to get a little nervous. Is this book useful for an avid reader of the MTT forum for 2 years? This seems like such a beginner book where a four year tournament veteran and multiple reader of Harrington on Hold'em wouldn't really find much use in the "long ball version."

In a way I'm wondering if this could even hurt my "small ball" type game.

Thoughts?

tribet · #2 08-12-2007, 01:49 PM

This is a very basic book. The whole concept is not to have to play post flop because you may lose to good players so you go all in preflop. Its a good theory for poor players because they can frustrate the good players by making them fold preflop. In live tournament play I have seen very few players employ the kill phil style of play probably because it would be so easy to identify what they are doing. Its the risk a lot to win a little theory. Some of the stuff they cover like the value of suited connectors I thought was kind of interesting.

Gelford · #3 08-12-2007, 02:10 PM

It is fluff ... you'll take nothing away from it, if you're not a noob

FGators · #4 08-12-2007, 03:30 PM

So I'm guessing my best plan for improving at MTTS besides the 2+2 forums are still HoH and maybe the new Sit N go book by Moshman?

jordiepop · #5 08-12-2007, 03:33 PM

even if i someone how managed to be in a tournament and i had a bunch of phils at my table, i still would not use kill phil. i didnt really care for the book at all. The hoh series and gordans lgb were great.

Gallopin Gael · #6 08-12-2007, 04:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]
So I'm guessing my best plan for improving at MTTS besides the 2+2 forums are still HoH and maybe the new Sit N go book by Moshman?

[/ QUOTE ]

Lee Nelson has written a second book that is supposed to be coming out early Sept. that looks more at a "small ball" approach.

As far as Kill Phil, I don't think reading (done right) ever hurt anyone. Maybe you get something out of it. Maybe you don't. Worst case scenario it forces you to think about the game and your game in particular.

Greg Miller · #7 08-12-2007, 07:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I just received Kill Phil from PokerStars (used my FPPs on it and Ace on the River). As I have begun to delve into it I'm starting to get a little nervous. Is this book useful for an avid reader of the MTT forum for 2 years? This seems like such a beginner book where a four year tournament veteran and multiple reader of Harrington on Hold'em wouldn't really find much use in the "long ball version."

In a way I'm wondering if this could even hurt my "small ball" type game.

Thoughts?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's tightly focused on one aspect of the game, but it's an aspect that you need to understand. It might not help you if you've thought about all of this in detail already, but it won't hurt.

m_reed05 · #8 08-12-2007, 07:28 PM

Check out the Full Tilt book, there is some good stuff in it.

pig4bill · #9 08-13-2007, 01:49 AM

It's worthwhile reading just so you can better recognize when your opponents are doing it.

As for nobody doing it in live tournaments, Howard Lederer and Phil Hellmuth were complaining about amatuers going all-in all the time in last year's WSOP.

the emmitt · #10 08-13-2007, 05:29 AM

I think the tips for playing a tiny stack (i.e. M of 4 or less in Harrington's language) are useful. I still see people making their emergency pushes with hands that are liable to be dominated by the distribution of hands that will call them, whereas the Kill Phil table at least advocates pushing suited connectors, etc.

However, I certainly wouldn't want to base my whole game around the book for the reasons that have already been elaborated by other posters.