USE THE BOOK FOR WHAT THE AUTHOR INTENDS!

[deacsoft]

With all the new books coming out I felt I had to say this before it's Kill Phil and LGB all over again.

The authors that write these books do so for a reason. They write them to help instruct certain aspects of the game. Most of them even go as far as to have a "what this book is intended for" page or four. I can't believe that so many posts here are about adapting books to games, limits, and skill levels that the book is not intended for. How about taking the author's word for it and giving them a little credit?

Example: A book is written for mid-stakes limit hold'em. An author who is well respected in the world of poker publishings put a lot of time and effort into writing the best book they could. They studied everything they could think of about the level, limit, and skill of poker. If they needed help they did not ask someone who only plays low stakes no-limit omaha to help them with it. They did not ask the garbage man. They did not ask their doctor. They asked some-one who plays mid-stakes limit hold'em. They put all the knowledge they have about that particular level, limit, and skill of poker into it. They were not thinking about low stakes. Thus the reasoning behind their writing does not apply to anything different than what the book was intended for.

The point here is that these books are not written to be adapted to other forms of poker. Can they be? Some of them, yes. Others, no. What is being missed by so many is this: Many of you fail to realize the thought that is behind the printing on the page. You think "oh, I read in a book that I can cold call a raise with this hand, in this position, against this type of player in a tourney... I can do the same in a cash game." You fail to ask yourself why. Why does the tourney book say you can do that? Chances are that if you understand the why, the reasoning behind why you can do it in a tourney, you're going to find it's not the same reasons to do it in a cash game.

Many of you don't even understand the books that are written specifically for what you're playing and you're worried about adapting Kill Phil to limit hold'em SNGs. You try to adapt tourney books to cash games and then wonder why you're losing or not winning as much as you think you should be. People are already trying to adapt NLHTP for other uses. What the [censored]?

Read the books and use them for what the author intends them for. If there is no book for what you're playing there's a wealth of information available on these forums. If you want to try to adapt a book to something it's not intended for be aware of what I've said here and, at least, understand the book for what and why it is written first.

Cheers,

deacsoft

[Peter666]

You know, considering how many people here bitch and moan about the price of a $20-$30 poker book even though it can pay for itself thousands of times over, I'm not surprised that they try to adapt these books for dating advice, religious guidance, or nurturing and feeding their children.

[DiggerDog]

Although deacsoft wrote his post specifically for the "Books & Publications" forum, I think I might try to adapt it to the "Home Game" forum.




"I don't care who you are. That's funny right there."

[BarronVangorToth]

Great post, deacsoft.

[NewUser2006]

Another example - Phil Hellmuth's "Play Poker Like the Pros"

Incorrect usage: Poker games
Correct usage: Toilet paper and fuel for the bonfire.

[Starfish]

But, but... It becomes cheaper to buy one large book and then adapt the advice for different games and limits. And if it doesn't work, a large book makes a great burnie! [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[CrayZee]

Maybe people stretch the notion of concepts that can be applied to all forms of poker...but there is certainly validity to that. Obv. you don't want to use an online HU NLHE S&G book to beat middle stakes live Omaha high-low split. If you thought otherwise, then poker is not likely a very good past time for you (or will be very difficult). Enjoy! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[smbruin22]

a few thoughts.....

i think all these books have an element of card flow, card value, board reading, opponent reading to them... but i would say you have to be experienced enough to know what the book is intended for.

i think you can learn alot of each game by learning about the other games and betting structures etc......

i don't actually think this is in conflict with what you said.... obviously don't use miller SSHE as your no-limit guide, or your high limit guide.... and it is somewhat questionable to think harrington 1 is excellent for deep stack cash games. still some major differences. like 57/43 all-in play on your first hand is no-brainer in cash, great deal of debate in tourney with many thinking fold is better.

[amulet]

i think many books have crossover. for example, i think top, hpfap, ssh, itpm, etc., all will make a nl players game much better. and ssh (and even hoh) will be useful to a middle limit player. a lot of books have universal concepts that apply to multiple limits and many forms of poker.

as for kill phil, while it is good for what it is, i think it is bad for really learning poker as it should be learned. i can't imagine suggesting it to anyone.

[Peter666]

"as for kill phil, while it is good for what it is, i think it is bad for really learning poker as it should be learned. i can't imagine suggesting it to anyone."

Concepts like move in when you have the best of it are bad??