Do good poker books make the games worse, or better?

QuickLearner · 05-17-2006, 01:48 PM

This summer there are at least two really good books on no limit poker coming out. The popular opinion is that the games get worse as soon as something of quality hits the book shelves.

I used to think that was wrong because most players don't bother to read anything. But I may be changing my mind. Now that Ed Miller's Small Stakes Hold'em has been out a couple of years I see the limit games have tightened up and become more aggressive. They're still beatable, but not for as much as they used to be.

The other way of looking at it is that the games become more popular as more people read enough to keep them solvent. All you have to do is stay ahead of the curve and you'll be all right. Anybody have a thought?

PokerDeath · 05-17-2006, 02:14 PM

No book ever won a poker game. I think you give Ed Miller way too much credit.

Al Masters · 05-17-2006, 04:59 PM

well like anything else in life the more you read the more educated you get,so what your seeing is that. imo

QuickLearner · 05-17-2006, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PokerDeath

I think you give Ed Miller way too much credit.

I don't think I could give him enough credit. That boy made me some serious money. Both in what I learned from him and from people misapplying his concepts in games against me.

scottyy11 · 05-18-2006, 01:04 AM

alot of players know how to play at a decent level , but they can't keep it up and they fall back to their old ways no matter what they read in the books.

QuickLearner · 05-18-2006, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottyy11

alot of players know how to play at a decent level , but they can't keep it up and they fall back to their old ways no matter what they read in the books.

Not only do I agree with this, I count on it.

prrmike · 05-18-2006, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottyy11

alot of players know how to play at a decent level , but they can't keep it up and they fall back to their old ways no matter what they read in the books.

Totally agree, Scotty.

slacker00 · 05-19-2006, 12:33 AM

I agree about "staying ahead of the curve", but fortunately most players are just clueless. Even if they've read the books, they don't necessarily understand them.

QuickLearner · 05-19-2006, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slacker00

Even if they've read the books, they don't necessarily understand them.

Not to mention that for every good (Zee, Sklansky, Ciaffone, Harrington) book sold there are probably 25 pieces of complete trash (Warren, Vorhaus, Helmuth, Patrick) sold.

Al Masters · 05-19-2006, 07:25 PM

I believe that books have educated many to be more knowledgable bout the game and certainly has made many players better players.games in general are tougher today then they were 10 years ago( talking bout live games).

That said poker is very much a situational game and many
have trouble putting what they read into practice.you cant just read something and just go out and do it cause so many factors come into making a decision .plus even if u read every good book out there you still need to have some sort of poker sense IMO.

I played for years in foxwoods and i remember this one regular player. Alex, harvard prof, real gentlemen, day after week after month after year never got it. he swore up and down any two will do. all flops were a must see, and when he took you down with 10-2 was he happy.He claimed to have read many poker books.

So you see, you really cant take the donkey out of the donkey. even if someone wrote a book on how to win 100% of the time gauranteed.the donkey would find a way to turn it into poor play.

thank goodness for that.....

BetterBizness · 05-20-2006, 03:42 PM

People in most casinos can buy a "Basic strategy Guide" of Blackjack to reduce their -28% EV to up to -1%.. For $1.99...What's worse is that many players do buy them, and don't use them.

Yet for some reason the casinos continue to build their empire as show in Vegas every day.

BBiz

BetterBizness · 05-20-2006, 03:51 PM

On another thought.. I'd rather people read books or are simply "knowledgable".. I feel personally that I have a better edge in knowing what they think they know about me. Playing "soft" games I find is harder to read people then tougher games. I've had good success online and mid-limit games 10-20 to 20-40, but when it comes to my home game, I am just above breaking even... I hardley finish in the money most of the time because alot of them just have so little clue, that It's like reading watching a static TV... Probably more me then anything, but just a thought..

BBiz

QuickLearner · 05-21-2006, 11:26 AM

BBiz, here's the solution to your home game: Play 20/40.

BetterBizness · 05-22-2006, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuickLearner

BBiz, here's the solution to your home game: Play 20/40.

I would Quick, but they max usually $100 pots and are in LOOOVEEEE with Guts games...