Winning in Tough Hold ‘em Games: Short-Handed and High- Stakes Concepts and Theory for Limit Hold ‘em by Nick “Stoxtrader” Grudzien and Geoff “Zobags” Herzog
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Overview
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It has been awhile since an important book about limit came out, and now there’s a new title that can be enjoyed and employed by players at just about all levels. This book deals with limit hold em cash games exclusively, and does a great job of presenting the advanced tactics you’ll need to employ to be successful in modern LHE games.
Book Structure
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This is a classic 2+2 book, which means that you’ll get clearly delineated chapters that break down the game elements logically, and then illustrate specific strategies or concepts with practical examples. This book also contains a healthy dose of charts detailing expected profit from various hands in carious positions at various levels..
Unique Advantages
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If you like being able to read through the author’s PokerTracker stats, you’ll find the pages and pages of charts useful. The clarity of the expression is top notch, and there’s very little filler - after all, this is a 2+2 book, so you won’t find many colorful anecdotes. It’s also nice to feel confident that the ideas presented have been tested with great success at a variety of limits online. Finally, the decency of the book is another bonus, as it helps ensure that the advice is not only well-reasoned, but also relevant for your game.
Disadvantages
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If you hate charts, you’re going to get a couple of paper cuts skipping over them. The writing, while clear, is also very dry and clinical - basically, all of the things that some people like about 2+2 books, others hate. Wherever you fall on that scale for, say, THFAP, you can expect to fall here.
Conclusion
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I don’t think you can play limit seriously and not at least borrow this book from someone. If all you play is shorthanded, this book is an absolute must-own, as it’s the only text basically dedicated to that genre of the game.
Focus: 9/10
This is the definition of a focused book.
Quality of advice: 9/10
Top-notch. This is one of those books I almost can’t believe was written, as both players should be able to make more by holding on to the info.
Examples: 8/10
No real complaints here expect I’d like to see more quantity.
Readability: 8/10
It can be a snoozer in parts, but it’s not meant to be beach-reading, so…..
Overall (not an average): 9/10
VERDICT: Essential.
