REVIEW
Ok,
so I've finally gotten around to perusing
'How to Play Winning Poker' by Avery Cardoza,
the prize from the first tournament. As
much as I hate looking a gift horse in
the mouth, I really was not terribly impressed
with this one.
For
someone with NO experience whatsoever,
who has never even sat down at a table
but would like to, I think it could be
an incredibly valuable tool for learning
the manners of play in the various games,
some poker jargon, and the basic logistics
of calling, checking, folding, etc.
That
said, I think anyone with any real experience
would find problems with some of the latter
sections, specifically the chapter on
bluffing. While some decent points are
made (e.g. bluffing is most effective
against only one or two opponents, and
when the pot is smaller), it also essentially
suggests that you bet into people who
are losing a lot, which seems logical
but experience will tell you that these
are the people who are most likely to
be on tilt, and thus will call far more
than they should, thus bluffing is not
terribly effective.
I
also don't know if I agree with their
"rule" for a buy-in: 15 times the big
bet not only isn't that much, but it also
can't possibly be accurate across the
wide spectrum of playing limits, especially
since within the superloose small limits
it might only last even the most solid
player a short amount of time before busting.
In
summation, I feel that the instructional
parts of this book would be good for a
totally rank beginner, but after any reasonable
amount of skill, and even just experience,
is accrued, the misinformation could definitely
prove harmful. So, I think it is a decent
book if the reader goes in with a very
wary attitude.
dissipated8
|
