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February 27th, 2008
03:14 pm - A quick initial review of the book I just bought
I haven't mentioned it for reasons I'll make clear shortly. I bought a poker book, which itself is not a big deal, though I don't do it frequently. I own a total of 6 poker books*, and if I'm interested in checking one out I'll usually go to the bookstore, read it there and put it back.
Of the dozens of books I've given a passing read over the last year and change, I've only bought those 6: I'm averse to spending $20-30 on a book if it isn't a true resource. But this is a book I couldn't find at any bookstore, and per the reviews, many of the tournament poker concepts discussed were so intriguing and untouched that I had to buy it anyway, so I ordered it via Amazon last week and it came yesterday.
The title of the book will tell you why you don't see it in bookstores: Kill Everyone by Nelson, Lee and Streib.
Now, before you call the cops, the book is so titled because it's the sequel to the book Kill Phil, dubbed after the Tarantino movie Kill Bill because the shove-or-fold No-Limit tournament strategy was designed to help beginners neutralize the skill of top players like Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Phil Gordon, Phil Laak and so on (since there are so many Phils in pro poker, the title was natural). Going all-in with big hands right off the bat prevents the top pros from outmaneuvering you after the flop.
The title is what it is because the sequel is designed to teach players a more practical approach that can be used in any tournament against any level of opponent, while still incorporating some of the mathematic shove-or-fold principles in Kill Phil.
That said, carrying around and reading a book called Kill Everyone can definitely get you in some trouble if you're not careful, so I've had to be careful about whipping it out on the bus or during lunch. From what little I've been able to read in the last 24 hours, however, I'm somewhat impressed. I think some of the book generalizes and uses too many anecdotes (the pitfall of many bad poker books is when authors spend more time talking about hands they played in some big tournament a while back... than discussing actual strategy)... but there is still a ton of analysis on mathematically and statistically smart plays, on calculating bluffs, on how your criteria of late game strategy should go beyond pot odds and into what position in a tournament each possible decision and outcome can leave you, and use that to weigh what odds you need to bet or call. While Arnold Snyder makes a blanket statement in Poker Tournament Formula to readers to consider tournament odds when making big decisions, this book goes into great detail as to what constitutes the proper tournament odds to bet, complete with charts.
Oh, and the charts. This book is loaded with charts on plays for key tournament situations, and the criteria you need to make them. Some people cringe when they read a poker book and see any mention of math, but I love seeing a detailed chart of odds analysis. Nothing beats having a detailed statistical breakdown of why particular plays in particular situations are correct. It's not as heavy in math as The Mathematics of Poker (there's a book that will make your head hurt), but it explores the logic of playing a short stack in great detail, and suddenly, what used to be determined by gut instinct now has a strong base of logic to it.
Revolutionary poker books often lead to many players adopting the given style, and as a result figuring out how to defend it as well, making that book and its assumptions somewhat obsolete within a few years. But Kill Everyone has built in filters that should effectively limit the number of people who take it in and apply the principles.
- Obscurity: Harrington on Hold'Em is popular, and every well-read poker player has probably read all 3 books of the series cover to cover a dozen times apiece, and will frequently cite its principles, such as M and Q factors. Ditto many of the Sklansky books. Many know the book Kill Phil (and many have scoffed at the crude jam-or-fold strategy). Even Poker Tournament Formula, while scoffed at by poker insiders, has gained in popularity as more and more people are taking to the strategy, since it requires relatively little knowledge of hardcore poker strategy. But little mention is made, outside of certain circles, of the sequel to KP, Kill Everyone.
- The intensive math and statistics: Numbers make people's heads hurt. The more math and charts your book uses, the more likely that developing poker players will skip it.
- The title: Like I said, booksellers aren't very comfortable putting a book called Kill Everyone on the shelf, even if they know better, even if it's in the Poker section. In These Post Nine Eleven Times and so on... people are paranoid. You can't even order it through the big chains because they do not carry it, even in their national supplies. This limits access to the book for most: nearly everyone who buys the book is actively aware of it and looking for it.
This combination of factors will probably keep this material and its principles fresh for years to come.
Meanwhile, I'll try to read more of it, and more closely, as my limited time and other commitments at the moment have me reading what I can very quickly. Poker is tonight, and unlike Monday I'm going to go tonight. Not sure if I'll be able to incorporate any of what I've read, but I believe that my off-site practice over the past week has helped me figure out some things. We'll see how tonight goes.
* - The poker books I own:
The Illustrated Guide to No Limit Texas Hold'Em - Dennis Purdy
Poker Tournament Formula - Arnold Snyder
Winning Low Limit Hold'Em - Lee Jones
Harrington On Hold'Em Volume 1 - Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie
Small Stakes Hold'Em - Miller, Sklansky & Malmuth
and this book.
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