Elements of Poker

This review was published in Card Player magazine on February 21, 2008:To discover what we really need in a new poker book, let's first examine what we really don't need. A list of starting hands. A reminder that "tight is right." How to play a flush draw in limit. I could go on.So what do we need? We need Tommy Angelo's excellent new book that covers 144 "elements" of poker (the title, no doubt, harks to The Elements of Style by Strunk and White). We need to develop our own selection of starting hands, by position; he provides a chart. We need to learn to play "mum poker," which "is not about not talking. It's about not talking about certain things, namely, poker things." We need to learn about "the path of leak resistance" (say, avoiding the pits: "When a poker player plugs the leak, or tries to, he walks the path of leak resistance"). We even need to learn how to fold: not what to fold, but how to fold: you "fastfold" when "you muck your hand as soon as you know you are beat" because (a) it's courteous and (b) it reduces your information outflow."Fastfold" is one of the many words and terms Angelo has coined (and his great verbal dexterity makes the book a pleasure to read; lively, entertaining, and interesting as well as instructive). He credits himself with the creation of the word "hijack" for the seat one to the right of the cutoff (because a raised from that seat "hijacked" Angelo from the button). Another one I particularly relished was "bliscipline," a combination of bliss and discipline: "when you are at the table and you are so totally in control of yourself and so totally at peace in the situation that no matter what happens next, you'll still have plenty of resolve in reserve.""Bliscipline" is what you need to survive and win at poker; bliscipline is what you need to achieve--another Angelo-ism--"tiltlessness." While I still believe the definite work on tilt is Zen the Art of Poker by Larry Phillips (see my review in Card Player, April 25, 2007), Angelo is the new poet of tilt, which he defines as "any deviation from your A-game and your A-mindset, however slight or fleeting." Everybody tilts; "To make money from tilt, you don't need to be tiltless. But you do have to tilt less."Tilt less; win more. How? "To win at poker, you have to be very good at losing." And that requires practice. Learn to become "hopeless" ("if I am hopeful that I will win, it is inevitable that I will sometimes be disappointed"). Recognize that poker is the "mother fluctuater" (which is "why it's best to not give a fluc"). Understand that the "gray area"--that huge swath of poker where you simply don't know what to do--is just another part of the game. Do not "resist reality": "Extreme resistance is extreme pain."And we need to learn how to breathe (i.e., mindfully: "to elevate your calmness"). It sounds like New Age claptrap, but Angelo has made me a believer in the power of controlled, conscious breathing, which helps you step away from bad beats and losses: "By eliminating the past, and eliminating the future, we give ourselves this present." Very Zen, but, I think, very true--and very helpful (if you put it to work).Elements of Poker does offer some traditional strategic on limit, no-limit, and tournament poker. Angelo is eloquently persuasive, for example, about the supreme importance of position, and there's a good section on the "dollar value" of your stack/position in tournament poker. But read this book for its understanding of the more subtle "elements of poker." Then read it again.

I ordered this book because of the reviews, fully expecting to be disappointed. Wrong!Tommy Angelo manages in 250 well-written and exceptionally well-edited pages to cover many aspects of poker that you'll seldom see discussed. The book would be worth reading even if it contained nothing new simply because it's readable, even entertaining.But it does contain much that is new to poker literature, if not in substance in slant. For example his discussion of "A-Game, B-Game, and C_Game" hands should be an eye opener for players who habitually play cards that are certain losers. In his classification there is only one B-Game hand - and I'll not step on his punch line by telling what it is. Heeding his advice on this topic should help to make more decisions black vs. white rather than an endless variety of shades of gray.Players enamored with suited cards would be well advised to read element 32 (Suitedness and Connectedness) where they'll get a realistic view of the true value of suited cards. (Being suited adds about 4% probability of winning to a hand at a full table, 2% heads up.) Eveyone understands that position is of paramount importance in Hold'em. So there's nothing new to be said about it, right? Wrong. Angelo's discussion of elements 28-31 reveals nothing "new", but does reveal what we all think we know in a new light. Read his discussion then re-read Sklansky.The bottom line is you'll gain a few insights into the old familiar topics. More importantly, you will gain some entirely new perspectives on your game and some of what you already know will be seen so clearly you'll realize that although you could quote the concept you didn't really know it. Angelo's prose is so readable and his ideas so well expressed that you'll find yourself rethinking your own game as you progress through the book. I can't imagine any player not learning something valuable from this book.Did I mention that it's readable? Looks like an actual English-language editor checked for spelling, syntax, etc. This may be the most readable poker book I've seen.

This is largely a book about how to play your best at all times. If you are a beginner or unable to play well for any other reason, your best probably isn't good enough for you to bother with the book. If you are a pro (or solid amateur) who already plays his or her best at all times, you probably don't need this book.There are probably a great many people in the middle category, the people who will gain by reading this book. Mr. Angelo doesn't give a great many tactical tips here, so this book won't be much help in _creating_ your A game. However, that is the easy part. Poker isn't as difficult as it seems. An A game good enough to win against ok players is not out of your reach. This book will help you play it all, or almost all, the time.

Superior Poker Book. Doesn't really teach about how to play, opening ranges, stack sizes, etc, but can be so much better if you put Mr. Angelo's ideas to work.Having read his work online at his website, I thought it was so well written, and pertinent to ANY poker players success. Well written in an interesting and entertaining style.Just what the title say, Elements of Poker, not how to play poker. The great thing is you can use his ideas in your everyday life, Poker player or not.I bought the Kindle edition at a great price and value. Had I known how superior it was, I would have bought it earlier. Go ahead and do yourself a favor and order one. Having discussed this book with several other poker players I know, and read comments on Poker forums, I have never heard one negative comment on the content or writing style .

Além de ser um livro com dicas, estratégias e ensinamentos sobre Poker, também é um livro com muitos ensinamentos para a vida!!

Don’t waste your money

I first read this book as a dodgy PDF which i printed off at work (cheapskate) and loved it so much i spent some money on the book, well written, it states in plain language (and with made up words) the feelings and experiences anyone playing poker will understand.It tells how Tommy changed from being a degenerate poker player to 'seeing the light' and changing habits (ignore what other books tell you, no matter how good the game, get up and leave) everyone who plays poker will have a few or more than a few of Tommy's bad habits, many of which he explains in a humorous, yet quite cutting manner. The advice given is absolutely priceless from banking wins, standing up from a game, playing tight, playing aggressive and position being all important. it gives a full account of the apprenticeship of a poker player and what it actually takes to win, basically getting sick of losing and turning it around to become a winner....A must have for anyone that plays poker or even just looking for a good read, EXCELLENT

Good read

interesting takes on poker from an int guy.