This has been published on the Blondepoker Website. Many thanks to Snoopy (from the Blondepoker forum) for a proof read. Hope you enjoy it.

Title - Hold 'Em Poker
Author - David Sklansky
Publisher - Two Plus Two
Year First Published - 1976
Edition Reviewed - 2000
General Info - Paperback, US $19.95, 111 pages
Type of Book - Instructional and Basic Poker Strategy
Intended Audience - Beginner
Game(s) Covered - Hold 'Em Poker
Date Of Review - Nov 2005


So you’ve seen some poker on TV and boy does it look interesting! There are people bluffing with hands that are certain to lose if they get called, but wait, the other guy mucks two pair which must have been good enough to win, why on earth did he fold you think? The commentators go crazy and you absolutely know you have to start playing this game as soon as possible. Sure you played a bit of Draw Poker years ago, but Hold ‘Em, I mean where do you start? You could Google the phrase, but someone will only try to sell you something you don't want or need. Far better to follow the advice of this reviewer and start where nearly all great players have started – David Sklansky’s HOLD ‘EM POKER.

Or let me put it another way, imagine for a moment that you have no idea how to play Hold ‘Em Poker, which, let’s face it, is not too hard for most of us! The casino hotel you are staying in announces they are holding a Freeroll Hold 'Em tournament for guests worth $10,000 and, oh dear, you have 2 hours to prepare. I can guarantee that spending a couple of hours with this book will prepare you exponentially more than spending some time surfing the net or conversing with ‘Poker John’ who sports a ten gallon hat and sips whiskey at the hotel bar.

David Sklansky is a professional gambler and poker player. He was approached to write this book as one of the leading poker theorists in the world. This is also a book that was first published in 1976, so I guess the first thing to address is whether or not a book this old could still be relevant in today’s internet savvy, WSOP, WPT, TV world. The answer of course is yes, and even more so since the book was updated in 1997.

This is the book that started it all; the very first ever published specifically for Hold ‘Em Poker. David Sklansky takes you though the game in a relatively short 111 pages covering all the basics of the game, as well as some of the more advanced concepts. However, don’t be fooled by the lack of pages. David Sklansky packs more into 111 pages than Phil Hellmuth has crammed into two full books of over 550 pages combined.

Hold ‘Em Poker is the perfect grounding for any new player looking to play winning poker. I would also advise any experienced player that missed the book to read it. Then, at the very least, recognise its place in history and realise where all the clever things you discuss originate from. For instance, this is the book that first introduced the hand groupings concept to the masses which you now see replicated everywhere. You also get tables of good flops for certain hands, worked examples, and probability tables – all laid out in an undaunting way specifically aimed at the poker ‘noob’.

The book starts right at the beginning of the game, easing you in gently by looking at the rules, betting, and how to work out the best hand. Sklansky doesn’t mess around though. The chapters on position and considerations set the foundations for every hand you will ever play again. How long are these chapters? Three pages. Three short pages of pure genius. To the experienced player these ideas are pretty simple, but if a newcomer can catch up with these concepts from day one, it will literally save and possibly make them a fortune.

The book doesn’t let up with the lessons either. Sklansky’s no-nonsense approach to teaching rams home the importance of the first two cards, looks at flops you will like and dislike, and then sets you up to look at strategy.

This is where the book comes into it’s own. The strategy section teaches so many fundamental and valuable lessons it would be hard to play Hold 'Em and not know them – Pre-Flop Strategy, Semi-Bluffing, Free Cards, Slowplaying and Check-Raising, Odds and Implied Odds, Bluffing, Inducing Bluffs, Folding Big Pots, Raising, and much more besides. Can you imagine a time when these concepts were not known or discussed on poker forums the world over? Christ, we had to play Pac-Man to pass the time.

As if you hadn’t had enough information in the preceding 80 pages, Hold ‘Em Poker then finishes off with reading hands and works some examples which provide a great insight into the game. Dan Harrington's books use these kinds of examples to great effect, but the problems worked here are just as relevant, even today, nearly 30 years later.

Sklansky’s writing is to the point and no-nonsense. He has no ego beating away an ulterior motive and this is to the book's credit. The guide is understandable for the beginner but does not talk down to the reader. Sklansky is more concerned with putting the ideas and concepts across than he is about the "look at me!" self-publication that haunts some newer books.

The only real words of caution are that the book doesn’t go into detail regarding No-Limit, tournament, or online play. It really is about the fundamental basics of Hold 'Em Poker and how to get them right.

What you end up with is the best start to an understanding of Hold’Em that you will find anywhere. As the back of the book says, this "is still one of the most important and best selling poker books available." So if you are starting out and want to get ahead in the game, I can thoroughly recommend this book as stop #1 on a road to poker greatness.

Score: 7.5 out of 10
For the uneducated but interested beginner this is the best place to start establishing well grounded Hold 'Em strategies and concepts. Experienced players will not gain as much from the book but it's still worth a look if only to brush up on the basics, re-read the hand groupings, and catch up on your poker history.