Best poker book of the month

May 2005

52 Tips for Texas Hold 'em Poker
by Barry Shulman , Mark Gregorich, Michael Wiesenberg

Whether you're just getting into today's most popular card game or looking for fresh strategies to keep you from losing your shirt, you'll find a how-to-win roadmap in 52 Tips for Texas Hold'em Poker,this book by poker champion and Card Player publisher Barry Shulman.

The book is designed to help readers of all skill levels become winning players, putting them ahead of the vast majority who leave the table with noticeably thinner wallets.

After explaining the basics of the game for the benefit of rookies, 52 Tips focuses on strategies that help players avoid many of the common pitfalls that can quickly erode their stack of chips.

The tips are presented chronologically through a hand of hold'em, addressing the most important and frequently encountered decisions to be made at each stage. They range from Shulman's advice on playing style ("tight-aggressive" gets the money) to specific techniques for playing before the flop, on the flop, on the turn, and on the river.

Tip 7, for example, explains how to decide which playable hands are worth a call but not a raise when players have already entered the pot for one bet before the flop.

Tip 25 offers guidelines on playing when you flop a pair of aces in a multiway pot, while Tip 45 offers guidance in playing a longshot hand on the river.

A special bonus section covers the differences in limit and no-limit play. 52 Tips for Texas Hold'em Poker is published by Card Player Press and is available for $19.95 at http://www.Amazon.com . The book was co-authored by Mark Gregorich, associate editor of Card Player magazine.