Rating: 
Summary: A must for beginners, a great refresher for veterans
Review: I agree with about everyone else that this book should be read in conjunction with Sklansky and Malmuth's "For Advanced Players", however, IT SHOULD BE READ(and read and read etc.)! I have read alot of highbrow criticism of this book from the glut of poker know-it-alls, some of it blatantly false, but I just simply disagree with it and I believe you will too if you read this book. This is a book on solid, winning low limit hold'em , not middle or high-limit, and what it teaches is right on for the 4-8 game I play. I believe many Sklansky worshipers are offended that anyone would dare attempt a competing book on the subject of Texas Hold'em, but even Lee Jones says in this book that "Sklansky & Malmuth have written the definitive text on medium limit hold'em.", therefore, that is not what this book is about. Plus, if you find yourself reading Sklansky, but not quite understanding it, this book will provide a little light. It will help you understand more advanced books when you are ready for them. It does not contain some of the more advanced poker strategy and theory because that does not work in typical loose/passive low-limit games, period. And if you try those advances strategies at this level, it may end up costing you and not your opponent. Naturally, as you would with any book, you will have to tweak certain recomendations and tactics to fit the specific game you are playing in, but if you don't have the flexibility to do that and find yourself playing like a robot, any book you read will be of little, if any, benefit to you. One reviewer, "gbroulet", said the following, which should be seared into our brains: "When I played chess I collected a vast collection of chess books. After a couple of years I realized two things, 1. many of these books were saying the same things in different ways. And 2. My skill level would improve faster if I stuck to just one or 2 books and really studied them instead of reading many concepts from many different books." I did the exact same thing with chess books several years ago and came to the exact same conclusion. I actually got worse the more I studied because I was learning more and more theory and general principles, but no application. Poker is all about application, and so is this book. Do not buy every poker book out there and read them all half-heartedly, rather buy a few good ones and study them over and over and over, and apply what you learn. This should be one of those books. This book is very basic, but that is what makes it unique compared to the many other books out there. No one is hurt by a thorough study, or re-study, of the basics. If you try to learn advanced poker theory without a thorough knowledge of the fundamentals, you will find yourself getting confused, or worse, you may get it flat wrong and that will cost you dearly. The information in this book will make you a better player whether you apply all his recommendations or not. I highly recommend it to any hold'em player, novice or not. One caveat, I have read several reviews complaining that this book has hurt their internet poker playing. As we all know, low-limit internet poker with fake money is a fun, but often unrealistic version of poker. People will stay to the river with slim draws and hit them a surprising amount of times. I have hit them myself alot more in internet poker than in real poker. This book is not about low-limit fake money internet poker, so buy another book on that. That is truly is a different world. I also recommend "Improve your Poker" by Bob Ciaffone.
Rating:
Summary: THE definitive book for beginning Hold 'Em players
Review: When I was first learning to play Hold 'Em, this book was recommended highly by just about every player I knew. Aside from Poker for Dummies, this was the very first book I purchased. As it turned out, it was the only book I needed to become a consistent winner. Although my poker library has since grown tremendously, the foundation of my poker education rests within the pages of this book. Although I play primarily online, the system in Winning Low Limit Hold'em is very suitable for either land-based or Internet play. The book is written very tightly, so you don't need to struggle through long and wordy explanations for the concepts of Hold'em play. Within a few weeks, I actually became a winning player (albeit, barely). I continued to study from the book for the next few months, and my win rate continued to improve. I now play primarily $1/$2 and $2/$4 Hold'em online, and my hourly win-rate is nearly equal to that of my full-time day job. The array of poker books has exploded in the past year, but if you're truly commited to winning, this is probably the only book you need.
Rating: 
Summary: Lee Jojnes - The Newbie Guide to Poker
Review: As anyone who has played low limit Texas Hold'em in one of the many California card rooms can attest, the game is played... differently here. The variety is often referred to as "No Fold'em Hold'em", where folks believe the poor Hold'em player's lament, "Any two cards can win!" Lee Jones, who has written several articles that have appeared in Card Player magazine and often contributes to the rec.gambling newsgroups, attempts to provide elementary strategies for the novice to intermediate Hold'em player that will allow them to consistently beat these games. The book starts with some introductory remarks and then moves onto describing the fundamentals of the game, including the necessary, but very elementary math knowledge on how to compute one's odds. This section culminates with a quiz on the material it covers. Overall, this is one of the best introductory treatments of this material I've read. The next section covers the playing of hands. Consideration is given to each round of betting, position, deception, how to play various hands, the check-raise, free cards, and other important topics. Jones manages to cover a lot of topics in a fairly short span, and he does so accurately and clearly. At the end, the author fills in some of the gaps. Jones covers bluffing, spread limit (although this topic needs much more consideration than given here), jackpot games, bankroll considerations, tips on casino comportment, a useful glossary, and good recommendations of where to continue study of the game. Most everything that needs to be covered is, and very clearly. Of special note is Jones' treatment of a concept he calls "Implicit Collusion", the concept that a bet into a large field has less value under many circumstances than it would against a single opponent. Other authors have discussed this concept, most notably David Sklansky, but this a new and interesting viewpoint on the topic. I feel there are a few small defects with this book, however. First, although one can certainly be a long term winner in California style low limit poker, I don't think these games are quite as profitable as the author seems to suggest. It's true that many players play very badly, but with so many people playing bad hands, it often becomes mathematically correct for them to make what otherwise would be tragically bad decisions. This has been discussed by many great poker authors, but it bears repeating, especially in an introductory work. Also, although the author warns against the wild bankroll fluctuations that one will encounter in these games, I don't believe the warnings are strong enough. It is my opinion that most folks who start to play regularly for the first time after reading this book will be stunned by the magnitude of these swings. It can take months or years to have played enough hands to determine whether one even has a positive expectation at these tables, much less to know what that expectation might be. Finally, while these tactics are reasonable strategies to use against the unsophisticated players one finds at low limit tables, if you try to take these strategies to a 30-60 game without alteration, you're liable to get your clock cleaned. In the time this was written, the only good Hold'em books focused on higher limit play, and most of the good ones were more advanced works; not very suitable for beginners. Winning Low Limit Hold'em fills this gap, providing a good explanation of winning strategies at Low Limit Texas Hold'em games accessible to the novice and intermediate player. In addition, several concepts, including the treatment of "Implicit Collusion" is strong enough that advanced students are likely to benefit from it as well. However, after the principles in this book are mastered, the reader is strongly urged to begin studying Sklansky and Malmuth's Hold'em Poker for Advanced players, as it is still the definitive work on this game. If you are a new poker player and would like to start playing poker online at www.partypoker.com - make sure you use the bonus code: "AMAZON25" and you will receive $25 free on your first purchase at www.PartyPoker.com. If you already play at PartyPoker, you can also play at www.Pokerroom.com. Use the promotion code "100BONUS" and you will receive 20% up to $100.
Good Luck and Play Well,
PokerMan
Rating:
Summary: A must for beginners, a great refresher for veterans
Review: I agree with about everyone else that this book should be read in conjunction with Sklansky and Malmuth's "For Advanced Players", however, IT SHOULD BE READ(and read and read etc.)! I have read alot of highbrow criticism of this book from the glut of poker know-it-alls, some of it blatantly false, but I just simply disagree with it and I believe you will too if you read this book. This is a book on solid, winning low limit hold'em , not middle or high-limit, and what it teaches is right on for the 4-8 game I play. I believe many Sklansky worshipers are offended that anyone would dare attempt a competing book on the subject of Texas Hold'em, but even Lee Jones says in this book that "Sklansky & Malmuth have written the definitive text on medium limit hold'em.", therefore, that is not what this book is about. Plus, if you find yourself reading Sklansky, but not quite understanding it, this book will provide a little light. It will help you understand more advanced books when you are ready for them. It does not contain some of the more advanced poker strategy and theory because that does not work in typical loose/passive low-limit games, period. And if you try those advances strategies at this level, it may end up costing you and not your opponent. Naturally, as you would with any book, you will have to tweak certain recomendations and tactics to fit the specific game you are playing in, but if you don't have the flexibility to do that and find yourself playing like a robot, any book you read will be of little, if any, benefit to you. One reviewer, "gbroulet", said the following, which should be seared into our brains: "When I played chess I collected a vast collection of chess books. After a couple of years I realized two things, 1. many of these books were saying the same things in different ways. And 2. My skill level would improve faster if I stuck to just one or 2 books and really studied them instead of reading many concepts from many different books." I did the exact same thing with chess books several years ago and came to the exact same conclusion. I actually got worse the more I studied because I was learning more and more theory and general principles, but no application. Poker is all about application, and so is this book. Do not buy every poker book out there and read them all half-heartedly, rather buy a few good ones and study them over and over and over, and apply what you learn. This should be one of those books. This book is very basic, but that is what makes it unique compared to the many other books out there. No one is hurt by a thorough study, or re-study, of the basics. If you try to learn advanced poker theory without a thorough knowledge of the fundamentals, you will find yourself getting confused, or worse, you may get it flat wrong and that will cost you dearly. The information in this book will make you a better player whether you apply all his recommendations or not. I highly recommend it to any hold'em player, novice or not. One caveat, I have read several reviews complaining that this book has hurt their internet poker playing. As we all know, low-limit internet poker with fake money is a fun, but often unrealistic version of poker. People will stay to the river with slim draws and hit them a surprising amount of times. I have hit them myself alot more in internet poker than in real poker. This book is not about low-limit fake money internet poker, so buy another book on that. That is truly is a different world. I also recommend "Improve your Poker" by Bob Ciaffone.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Advice
Review: I had never played hold 'em until playing one night with some friends, who later referred me to an internet poker site. I played the play money tables for a while there but felt this wasn't as realistic since virtually everyone stayed in & raised excessively at the play money game. My first experience with internet poker for real money resulted in my losing ($$$)in two different sessions (I made two separate ($$$) deposits last for approximately 20-25 hours playing time at the .50-$1 tables). Then, after reading Jones' book & following the advice therein - I have now turned ($$$) into ($$$) & am still playing on that. (...) Three months prior I had never even played hold 'em. Hopefully, I'm on my way to establishing a reasonable bankroll & will be "cashing out" not "depositing in" from here on out, but I know I have a ways to go before reaching the higher levels. Jones explains many of the fundamental hold 'em & poker concepts very well and I really liked the way he organized the sections of the book. I feel I now have a more solid foundation for future learning & a more sensible approach to advance in the game. I highly recommend this book to all hold em players who have never done anything but just "wing it" before.
Rating:
Summary: Winning at Low Limit Hold'em
Review: I play mostly internet texas hold'em. So this book was a great resource in some areas...others it was just ok. I look forward to playing live soon and then I think I will be able to bring all of my game together. If you are a new poker player and would like to start playing poker online at www.partypoker.com - make sure you use the bonus code: "AMAZON25" and you will receive $25 free on your first purchase at www.PartyPoker.com. You can also use the Bonus Code "AMAZON100" and you will receive a 20% bonus up to $100! If you already play at PartyPoker, you can also play at www.Pokerroom.com. Use the promotion code "100BONUS" and you will receive 20% up to $100.
Rating:
Summary: This Book Helps Big Time
Review: Looking to improve your micro-limit ring game. This book works -simple as that. From revised starting hands and when to play them - to strategy for the turn and the river. Let's hope all of our opponents don't read it.
Rating:
Summary: Good Starter
Review: Winning Low-Limit Hold'em was the first poker book I read. I personally think is the first book you should read if you want to play hold'em. My rating on the book is based on this assumption; that you are in the market for your first or second hold'em book. There are some strategic flaws in the book, but none of them compelled me to lower my rating on the book because I understand that you can't teach concepts that will only confuse new players or not applicable to low limit games.
Rating:
Summary: A little advice
Review: Some people have complained that this book will lose you money because you become to tight and aggressive. Well, It matters what limits you are playing in order to use this book successfully. First of all do not use this book if you play micro-limit holdem with blinds below 1$-2$ because the other players at your table will not leave their hands for a raise. Many players at these kinds of tables do not think twice about being check raised, so your two main betting weapons are useless in such a game. Use this book in its intended setting in games between 3$-6$ and 5$-10$. If you do this, your tight play will save you money, other players at your will be tight and smart enough to be raised out of a pot. Only play at tables were raises will reduce the field. Then if you follow the advice in this book you will be a winning player.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Beginners Book!!
Review: I bought this book several years ago. I have read it so many times, I've worn the cover off. It is very well written...and easy to understand. Some sections require a little more thought than others, but it is well worth the effort. If you read it, study it, and apply the strategies, you WILL win at low limit hold 'em (1-2 thru 5-10). I have moved on to higher limit games, but still consider this book to be the best I've ever read on hold 'em poker. If you are serious about learning the game, buy this book. You won't be disappointed.
| 
