Rating: 
Summary: You can't master the game until you've mastered yourself!
Review: Kudos to Larry Phillips! I am a person who is very technical in approach. I was frustrated with why I understood how to play poker, yet was not winning consistently. Then I read Zen and the Art of Poker. I realised that I had mastered the rules of the game, but not myself. Having watched the emotions of many poker players, I can tell you that what is missing in their game, can be found in this book. I was amazed at what a difference it made. This book teaches you how to make peace with poker. When it comes to a bad day at poker (and we all have them), this book will be the difference between going home angry and going home wiser. Usually when you buy a book, you take money out of your pocket; this book is responsible for much money going into mine. So buy this book and next time we meet at the poker table, just remember who you have to thank for pointing you in the right direction.
Rating: 
Summary: good idea
Review: The focus of this book is keeping your cool while playing poker using a zen buddhist mindset. As a poker player who dabbles in buddhism I found this approach fascinating, as well as very, very useful. This is book is clearly on my top 10 list of poker books. No advice on play, rather, it tells you how to keep from getting emotional over inevitable bad runs of cards. A must buy (and I hope all my opponants don't buy it).
Rating:
Summary: A poker must
Review: The focus of this book is keeping your cool while playing poker using a zen buddhist mindset. As a poker player who dabbles in buddhism I found this approach fascinating, as well as very, very useful. This is book is clearly on my top 10 list of poker books. No advice on play, rather, it tells you how to keep from getting emotional over inevitable bad runs of cards. A must buy (and I hope all my opponants don't buy it).
Rating: 
Summary: A different perspective
Review: This book isn't a technical manual of how to play poker. It doesn't describe when to call, bet, raise or bluff.
This book (rightly) points out that winning at poker requires an inner discipline. It then uses the Zen philosophy to encourage the readers to develop that necessary discipline. Knowing when to call, bet, raise, and bluff, are necessary to win at poker, but these skills aren't sufficient.
If you're the type of player that knows the odds, and most of the mechanics of poker, but you still can't win [this is especially true for low limit players], then this book could greatly help your game.
Rating: 
Summary: Many strong ideas marred by a few incorrect concepts
Review: This book sets out to achieve a clear and reasonable goal of applying Zen to help your poker game. It describes the limitations in doing this in a clear and reasonable manner.Many of the concepts set out by the book are very useful. What really marrs the book is the occasionally mention of ways of detecting and leaving a cold table early and like issues. That part of the book is just incorrect. I'd suggest this book for anybody (isn't that all of us) that occasionally or not so occasionally has troubles with emotions coming inbetween plan and execution. Read each section critically and I believe the sum output is well worth the cost.
Rating:
Summary: Very good enjoyable book ¿ Now Get to Playin
Review: This was a very Enjoyable Book. It provided important and useful concepts about the game of Poker. I learned new concepts, which identified some leaks in my game. Leaks in your game can come from anywhere!!! Leaks can originate from lack of aggression, overcalling raises, misreading opponents and any other number of ways. So this book helps. Many people look at poker the wrong way. They think to win they need to do all of this super fancy plays and mindblowing stunts. Well folks...there are not that many options in poker...you fold, call or raise. So its really hard to do thinks that will just fool your opponents all the time. To win at poker it is mostly limiting your mistakes and getting all that you can from winning hands and minimizing losses on losing hands...that's it Ive been playing for about 5 years now and love the game. Ive read many poker books and found this one to be very good. So I would suggest you buy this book and maybe a couple others and get to playing. There's really no excuse anymore - since anyone can access the internet. 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: Not your typical poker book!
Review: You wont learn funky plays with this books, which is more focused on keeping your emotions under control, and avoiding the costly "steaming" sessions. As mentioned by another reviewer, the principles in this book are also interesting for traders.
Two main criticisms:
1. Poker players know they must keep their cool, avoid steaming, manage their expectations... Still, anger is a human thing, and I think the book does not give good tricks in terms of implementing the methods advised (which is the difficult part rreally...)
2. Poker is a game of agression: trying to implement "Zen Poker" puts your usual poker at risk, as playing Zen/agressive really is tough.
Overall this book is interesting because it takes a different view to poker, but all in all it wont revolutionize your play.
Rating:
Summary: Not your typical poker book!
Review: You wont learn funky plays with this books, which is more focused on keeping your emotions under control, and avoiding the costly "steaming" sessions. As mentioned by another reviewer, the principles in this book are also interesting for traders.
Two main criticisms:
1. Poker players know they must keep their cool, avoid steaming, manage their expectations... Still, anger is a human thing, and I think the book does not give good tricks in terms of implementing the methods advised (which is the difficult part rreally...)
2. Poker is a game of agression: trying to implement "Zen Poker" puts your usual poker at risk, as playing Zen/agressive really is tough.
Overall this book is interesting because it takes a different view to poker, but all in all it wont revolutionize your play.
Rating:
Summary: Good beginners book
Review: Zen is a book you should read when you first start to play cards. It main goal is to get you to understand the attitude you need to play the game. Even though the concept of Zen and poker are close to opposite, Phillips utilizes the the technique of keeping calm and not going on tilt. The book is full of general tips that are sometimes overlooked in the game. Despite the book being a little slow to read, i give it four stars and would recommend it.
Also if your interested in a good internet poker site, go to empire poker and enter the sign up bonus code "TAF15" for a free $25.00
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