Rating: 
Summary: on the fence
Review: This is a fairly good book. however, Phil talks extensively about trying to get reads from your opponents but doesn't elaborate on HOW to read your opponents. I also think the style he is teaching is a little aggressive for low-limit games, it seems to be more geared for higher limits. re-raising with nothing after the flop is not going to work at your home games. However, I was very fond of his section on tournament poker, i think it was sound advice.
Rating: 
Summary: Wanted help with my Tournament play
Review: Look, Phil is an annoying guy and some of that comes across in this book. But Phil is a great tournament poker player and that also comes across. And the reason I bought this book was to get an insight into how Phil plays and why he plays that way and to maybe find things I could use myself. In the two months since I've finished the book I've tinkered with using different strategies Phil suggests with good success. And on top of anything else I have now finished 1st in a 20 player tournament and 7th in a 30 player tournament at Luxors and 5th in a 300 player tournament at an online site. I honestly feel that my tournament play has gotten a lot stronger and I'm still improving. Thanks in large part to things I either read in this book or things that this book made me think about.
Rating:
Summary: Very informative book for poker players
Review: This is the stuff it takes to learn poker. It is not going to make you a pro overnight, the title is just a common saying do not let it confuse you. The book goes through strategies and examples of how to play for all of the common casino poker games. The book focuses on Texas Holdem. For the causal poker player or a player dedicated to improving their skills, this is the book for you. Along with the "bible" of poker you have a lot of force in your book learning. I highly suggest this book, its not going to make you a pro, but its going to prepare you for it. People who think this book is bad have not read it fully, give it a shot.
Rating: 
Summary: Waste of Time
Review: Phil Helmuth is probably the best poker player in the world today, however, this book won't put you on that same level. This book has been hyped everywhere in the poker world, but I found it to be way too superficial. Yes, there are some good plays shown within the book, however, Phil gives you no explanation as to why they are good plays. If you want a good poker book to explain the plays and why to make them, buy Slanksy and Malmuth's "Hold'em for Advanced Players." It is by far a superior book.
Rating: 
Summary: You can do better
Review: There are a few good points in this book, but the writing style is absolutely horrific (did they even use an editor?), and I just can't believe that many of these pointers would ever work in low- to mid-limit hold-em games. Nevertheless, some reviewers here have said that they've used these techniques with success, so more power to them. If you already have a number of poker books (Sklansky, Brunson, Cloutier, etc.), and already have a solid knowledge of poker, then you might want to borrow - NOT BUY - this book for some light reading. On the other hand, if this is the only book you ever read, then you're welcome to play with me any time.
Rating: 
Summary: The 3-Bet Strategy In Limit Hold 'Em Tourneys is Good
Review: I checked this book out from the library and I might plunk down [the money] to buy it just because I like what Phil has to say about Limit Hold 'Em Tournaments. To be honest, if you follow his 3-Bet Strategy with pairs, you will kick some butt in Limit Hold 'Em Tourneys. Plus, it IS a simple strategy, that's the beauty of it. I haven't read the Omaha, or Stud sections yet, but because one day I would like to be an all around world champ, I will. I've read Thoery of Poker, Supersystem, and three of McEvoy/Cloutier's books, and I'd put this book in there with those too. If anything, it's cheaper than all of them and has advice from somebody who makes a ton of money playing cards for a living. Even if it's "stuff you've already read" then read it again. If can't hurt to master the basics one more time.
Rating:
Summary: Get the facts straight
Review: First off, learn your facts before reviewing this book, Mark. Phil boy hasn't won the World Series of Poker 9 times! Hey, he's an excellent player, but to give him that kind of credit is a joke. His book is okay for any beginner, but Doyle Brunson or Sklansky go more into detail. If you are already familiar with the game and play it even occasionally, this is not the book for you. You'd be better off buying Doyle, Sklansky, or even Ken Warren. They all have better books than this. If your an absolute beginner like Mark, this isnt a bad buy.
Rating:
Summary: Not worth the price
Review: It's a decent book though there is some sketchy advice regarding post flop play. Like raising with an underpair to the flop to "see where you are at." That kind of jazz will cost you big in the typical holdem game where someone has top pair and will go all the way with it. It's more apt to be good advice in short handed, higher limit games. But those players don't need this book do they? And of course he says if you get reraised your hand is probably no good. So expert players will pick up on this shorthanded and reraise you with nothing to "see all your chips come their way." Plus he tells you to look for body language but doesn't give any concrete tips. We know he is a great body language reader so why doesn't he give at least something away in a book you pay $20 for? The condescension and shameless plugs for UltimateBet were a little much for me. I only reread it to get a better handle on how other players use the advice. For a better beginners book try Lee Jones or Sklansky/Malmuth. There is no denying he is a great tournament player. But as an author he leaves much to be desired. His editor should be fired for allowing this disappointment to go to print.
Rating:
Summary: A good read, but not a good guide to winning
Review: This book was definitely an interesting read. However, the tone is for beginners (although more experienced players will probably pick up a thing or two). Unfortunately for newbies who read this, the playing strategies outlined within will get them killed. Read on... I really enjoyed the stories about him aggressively raising with weak hands, and pulling down pots. Unfortunately, many of these stories were in the "Beginner" sections. The type of aggression he advocates DOES NOT WORK in a low-level game which has either clueless opponents, or even a couple of better-than-average players. For example, reraising pre-flop in hold 'em with a pair of 7's, and then betting into a scary flop in a multiway pot will absolutely get you killed! Phil is a masterful tournament player, but he would get crushed in the $-$ games that I play in if he followed his own advice. Throughout the Hold Em and Razz sections especially, he advises players to get a lot of money into the pot early, giving them a reason to stay in the hand later, even if their cards don't improve (specific examples were Ace-King in Hold 'Em and solid low-draws in Razz). What kind of thinking is that? In the Pot Limit Omaha section, he gives the advice, "Look for a reason to fold." Guess what, Phil? That is how any beginning player should think for ALL games. My last main beef is that the "Advanced" sections preach a change in playing style, but it all revolves around his ability to read other players. Easy for him to say since that ability is what makes him a world-class player! But there's no in-depth discussion about how I can get better at reading players. As I said above, it is an interesting book, and I'll probably read it again and catch some things I missed the first time. Still, newer players should start elsewhere with books by authors like Lee Jones, Mason Malmuth, and Mike Caro.
Rating:
Summary: Phil Hellmuth (what more is there to say?)
Review: I mean come on people who has more credentials to teach the games of poker then the now 9 time Gold Bracelet winner at the WSOP. OK, now that I've completed my praising of the very worthy author of this book, let's move on to the review. I bought the book about a month and a half ago, shortly after it came out. I was looking for a quality book that offered hand analysis, as well as elemants of the Psychology of poker. This book was a perfect match for what I was looking for. After reading 70 or so pages of the texas hold'em portion of the book, I began intertwining elements of the Hellmuth like strategy, into what I thought was an already existing sound strategy I had. Indeed before I read Hellmuth's book I had the backround information that I needed to win on a regular basis, but the advice took my game to a different notch, and gave me added convidence. Now I rarely find myself on the loosing side of a poker game at the end of the night. When I do it's usual a direct result of bad play by my counterparts, not bad advice from Phil. So to end my review I have just three words to tell you, if you want to win on a regular basis, and if you take playing cards seriously, Buy This Book!!
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