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POCKET ACES

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Maryann Guberman has been a writer and editor with many gaming publications, including Sports Form, Card Player, Poker World, Player's Panorama and Systems and Methods. She also has written and edited numerous books on gambling.

Nov 18, 2006

Yes, It Is The Season

Get not your friends by bare compliments, but by giving them sensible tokens of your love. -- Socrates

This has been some year for poker books, hasn't it? It seems as if everyone has written, spoken or filmed something about the game.

I actually started writing this more than a month ago, back in late September, when I saw the first Christmas items appear on the shelves at my local Lowes. Seeing the decorations always reminds me to make a list of what I think would make terrific presents for friends and family. Of course sparkling jewels, a new SUV, a super-duper flat screen digital TV, or a trip to the Caribbean make really great gifts but for some folks, the price tag on those items can cost as much as a gallon of gas. This is where books, videos and even software come into the picture. Not only do they come in prices that won't empty your wallet but also, they wrap and/or ship more easily.

The list is shorter than usual this year because I think the world has more poker players than ever and Santa probably could weigh in over the load limit prescribed by some law and might not get to deliver everything.

Every year I try to recommend software of some kind and usually it's something that teaches Texas hold'em. This year I depart. This year I recommend giving Wilson Software's "Omaha High-Low Split for Winners" and here's why. First, hold'em seems to be taking a back seat to HORSE in the world of high-stakes poker and the O in HORSE stands for Omaha. (high-low, eight or better). Few people understand the game and tend to lose money during that round of play then tend to lose all manner of confidence. Second, I had a tough time determining good starting hands for the game until I reluctantly got a copy of the software out of storage and started to practice. I won't say I'm an expert yet, but my understanding of the game has definitely improved with just a few sessions.

I absolutely adore Phil Gordon. I like his TV commentary, his quick wit, his poker style, and definitely his writing style. I read his "Little Green Book" and also listened to the audio version, and now I'm ready to read his "Little Blue Book" again. This sequel gives the reader to sit at the table, know what the hand is, listen to Gordon talk about how he thinks things are, lets you make some decisions, and then tells you what he decides to do. He leads you from the deal to the river and then does a quick and final analysis. It's brilliant poker information, the kind of stuff you might have to pay some hot-shot expert thousands of dollars to teach. In fact, maybe you shouldn't get this book for someone else. Just give it to yourself and read it late at night, with a flashlight under the covers, like you did when you were a kid.

Some people are very trusting; others would not give you four quarters for a dollar fearing you are somehow getting more than you should. But when push comes to shove, you can get a pretty good idea of whom you can put some faith in or file away as a real liar or thief. Now, you can either do that by practicing (and getting kicked in the trust segment of your body over and over again) people reading in real life or you can pick up a copy of "Read 'em and Reap" by former FBI agent Joe Navarro and Phil Hellmuth. I know what you're saying: We don't want anything that crybaby has to sell! But listen. This isn't your typical Phil Hellmuth book. This is some real meaty stuff from a guy who caught dangerous criminals just by using his knowledge of body language. And he's caught critical tells telegraphed by some of the world's best poker players. Isn't this a book you should give to your favorite poker player, especially the one who plays in brick-and-mortar poker rooms? I'd say so.

Finally, I'd like to recommend something that has only a small (but important) segment about poker. It's a package called "The Book of Cool." It does have a very good piece on casino and card cheating by George Joseph that makes it great for true poker students who want to be aware of every aspect of the game but it also has some spectacular footage of some of the coolest, edgiest sports and sportsters of the day. This winner comes with three DVDs and a book (all this for forty bucks) and features some radical freestyle skateboarding, phenomenal soccer moves, fast draw stuff, golf tricks, magic moves, Frisbee tossing, pool shots and tons of other great stuff. And you don't see just any guy off the street doing this stuff. You see the real champions and pros who perform and teach you how to recreate the moves. I got several copies of this for Christmas giving and I plan to keep one for myself I like it that much.

So there you have it. The list, as I said, would be short, but it's powerful. Come back and check it out when you're ready to shop but don't wait too long because from what I hear, the post office won't guarantee any shipments to arrive anywhere by the holiday if they don't receive them at least two weeks before Christmas!