"The Psychology of Poker"

[Key West]

Has anyone read this book by Alan N. Schoonmaker? I'm wondering if it's
something I need to read. I'm working my way up the limits in Hold'em, and
I've already read the books that cover the basics, but I want to know if
there's anything valuable in this one that would justify picking it up.
Also, at Amazon I can get that and "Inside the Poker Mind" by Feeney and
Sklansky for a combined price of $40, which seems reasonable.

Thoughts? Opinions?

-KW

[Linda K Sherman]

Key West wrote:
> Has anyone read this book by Alan N. Schoonmaker? I'm wondering if it's
> something I need to read. I'm working my way up the limits in Hold'em, and
> I've already read the books that cover the basics, but I want to know if
> there's anything valuable in this one that would justify picking it up.
> Also, at Amazon I can get that and "Inside the Poker Mind" by Feeney and
> Sklansky for a combined price of $40, which seems reasonable.

I think Schoonmaker's book is a complete waste of money.

Feeney's book is worth the read.

Lin

[Gary Carson]

The book has a very superficial view (literally two dimensional) of
player psychology.

Aggresive good. Passive bad.
Tight good. Loose bad.

That's it. Master that and you've read the book.

It's completely derivative of some material on management styles from
the 1970's that was the internal seminar dejour for a while in
corporate america.

On Sun, 03 Aug 2003 22:06:42 GMT, "Key West" <p.felice@insightbb.com>
wrote:

>Has anyone read this book by Alan N. Schoonmaker? I'm wondering if
it's
>something I need to read. I'm working my way up the limits in
Hold'em, and
>I've already read the books that cover the basics, but I want to know
if
>there's anything valuable in this one that would justify picking it
up.
>Also, at Amazon I can get that and "Inside the Poker Mind" by Feeney
and
>Sklansky for a combined price of $40, which seems reasonable.
>
>Thoughts? Opinions?
>
>-KW
>
>

Gary Carson
The Complete Book of Hold'em Poker is #9 on the bestseller list
List of Top Ten Gambling Books
http://garycarson.rediffblogs.com/
Amercian Casino Guide is #13 last week

[SunTzu68]

I've read the book, and I thought it was excellent. My expectations were
very low when I bought the book (I was just looking for another book to read
on poker), but I thought it was right on the money. It was definitely worth
the money I spent on it!
"Key West" <p.felice@insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:SHfXa.57418$o%2.28915@sccrnsc02...
> Has anyone read this book by Alan N. Schoonmaker? I'm wondering if it's
> something I need to read. I'm working my way up the limits in Hold'em,
and
> I've already read the books that cover the basics, but I want to know if
> there's anything valuable in this one that would justify picking it up.
> Also, at Amazon I can get that and "Inside the Poker Mind" by Feeney and
> Sklansky for a combined price of $40, which seems reasonable.
>
> Thoughts? Opinions?
>
> -KW
>
>

[Old Man Poker]

On Sun, 03 Aug 2003 22:06:42 GMT, "Key West" <p.felice@insightbb.com>
wrote:

>Has anyone read this book by Alan N. Schoonmaker? I'm wondering if it's
>something I need to read. I'm working my way up the limits in Hold'em, and
>I've already read the books that cover the basics, but I want to know if
>there's anything valuable in this one that would justify picking it up.
>Also, at Amazon I can get that and "Inside the Poker Mind" by Feeney and
>Sklansky for a combined price of $40, which seems reasonable.
>
>Thoughts? Opinions?

Here's my opinion for what it is worth. Read all books that seem
interesting to you and then use or discard what you find of value.
Books are like movies. Some people like em and some people hate em,
but you won't really know whether you like it or not until you take
the plunge. I could tell you what books I think you should or should
not read, but what would be the point? If you're serious, read them
all.

You're lucky. 30 years ago there weren't very many books at all let
alone good ones. I read all of them. I went to university libraries
and read obscure texts on psychology and probability. I scoured book
stores looking for books I hadn't seen. In 1972 I came across "Play
Poker to Win" by Amarillo Slim Preston. It was the best book I had
read up to that time. It was the first poker book I had found written
by an actual professional player. Plus, it was funny as hell. It
inspired me to become a professional poker player.

I haven't read a poker book in ten years, because I don't care about
them anymore. I really don't know what they could add that I haven't
already experienced. I get enough odds and ends to think about
reading the boards. I'm probably missing a bet, but that's the way it
goes.

It's been said many times, but all you need to do is get one thing out
of what you purchase and it will have paid for itself many times over.

That's what I think.

[Mike]

$27.98 ($31.98 with shipping) for a Two pack with Inside the Poker Mind:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3532368615

Mike
Poker book bargains
www.professionalpoker.com


In article <SHfXa.57418$o%2.28915@sccrnsc02>, p.felice@insightbb.com says...
> Has anyone read this book by Alan N. Schoonmaker? I'm wondering if it's
> something I need to read. I'm working my way up the limits in Hold'em, and
> I've already read the books that cover the basics, but I want to know if
> there's anything valuable in this one that would justify picking it up.
> Also, at Amazon I can get that and "Inside the Poker Mind" by Feeney and
> Sklansky for a combined price of $40, which seems reasonable.
>
> Thoughts? Opinions?
>
> -KW
>
>
>

[Michael Langford]

Well, its binding is crap, 2/3 books in the store had duplicated
signatures (they forgot pages 74-100 and printed 59-73 twice or
something like that).

As far as content goes, here is its structure. There are "self
knowledge" quizzes throughout the book asking "What kind of player are
you" and "Why REALLY do you play poker". Then for each player
stereotype(e.g. loose aggressive), there is a description playing as
that stereotype, against a single player of that type, and playing
against multiple players in the type. There is a bit of a self help
feel to "playing as a player of that type". I feel like I'm reading
something Gambler's Anonymous put out in those section.

I think it would be a GREAT book to give a friend who you want to make
a major stylistic change to his game. However to a player who's been
tight and aggressive for years, it isn't going to do much other than
perhaps help you "get" why others play the way they do a little
better. It seems most of the strategy of the book is excerpted from
other books, so if you have read these books (Skalansky mostly) you've
already read the strategy portions.

Feenly's book has a better section on beating a single
loose-aggressive player.

My recommedation? Spend $6 on two of Border's new java freezes while
skimming the non-psycho-self-help sections in their cafe. If you find
it giving your glaring insights, buy it, but for many of you, it won't
be anything special.

--Michael

PS: The Border's cafe is a great place to make sure you don't make
mistakes like buying "Play poker like the pros".

[Al Mirpuri]

> You're lucky. 30 years ago there weren't very many books at all let
> alone good ones. I read all of them. I went to university libraries
> and read obscure texts on psychology and probability. I scoured book
> stores looking for books I hadn't seen. In 1972 I came across "Play
> Poker to Win" by Amarillo Slim Preston. It was the best book I had
> read up to that time. It was the first poker book I had found written
> by an actual professional player. Plus, it was funny as hell. It
> inspired me to become a professional poker player.


I admire the lengths you went to, to improve your poker game, raiding
university library shelfs for dusty books.

However, when you say that there were no good poker books out there
all those years ago, I must, politely, disagree. To name just three,
Oswald Jacoby On Poker (1940) by Oswald Jacoby, The Poker Game
Complete (1950 rev) by George Sturgis Coffin, and Complete Guide To
Winning Poker (1967) by Albert H Morehead.

That Slim's book should have helped you turn professional is
astounding. It is poorly written and very poor in advice. It is
patently designed for beginners and intermediate level players. You
probably would have turned pro without it. All the books, I mentioned,
are better than Slim's. Slim's book was highly derivative of The
Education Of A Poker Player (1957) by Herbert O Yardley and far
inferior. Yardley's stories are better and his advice sharper. He
still did not make it into the list of three books I gave you even
though Howard Schwartz of Gamblers Bookshop states it is the most
influential book in poker as it created a whole generation of players.

I am glad you prospered as a pro but it is despite Slim's ramblings
not because of them, and it is important that anyone reading your post
knows this.