First Book Review

Phil Gordon's Little Blue Book: More Lessons and Hand Analysis in No Limit Texas Hold'em

I have been going over several poker books in the last few days as I feel as if I finally have some free time to read non-academic texts and I need to exploit it to the point where I consume much theory and later allow it to develop in my play. In the past week, I killed off both Phil's Green and Black books and am reworking my way through Sklansky's and Miller's NL theory book. The green and black books are decent but nothing serious or overly detailed. They teach some basic, aggressive poker that will benefit newer players. The blue book, however, is a much better treat than the other two. Therefore, it will be my first book review for the blog:

The book is in a decidedly different from both the Green and Black books as this one takes the format of relating actual hands played by Gordon. Each stage of the hand breaks down his reads, stops to allow you to decide what you should do, then goes on and explains his thought behind each action he makes. It weighs the pros and cons of such action and also takes into consideration the mathematical calculations given likely hand ranges by his opponent. This reminds me mostly of Harrington on Hold 'em Volume III as it feels like a workbook where there are multiple examples for individuals to work through and attempt to solve. As I read I can hear Gordon's voice in my head as I have both read the Green Book and have listened to it on audio tape in trips up to Turning Stone (closest casino here about 1.5 hours away).

A newer player learning to play decent poker would greatly benefit from this book as it establishes a decent way to play poker and the thoughts that go behind each move. A more experienced player benefits from reading the book as it gives them practice with knowing the outcomes to many hands. Naturally, any player who has some experience behind them will disagree with Gordon and the dialogue the book provides will give you some room to argue with him. Even Gordon acknowledges that he does not always make the right play.

Gordon can be wrong. He is not arrogant about his approach and has readily put hands in the book were he misread his opponents and made the wrong play. Sometimes he reads his opponents correctly and makes the right play, but the outcome involves a less than happy beat. In all, a good read for practicing and brushing up on your theory while also getting a more standard angle on playing the hands. This is not a rigorous books and not one that focuses on teaching a concept and applying, but relating hands and summing up relevant concepts at the end of each hand.


The book is a pretty straightforward read that can be consumed within a few days if one is familiar with the concepts and is reading every section. A briefer scan can last a day, while I expect a newer reader to give it about a week to a week and a half.



The next book on the docket is is Scott Fischman's Online Ace

Getting some cash game love tonight

Decided to do little to no work this afternoon and play some cash games instead. While clearing out my PS bonus I have been picking some premium tables and getting paid off with some decent hands.


Good hands?
This is why you don't smooth call with AA He puts a lot of money into the pot, must put me on an okay pocket pair.

I pwn with the wheel in fishing for a flush

I miss a value bet here.

Currently playing in a $50 buy in at AP...will post on that a bit later.

Sometimes I just can't beat people

This guy felts me in 3 hands...I am doing well at the table, up about $30 then I get 47s on the button and play it aggressively:

He calls both flop and river raises; I fail to fire the third bullet and he takes it down.

Hand Two is the very next hand. I play it a bit more passively than the last one, but I think I am ahead...and I am until the river. I missed a flop bet here.



2nd hand after number 2 - I hate jacks. The flop looks exciting, the turn even better, but his hand is still better.

Binghamton Cash Game

It has been a month and a half since I have last played at the game in my town and decided that, since school is over, it is time to make a return. They now started to have a 60+2 shootout tournament that I figured I would have a decent shot at given the blind structure. I bought in, received 1200 chips and immediately regretted the 25/50 blinds that would be doubled every 15 minutes.

Out of 16 people, I ended up 8th when my UTG push with AKs got called by the SB's 44 and his gets a set to take me out.

A minor setback but, thanks to the tournament, the cash game started about 2 hours earlier than it used to. I get knocked out and walk over to the main cash table, set down in the last seat that is available and get dealt two cards, both aces. I am in MP, when the UTG person raises it to $10, I repop to $40 after a half minute of consideration, and someone in LP goes all in for $40. UTG calls. Flop is Kh 8d 5d. UTG checks, I reraise her for about 60, she pushes all in for about $20 more and I call. LP flips up KQo, UTG shows TT, and I survive the later streets to have a very nice first hand. The rest of the night allows me to accumulate up to about $500 in chips and then I go pick up my gf as she hears the game is juicy.

I come back and she sits down with $200. The night goes downhill from there. I pick up KJs and raise to $12 in LP, the button and BB call. Flop is K54 rainbow. Check, I bet $20, button folds, UTG calls. Turn is a 3. He pushes for his remaining $26; I decide to call. He wins the pot with a very strong K5o.

My gf gets hit the hardest. She picks up 33 in the bb and calls a $10 raise. There are 3 players and the flop comes out with J38 with two clubs. She raises $40 into a $30 pot and gets two callers. The turn is the 4 of clubs. She checks, the original raiser bets $50, the button pushes all in for just over $100 and Julie folds. The raiser calls and they both show club flushes with the raiser have Ac5c and the button having KcTc. The river is another 8 and Julie regrest the correct fold as she would have tripled up.

I end up leaving the night with about an extra $70 (profit in cash - tournament entry) and Julie gets felted for her buy in. An okay night, I will probably return next week and just play the cash game.

Also, Julie is starting up a blog now that can be found at When Donkeys win...

Time to start my serious poker training now that I am done with my final paper for class. This will probably be one of the few days that I can go all out as I have to start teaching in a week and have yet to get my lesson plan together. Consequently, it is time to multitable like I have not done in a year.

I am currently doing 2 $20 SNGs on AP and 2 $100NL tables at Pokerstars.


Cash Game Hands
Net: -50


*I smelled weakness I think I was wrong.


*SNG hands
End of Session Results:
net: +70
Losses: 3
3rds:0
2nds:0
1sts:2



Hands of Interest:
*A weird river bet leads me to calling with middle pocket pair. It looked like a value bet, but could have easily been a blocking bet as well. This is the first hand of the sng.

*1st hand of SNG #4 I was getting a little frisky and annoyed here.

(#4 - picked off a river bluff (well, he had middle pair, but it was into a paired board and 3 spades showing) with a pretty good call.

I win number four with these two hands:
*TT. and I have 8k in chips I don't think I could get away from this hand if I tried...Probably would get at least one person out, if not both. River saves me.

*I luck box for the win

I also win the 5th one. So 3 bricks and 2 gold SNGs lead to an okay afternoon. Now I am thinking about going up to turningstone.

Pokerstars Cash Games

I have been going strong in $50 tournaments and have think I have reached a new peak in my ability to play properly in a tournament. I will be posting more as this week is over. For now however, I am doing a few cash games as the new deposit bonus on Pokerstars makes me want to collect FPPs.


So, as usual, the good and the bad are both posted and open for comment.



Short stacked player passively calling me down I have pocket kings and play them aggressively. Is there some point that I should stop betting? The person I am playing against I do not have too many good reads against but I think I double him up every time.

The Good

KK holds up against an aggressive JT play.