No-Limit Hold’em Theory and Practice

To quote Doyle Brunson, “No-limit hold’em is the Cadillac of poker games.” Until 2006, the only book available to new players who wanted to get into the game has been David Sklansky’s The Theory of Poker. It’s a great book, but it’s a general book. It runs the gamut from razz to limit 7-card to no-limit Texas Hold’em. To his credit, however, Sklansky realized this and created a book specifically designed to teach people the art of no-limit Texas Hold’em.

Within the first few lines of the “About This Book” section, Sklansky explains why he’s been reluctant to write a book about no-limit hold’em poker. He says,

“…I know that theoreticians without other talents, will still be underdogs to talented

non-theorecticians, especially if the stacks are large relative to the blinds.”

There’s a reason that no-limit hold’em takes minutes to learn and a lifetime to master─ you need to master both the science and the art of the sport.

Sklansky has you covered on the science end of the spectrum. No-Limit Hold’em Theory and Practice dissects the game of no-limit hold’em throughout its 310 pages. Each dissected piece is skillfully excised and expertly examined. You’ll look at each facet of the game in detail─ sometimes excruciating detail.

For example, did you know that there is an optimum strategy for bluffing? By bluffing with the correct frequency, you can prevent your opponent from ever pursuing an optimal strategy against you. Proper bluffing strategy isn’t the only science Sklansky teaches. This book follows one maxim: You make money by making your opponent play differently than they would if they could see your cards.

No-Limit Hold’em Theory and Practice is full of ways to make sure your opponents make plenty of mistakes─ profitable mistakes. Sklansky shows you how to adjust your game to match your opponents so you can make money regardless of whether your opponents are rocks or maniacs. Every situation has an optimal strategy.

The book isn’t perfect. Sklansky can teach you the science of poker, but he can’t teach you the art. It is, however, easier to learn to paint when you know how to use a brush. When you learn the science of poker, the art will develop. You’ll start to get “feelings.” Your subconscious mind sees a situation, recognizes it, and gives you a sensation that you “know” what’s going to happen. When you get that feeling, you’ll change from a technician to an artist.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a poker veteran or a new player, No-Limit Hold’em Theory and Practice will teach you to be a winning player. Sklansky is a poker genius. No-limit hold’em is a difficult game to put into words. A formula based on probability will work wonders in limit hold’em, but no-limit hold’em is different. At any time your opponent could destroy your pot odds with one bet and almost any two cards could have incredible implied odds against the right player. It’s hard to have a single optimum strategy with so many variables, but no book will give you a better foundation than Sklansky’s No-Limit Hold’em Theory and Practice.