David Sklansky's new book, "No Limit Hold Em: Theory and Practice," is terrific. I have had a lot of vague ideas and concepts about the difference between playing tournaments and cash games, but could never solidify them. I knew that, if I was going to play very aggressively in a cash game, that I ought to start with less than the maximum stack. Not out of fear of losing too much money, but because I seemed to win more money more often with a lower stack that with the maximum stack. I always felt like I was breaking some sort of best practices concept. It turns out that there are huge advantages to being short stacked in a no limit cash game, and Sklansky points them out. Basically, if most of your play takes place before the flop, the short stack is the way to go. If you do most of your playing after the flop, a full stack is better.
Position is another one that I had problems with. The button is supposed to be the best position, but, in no limit cash games, I made most of my money from the big blind. Again, Sklansky is the first person I've read to tell me that I'm not nuts and that my perceptions are correct.
This is not a book for beginners or even for an experienced limit player who wants to switch to no limit. It is for advanced no limit players.
I have already seen my winnings go up after applying some of the concepts. And, other players are cussing me more often, so I must be getting better. <G> |
