“If you have decided to learn Casino Malaysia, you are going to find out two things,”writes Bob Ciaffone in the introduction to his new book, No-limit Holdem Poker. “First, the game is a lot more fun to play than limit poker. Second, poker skills such as bluffing and reading opponents come into play much more strongly. You will soon feel you are progressing along a fine poker road to follow. No-limit is both more fun and more profit.”
Ciaffone, an American poker player, writer, and popular columnist at Card Player Magazine, provides top-quality advice on playing America’s most popular card game.
“It is not so much how many hands you play as how you play them that makes for winning poker.”
“The right no-limit attitude is bet bigger and win more! You have a big gun available at no-limit holdem. Use it to fire a big projectile, especially on the turn when the draw does not arrive. You will be glad––even when your opponent calls.”
“Betting either stops the opponents from drawing out by pressuring them to fold, or makes them pay in case we go on to win the pot. Being able to wager whatever amount you want increases the element of skill in the game.”
Ciaffone, who finished third in the 1987 World Series of Poker (WSOP) $10,000 No Limit Texas Hold ‘em Main Event, says his general poker philosophy on betting is “you need to do two things when you select the size of your bet. First, you need to bet enough to help narrow down the range of hands you face, enabling you to make more accurate decisions on later betting rounds. Second, you need to bet more when there are greater drawing possibilities presented by the texture of the board.”
Commenting on the nature of luck, Ciaffone says, “Poker is gambling, and gamblers are among the members of the human race that seem to be the most conscious of the operation of the luck factor in our lives. Is luck totally random?”
The first part of No-limit Holdem Poker explores general poker concepts, including selecting a wager size, all-in decisions, stack size, and the betting rounds. Ciaffone then covers starting hand selection, providing valuable tips for all the different possibilities.
Bluffing and semi-bluffing are included in his survey, as is tournament play, and the all-important factor of position.
Leading authority on poker rules
The next section of the book shows you how the ideas that have been discussed are actually put into practice. “I firmly believe that to learn any subject thoroughly, you must study both the theoretical knowledge and the practical application. You can better understand an abstract idea when you see how it is used,” Ciaffone says.
In the final segment of the book are some discussions about no-limit holdem that Ciaffone has had with friends, acquaintances, and clients (his students).
Who should read No-limit Holdem Poker? I would highly recommend it to players with experience at the table, wanting to take their game up a notch. However, beginners will find a lot of clear and useful information in the book that will help them start their poker careers.
Bob Ciaffone, nicknamed “The Coach,” is a poker player, writer, and teacher. He earned his nickname during the early seventies when he was coaching a bridge team. “It is appropriate because my main focus is on playing games well and teaching others how to do so,” Ciaffone says on his website. As part of his life-long connection to games, he also lists himself as being the “leading authority on poker rules.”
