Most poker books focus on betting and how and when to play certain hands. Mike Caro's book is different because he focuses on how to use the tells of your opponents to your advantage. Obviously this book is not great for those who play on-line. Caro is well respected in the poker world and the beginning of the book talks about how other experts value his work.
"Caro is primarily known as a teacher and a theorist, but beyond that--twice world poker champion Doyle Brunson calls him 'the best draw poker player alive,' while the late gambling expert John Scarne ranked him in the top five, and premier authority David Sklanskly has also rated him first in the world in that important category. But today, draw poker isn't even Mike Caro's strongest game. Most of his recent breakthrough research has been in hold'em, seven card stud, and other popular forms of poker." [7]
Early in the book this writing stlye is explained, "Caro is known as 'The Mad Genius' for good reason. Much of his teaching is unconventional and very profound. Yet he explains things in crisp, clear language that will have your pulse racing as you learn the secret keys to winning." [8]
Caro breaks the book up into two sections, natural tells and acting tells. His Great Law of Tells defines these situations. "Players are either acting or they aren't. If they are acting, then decide what they want you to do and disappoint them." [12] The first 130 pages of the book looks at situations where players are not acting. The rest of the book involves cases where opponents are acting.
One tool that separates this book from other poker books is the use of charts to explain poker hands without needing excess verbage. The MCU charts made things much easier. Complicated poker hand situations were clearly communicated concisely without the book being too wordy.
One reason tells are important is that players are unpredictable. It is not enough to just look at the way they usually play hands or just look at the way they bet. In explaining his Law of Loose Wiring, Caro shows this volatility. "You see, your poker opponents are volatile beings. They can be impressionable, irritable, playful, capricious, and more. You don't know when they're going to short out, cross-circuit, or doing the silliest or the most brilliant things. This goes for all poker players, from the weakest beginners to the most seasoned pros.
The deal is that even when opponents are playing a disciplined game of poker, so many of their decisions are borderlined that what they're going to do is anybody's guess." [39] This is one reasons why tells are so important, good players dynamically change their style throughout sessions but there are always subconscious signals as to what they are doing.
Caro sums this up at the end of chapter 4, "And from that powerful lesson, explaining Caro's Law of Loose Wiring, we can begin to comprehend the importance of tells. Since so many poker opponents often decide at whim, we need to do more than just strategically analyze their actions relative to what they should be doing. We need to watch and listen and determine what they are doing. "[41]
Caro provides useful information on keeping tells in the Final Thoughts section. "When you spot a tell, you should not act on it instantly! Wait a short time and seem in doubt, That way, your opponent will be less likely to adjust his behaviour, and you probably will be able to use that same tell again for more profit. " [307] Documented experiments were explained efficiently. Most tells are subtle and the book teaches the reader how to pick up on minor signs.
Gambling Magazine.com
"Caro is primarily known as a teacher and a theorist, but beyond that--twice world poker champion Doyle Brunson calls him 'the best draw poker player alive,' while the late gambling expert John Scarne ranked him in the top five, and premier authority David Sklanskly has also rated him first in the world in that important category. But today, draw poker isn't even Mike Caro's strongest game. Most of his recent breakthrough research has been in hold'em, seven card stud, and other popular forms of poker." [7]
Early in the book this writing stlye is explained, "Caro is known as 'The Mad Genius' for good reason. Much of his teaching is unconventional and very profound. Yet he explains things in crisp, clear language that will have your pulse racing as you learn the secret keys to winning." [8]
Caro breaks the book up into two sections, natural tells and acting tells. His Great Law of Tells defines these situations. "Players are either acting or they aren't. If they are acting, then decide what they want you to do and disappoint them." [12] The first 130 pages of the book looks at situations where players are not acting. The rest of the book involves cases where opponents are acting.
One tool that separates this book from other poker books is the use of charts to explain poker hands without needing excess verbage. The MCU charts made things much easier. Complicated poker hand situations were clearly communicated concisely without the book being too wordy.
One reason tells are important is that players are unpredictable. It is not enough to just look at the way they usually play hands or just look at the way they bet. In explaining his Law of Loose Wiring, Caro shows this volatility. "You see, your poker opponents are volatile beings. They can be impressionable, irritable, playful, capricious, and more. You don't know when they're going to short out, cross-circuit, or doing the silliest or the most brilliant things. This goes for all poker players, from the weakest beginners to the most seasoned pros.
The deal is that even when opponents are playing a disciplined game of poker, so many of their decisions are borderlined that what they're going to do is anybody's guess." [39] This is one reasons why tells are so important, good players dynamically change their style throughout sessions but there are always subconscious signals as to what they are doing.
Caro sums this up at the end of chapter 4, "And from that powerful lesson, explaining Caro's Law of Loose Wiring, we can begin to comprehend the importance of tells. Since so many poker opponents often decide at whim, we need to do more than just strategically analyze their actions relative to what they should be doing. We need to watch and listen and determine what they are doing. "[41]
Caro provides useful information on keeping tells in the Final Thoughts section. "When you spot a tell, you should not act on it instantly! Wait a short time and seem in doubt, That way, your opponent will be less likely to adjust his behaviour, and you probably will be able to use that same tell again for more profit. " [307] Documented experiments were explained efficiently. Most tells are subtle and the book teaches the reader how to pick up on minor signs.
Gambling Magazine.com
