Lee Jones' Winning Low Limit Hold'em

I wanted to take some weeks to review the poker books in my library. I will start at the beginning for me. My first read was Lee Jones’ Winning Low Limit Hold’em, published by ConJelCo. I own the third edition (2005). I borrowed the book from my dad originally. I am not sure if the version I have right now is that book or if it is the one I bought. If I recall, the pages were so torn up after I got through with it that I just bought my dad a new one.

The forward is written by Wil Wheaton, which is pretty damn cool (is that the word?). The book itself is written for a wide range of players; it is specifically not for those who have never played any version of poker, or those who have mastered the lower limits. This was a great fit for me, as I had played poker before (mostly Texas Hold’em or 5-card Draw), and I was extremely familiar with the mechanics of the game thanks to television coverage.

The book is divided into four main sections. Each section is followed by a helpful quiz on the knowledge provided. The first section is an overview of the game itself. Along with the basic structure of a typical limit game, it covers pot odds, implied odds, and how to read the board. Lee also covers what types of stereotypical tables you’ll encounter, and why it’s important to know how passive or aggressive the table is. Most importantly, Mr. Jones covers the most important basic considerations a player must take into account prior to playing each hand. Namely these include starting cards, position, the action before you, and other players that may enter the hand.

The next section is the meat of the reading. It is really two separate sections: pre-flop play and post-flop play, each of them containing their own quiz. It covers the most important considerations for pre-flop play – how to play your two starting cards in a variety of situations. Lee covers which hands play better with fewer players and which you can play against multiple opponents hoping for a monster return on your investment. He also keeps you out of trouble with trap hands and dominated hands.

Post-flop play is highlighted by Jones’ stressing of why position is so very important in Limit Hold’em. He talks about each street in detail. He shares the important concept of earning a “free card” by showing aggression from position on the flop. He also gives in depth coverage of why deception is usually not the preferred method of earning money at small limits.

Arguably the most helpful section for me was the book’s coverage of Internet tournaments and sit-and-go play. At the very least Lee provides my favorite part of the book in this section. Under a subtitle Calling a big bet on the flop with AK (no pair) there is simply the word “Don’t”.

The final section of the book also proved to be useful. It gives the standard four stereotypes that most poker players fall under. Jones also writes about which stereotype you should fall under. He also gives tips on playing in public cards rooms and on other topics.

Winning Low Limit Hold’em is undoubtedly the most profitable book I’ve ever read regarding poker. The reason is very simple – it breaks down the game into the most profitable approach towards players who don’t have a clue what they’re doing. Since I mostly play on the Internet at some very small stakes, these are the players I most often play against. When my game breaks down and I start to lose, I run back to this book to get back on track. I highly recommend it as a first book to someone starting a poker library.

Poker Burnout and the Long Recovery

So how did I let myself get burnt out on a game I can’t stand to not think about? What happened to take me so far out of the loop for so long? Well, I’m always one to think that there’s nothing better to drive you away from the felts than a good losing streak, and that’s what I hit. During my trip out to Arizona for Billy’s service I treated my bankroll like I was on vacation. And my bankroll suffered like it was spending money.

Next, I may have played a bit too much in January. This was because of an excess of success and time. I was laid up from surgery and had a lot of unexpected time on the couch from it. I was playing so much during the days because I simply could not do anything else but TV, books, and/or poker.

Finally, I was an emotional wreck from the end of January through – alright, let’s be honest – I’m an emotional wreck most of the time. However, poker proved to be much more than I could handle for the last month or so. My approach to the game has improved though; as I play more games to get back into the swing I realize that I’m handling the ups-and-downs much better.

In the meantime Danny Saiz hooked me up with a great banner and background for the blog. So thanks Danny. And while I’ve lost perhaps my favorite regular reader in Billy, I know I’ve picked up a couple more along the way. And hopefully I’ve started back up quick enough not to lose them as well.