A lot of poker books promise instant success, screaming “Crush the online games” or “How I won a million dollars playing poker”. They suggest that poker is actually rather easy and that anyone with five minutes to spare can quickly gain expertise in the game. But you know that these claims simply aren’t true.
To achieve mastery of poker is not easy – it requires a great deal of deep thinking. Expert Heads Up No Limit Hold'em is a unique and remarkable book, providing a clear framework with which to analyse the game. The author Will Tipton, a PhD candidate at Cornell University, demonstrates how decision trees can be used to model complex poker decisions. Starting with simple preflop-only situations, he moves on to consider deeper concepts such as balance, the analysis of ranges, and the theory behind optimal bet sizing.
Why study Heads Up No Limit? Because a deep understanding of this format is crucial for the modern poker player. It’s a very exciting game in its own right, but it’s also critical for the final stages of tournament or sit’n’go play. If you find yourself playing for first prize, you will be playing heads up for a great deal of money. Perfecting your play will give you the edge to maximise your expectation whether you are competing for the big money or grinding out your profit in heads up cash games or SNGs.