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The Course: Serious Hold 'Em Strategy For Smart Players
The Course is different from other poker books you may have read. It’s written for players who are smart and who know that to succeed, you have to be different. Because in poker, if you play and think like everyone else, you’ll also get results just like everyone else.
There’s a saying in the golf world that you don’t worry about the other players. You just play the course. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing in a big tournament against a hundred other players or against just one. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing against Tiger Woods or against Woody the Woodpecker. You can’t control what they do, so they can only be a distraction.
All that matters is the course. And the only thing you can control is how you play it.
This is a powerful idea, and it applies just as well in poker. Poker is full of distractions, and most players get hung up worrying about all the wrong things. The things they can’t control. The things that ultimately don’t matter.
The Serious Hold ‘Em Strategy For Smart Players , cuts through all the noise. It’s a practical and effective, step-by-step guide to winning consistently at no-limit hold ’em. It teaches the game as a series of skills. The first skill is the most important, but also the most fundamental. Each subsequent skill builds upon the last. Master the first few skills, and you can win at the 1-2 or 1-3 level. Master the next few, and you can win at 2-5. And master the final skills, and you can hang at 5-10 among the best players at your local card room.
The Course focuses on the most important concepts that determine who wins and moves up and who doesn’t. And it ignores the distractions. It doesn’t waste your time and attention with ideas that don’t apply to the games you play.
Unlike many other books, this book is ruthlessly practical. The ideas in The Course transfer directly from the page to the felt. The book starts out by showing you where and how money is available to win. Everything after teaches you how to go get it. Skill by skill, you will learn to win more money and win it faster.
The Course meets you where you are. If you’re just beginning to get serious about hold ‘em, the book starts you with a sound foundational strategy. If you’re an experienced player looking to get over the next hump, the book lays bare the challenge and teaches you what you need to do. Unless you’re already the boss player at your local card room, The Course is the perfect companion to help take you to where you want to go.
There’s a saying in the golf world that you don’t worry about the other players. You just play the course. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing in a big tournament against a hundred other players or against just one. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing against Tiger Woods or against Woody the Woodpecker. You can’t control what they do, so they can only be a distraction.
All that matters is the course. And the only thing you can control is how you play it.
This is a powerful idea, and it applies just as well in poker. Poker is full of distractions, and most players get hung up worrying about all the wrong things. The things they can’t control. The things that ultimately don’t matter.
The Serious Hold ‘Em Strategy For Smart Players , cuts through all the noise. It’s a practical and effective, step-by-step guide to winning consistently at no-limit hold ’em. It teaches the game as a series of skills. The first skill is the most important, but also the most fundamental. Each subsequent skill builds upon the last. Master the first few skills, and you can win at the 1-2 or 1-3 level. Master the next few, and you can win at 2-5. And master the final skills, and you can hang at 5-10 among the best players at your local card room.
The Course focuses on the most important concepts that determine who wins and moves up and who doesn’t. And it ignores the distractions. It doesn’t waste your time and attention with ideas that don’t apply to the games you play.
Unlike many other books, this book is ruthlessly practical. The ideas in The Course transfer directly from the page to the felt. The book starts out by showing you where and how money is available to win. Everything after teaches you how to go get it. Skill by skill, you will learn to win more money and win it faster.
The Course meets you where you are. If you’re just beginning to get serious about hold ‘em, the book starts you with a sound foundational strategy. If you’re an experienced player looking to get over the next hump, the book lays bare the challenge and teaches you what you need to do. Unless you’re already the boss player at your local card room, The Course is the perfect companion to help take you to where you want to go.
- GenresNonfictionGamesReference
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2015
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407 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 17, 2025
The instruction in this book is going to increase your variance. It’s going to have you risking your stack a lot more often than you’ll be use to. If you do things right, the author, Ed Miller, says your hourly win rate will increase. How much variance should you expect? Miller says that you should have a bankroll of $20,000 to be a regular player in a $2-5 NL game. That’s an awful lot of cabbage to win $10-20 an hour. You can make $12 an hour at Hardees and get there in a $3,000 car.
Luckily, it’s all baby steps. He starts you off in $1-2 NL and the play he recommends is pretty straightforward. Learn and master the first three steps on $1-2 and then move your game to $2-5. It might take a while though to bankroll that $20,000 to play $2-5 unless you also have that Hardees job.
I don’t have the $20,000 bankroll to play $2-5 but I went ahead and read those sections anyway. There is some good stuff there. Be careful how much you raise pre-flop and bet the streets. You are probably giving away too much information if your betting varies. Also, watch how others raise pre-flop and bet the streets. They are likely giving away too much information that will help you. That’s solid advice.
Contrary Ideas that I am still reflecting on:
1) Much poker literature will tell you that being suited is mostly inconsequential. The chances of making a flush are only 6% and you might not even have the best flush. And if three of any suit hits the board, players tend to slow down. Ed Miller says horse feathers. He doesn’t want to play unsuited connectors because it’s that 6% that gives him the extra showdown equity if his bluff fails.
2) If you have a big pocket pair and the flop brings draw possibilities, you don’t want to price the draws out. Bet enough so that they will chase. If they happen to hit their card then fold. Miller reckons you will lose some hands but win more money overall having them drawing at you.
Conclusion: Will this strategy work? I think the better players at the table will make some money this way if they are playing with the players Ed Miller is talking about. I see the guys he means in games all over the country when I play on business trips. And even average players could make some money for a while if this strategy doesn’t catch on widely. My review here is just the 10th one in six years so maybe it’s still new enough not to be exploited. My gut here is that serious players won’t review this book because they don’t anyone to know they are using these strategies. If you knew a guy was playing like this, it would be easier to beat him.
Doyle Brunson’s Super System was quite influential in the 70s and 80s to the point that even Brunson could no longer play that style he describes. It’s been a while since I read it, but I see some overlap. Doyle loved to bet on the come and he induced a lot of folding. When the opposition called Doyle, he usually had outs. He called it a freeroll on all the money he won inducing folds. The Course seems to play a more disciplined version of that style. I would guess the holes would show at higher levels and Miller says as much as he introduces new strategies at new levels.
This is a system of play and systems are popular because they offer a shortcut to winning poker. The problem arises in our own human imperfections. Can we stick to the strategy? Will we keep our wits about us as the action creates adrenaline? Miller offers some tips and on how to keep from going on tilt. He covers much of what I would call the challenges of discipline. Can the reader overcome so many human weaknesses? I’m curious to go to a card room and see if this is a strategy that people are using.
June 2025 Update:
It's been almost four years since I read this book and I didn't see a lot of this kind of play at the time. Then it started creeping into the 2-5 games I would play. Then the gambling 2-5 players started moving into PLO where chasing is rewarded, leaving more of the variance players at 2-5. I moved back down to 1-2 where the action is greater than it was when I left. I think I would get something worthwhile reading it again because I would better understand this play having now seen it.
Luckily, it’s all baby steps. He starts you off in $1-2 NL and the play he recommends is pretty straightforward. Learn and master the first three steps on $1-2 and then move your game to $2-5. It might take a while though to bankroll that $20,000 to play $2-5 unless you also have that Hardees job.
I don’t have the $20,000 bankroll to play $2-5 but I went ahead and read those sections anyway. There is some good stuff there. Be careful how much you raise pre-flop and bet the streets. You are probably giving away too much information if your betting varies. Also, watch how others raise pre-flop and bet the streets. They are likely giving away too much information that will help you. That’s solid advice.
Contrary Ideas that I am still reflecting on:
1) Much poker literature will tell you that being suited is mostly inconsequential. The chances of making a flush are only 6% and you might not even have the best flush. And if three of any suit hits the board, players tend to slow down. Ed Miller says horse feathers. He doesn’t want to play unsuited connectors because it’s that 6% that gives him the extra showdown equity if his bluff fails.
2) If you have a big pocket pair and the flop brings draw possibilities, you don’t want to price the draws out. Bet enough so that they will chase. If they happen to hit their card then fold. Miller reckons you will lose some hands but win more money overall having them drawing at you.
Conclusion: Will this strategy work? I think the better players at the table will make some money this way if they are playing with the players Ed Miller is talking about. I see the guys he means in games all over the country when I play on business trips. And even average players could make some money for a while if this strategy doesn’t catch on widely. My review here is just the 10th one in six years so maybe it’s still new enough not to be exploited. My gut here is that serious players won’t review this book because they don’t anyone to know they are using these strategies. If you knew a guy was playing like this, it would be easier to beat him.
Doyle Brunson’s Super System was quite influential in the 70s and 80s to the point that even Brunson could no longer play that style he describes. It’s been a while since I read it, but I see some overlap. Doyle loved to bet on the come and he induced a lot of folding. When the opposition called Doyle, he usually had outs. He called it a freeroll on all the money he won inducing folds. The Course seems to play a more disciplined version of that style. I would guess the holes would show at higher levels and Miller says as much as he introduces new strategies at new levels.
This is a system of play and systems are popular because they offer a shortcut to winning poker. The problem arises in our own human imperfections. Can we stick to the strategy? Will we keep our wits about us as the action creates adrenaline? Miller offers some tips and on how to keep from going on tilt. He covers much of what I would call the challenges of discipline. Can the reader overcome so many human weaknesses? I’m curious to go to a card room and see if this is a strategy that people are using.
June 2025 Update:
It's been almost four years since I read this book and I didn't see a lot of this kind of play at the time. Then it started creeping into the 2-5 games I would play. Then the gambling 2-5 players started moving into PLO where chasing is rewarded, leaving more of the variance players at 2-5. I moved back down to 1-2 where the action is greater than it was when I left. I think I would get something worthwhile reading it again because I would better understand this play having now seen it.
November 17, 2022
I’m reviewing my poker library after re-reading each of the books and formatting them for ease of reference.
Poker player experience level required: BEGINNER
Original publication date: 2015
Reviewed: 2022
Game: No Limit Hold‘Em
Book information is relevant at time of review: YES
Content:
Ed Miller tends to write to the lower stakes player and as such tailors his content to what conditions the lower stake player is going to experience. Concepts professionals are using at high stakes aren't going to apply to someone playing $1/2, $1/3, $2/5 or even $5/5, so the meta game and game theory is mostly removed from leaching into the book.
That is what makes this another great book by Mr. Miller. His approach to lower stakes is thoughtful and relevant that most all can learn from. The content is broken into segments focused around certain skills, which even experienced players can review to improve their play.
Overall the concepts reviewed are still relevant, having witnessed the exact scenarios this past week while playing in a WPT event and utilizing his recommended strategies to end up cashing 4th in the tournament and playing many side cash games.
Highly recommend for the novice poker player and for experienced players to revisit their strategy.
Poker player experience level required: BEGINNER
Original publication date: 2015
Reviewed: 2022
Game: No Limit Hold‘Em
Book information is relevant at time of review: YES
Content:
Ed Miller tends to write to the lower stakes player and as such tailors his content to what conditions the lower stake player is going to experience. Concepts professionals are using at high stakes aren't going to apply to someone playing $1/2, $1/3, $2/5 or even $5/5, so the meta game and game theory is mostly removed from leaching into the book.
That is what makes this another great book by Mr. Miller. His approach to lower stakes is thoughtful and relevant that most all can learn from. The content is broken into segments focused around certain skills, which even experienced players can review to improve their play.
Overall the concepts reviewed are still relevant, having witnessed the exact scenarios this past week while playing in a WPT event and utilizing his recommended strategies to end up cashing 4th in the tournament and playing many side cash games.
Highly recommend for the novice poker player and for experienced players to revisit their strategy.
July 22, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I really liked the style of writing. I think Miller explained things really well in a very conversational style.
The thing I liked the most about this book is that, well, in other books I find that I lose the forest for the trees. There's a lot of talk about what to do in various spots. I liked that this book really emphasized what is important, what is kinda important, and what is only slightly important. For example, if your opponent folds too much in a certain spot, Miller says that the most important thing is that you are bluffing at a certain frequency. Choosing the right hands to bluff with and the right hands to check or call with will help somewhat, but what's most important is that you are bluffing enough. Similar point - Miller just did a really good job of emphasizing the important things, and spending less time talking about the less important things.
I also liked that different sections of the book were targeted at players at different skill levels. There's a "Beating $1-2 games" section, a "Beating $2-5 games" section, and a "Beating $5-10" games section. I like how the $1-2 section was targeted at $1-2 players; it didn't overcomplicate things and talk about things that a $1-2 player wouldn't understand.
The thing I liked the most about this book is that, well, in other books I find that I lose the forest for the trees. There's a lot of talk about what to do in various spots. I liked that this book really emphasized what is important, what is kinda important, and what is only slightly important. For example, if your opponent folds too much in a certain spot, Miller says that the most important thing is that you are bluffing at a certain frequency. Choosing the right hands to bluff with and the right hands to check or call with will help somewhat, but what's most important is that you are bluffing enough. Similar point - Miller just did a really good job of emphasizing the important things, and spending less time talking about the less important things.
I also liked that different sections of the book were targeted at players at different skill levels. There's a "Beating $1-2 games" section, a "Beating $2-5 games" section, and a "Beating $5-10" games section. I like how the $1-2 section was targeted at $1-2 players; it didn't overcomplicate things and talk about things that a $1-2 player wouldn't understand.
August 8, 2018
If you're a poker player and I might face you on the felt, do not read this book.
Otherwise, have at it: I think it's one of the best books for the thinking player to lay a foundation and get some quality basics under your belt. Easy to read, great information, with good examples. I'll read this book at least three times through and get something out of it to apply to my game every time. I will recommend it to any good friend who is serious enough to want to read a book about becoming a better poker player.
Otherwise, have at it: I think it's one of the best books for the thinking player to lay a foundation and get some quality basics under your belt. Easy to read, great information, with good examples. I'll read this book at least three times through and get something out of it to apply to my game every time. I will recommend it to any good friend who is serious enough to want to read a book about becoming a better poker player.
January 19, 2024
Ed Miller is an American professional poker player and a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a degree in both Physics & Electrical Engineering. He has about US$600k in live tournament winnings according to The Hendon Mob (as of January 2024) but I believe he specializes more in cash games and this book is geared more to the audience of the latter.
The Course by Ed Miller is written with the intention to guide new to intermediate level poker players who want to gain an edge in playing Texas No Limit Hold’em. It is a good book that helps solidify some of the more subtle gameplay nuances for intermediate level poker players who already have a solid fundamental understanding of basic gameplay and strategy. This is not a book that should be read by a complete novice or someone just beginning to learn about the game.
This book helped to crystalize my understanding on how to make money from playing poker by focusing on playing the course--honing in on the things within my control and avoiding the many distractions that are out of my control. It helped further my understanding of the different meta-levels of poker and how I need to tweak my gameplay and strategies when playing lower stakes vs. medium/higher stakes. It also gave me a good summary of key poker concepts such as when to continue barreling or when to attack dynamic vs. static board textures.
As mentioned on the cover of the book, read this if you are serious about becoming a for-profit poker player and learning smart strategies and poker concepts.
The Course by Ed Miller is written with the intention to guide new to intermediate level poker players who want to gain an edge in playing Texas No Limit Hold’em. It is a good book that helps solidify some of the more subtle gameplay nuances for intermediate level poker players who already have a solid fundamental understanding of basic gameplay and strategy. This is not a book that should be read by a complete novice or someone just beginning to learn about the game.
This book helped to crystalize my understanding on how to make money from playing poker by focusing on playing the course--honing in on the things within my control and avoiding the many distractions that are out of my control. It helped further my understanding of the different meta-levels of poker and how I need to tweak my gameplay and strategies when playing lower stakes vs. medium/higher stakes. It also gave me a good summary of key poker concepts such as when to continue barreling or when to attack dynamic vs. static board textures.
As mentioned on the cover of the book, read this if you are serious about becoming a for-profit poker player and learning smart strategies and poker concepts.
August 27, 2024
Good advice for anyone who wants to start with an advantage. This book is meant for low stakes players who want to form good habits. The text is divided into Skills, which proceed from #1: Starting Hand selection through “advanced” topics like barreling and live reads.
I think that typical play has improved enough in the 10 years since publication that you would want to have mastered what he calls 2/5 skills in order to win consistently in a 2/2 game.
My experience (thousands of hours of live play) confirm in 2024 three skills he stresses.
1. Be more selective of starting hands than your opponents. (“Play tight.”). People who play junk have to give up before the river so often that the miracles they occasionally hit can’t cover the losses.
2. Bet for value. You’re often ahead due to #1.
3. If your opponent bluffs only rarely then prefer to fold to his big bets. If 9 out of 10 of his big bets are not bluffs then there’s no value in trying to pick out the 1 bluff.
The above is known derisively as ABC poker. I say, yes, it’s meant as a starting point, but as you add skills and creativity you should know why you’re straying from these skills. Especially the tight starting hand range. In 2024 you must add some bluffing hands to your starting range because all of your opponents know how to exploit you if you can’t have a card lower than 8, that kind of thing.
I think that typical play has improved enough in the 10 years since publication that you would want to have mastered what he calls 2/5 skills in order to win consistently in a 2/2 game.
My experience (thousands of hours of live play) confirm in 2024 three skills he stresses.
1. Be more selective of starting hands than your opponents. (“Play tight.”). People who play junk have to give up before the river so often that the miracles they occasionally hit can’t cover the losses.
2. Bet for value. You’re often ahead due to #1.
3. If your opponent bluffs only rarely then prefer to fold to his big bets. If 9 out of 10 of his big bets are not bluffs then there’s no value in trying to pick out the 1 bluff.
The above is known derisively as ABC poker. I say, yes, it’s meant as a starting point, but as you add skills and creativity you should know why you’re straying from these skills. Especially the tight starting hand range. In 2024 you must add some bluffing hands to your starting range because all of your opponents know how to exploit you if you can’t have a card lower than 8, that kind of thing.
May 1, 2024
I have to start by saying that I have nothing else to compare this to. I’ve never read another poker book. But I was able to follow it, mostly, with some help from google to look up poker terminology. And at my first live cash game in Vegas last weekend, I won $101 in about 2 hours. So that’s pretty cool. I definitely feel like I know more about poker now, and I definitely want to read more.
November 29, 2017
Surprisingly a great book! It only talks about poker but it’s idea is actually applicable to a lot domains. Information + making the right decision with the information + make defensive decisions that won’t be easily be taken advantage by others = winning strategy.
February 5, 2019
Wonderful book that got me thinking about Poker in a different way. I have given away most of my poker books but have kept this one around. I will continue to refer to it. Must read!
July 12, 2019
time to make the big bucks
August 21, 2019
Worth a read
Great starting point to getting into the game of poker. Very straight forward and easy to follow, with a detailed insight.
Great starting point to getting into the game of poker. Very straight forward and easy to follow, with a detailed insight.
December 29, 2020
Very informative and easy to read. This got me thinking about cash games on a much simpler, fundamental level. Anyone who plays low stakes cash live 100% should check this one out
February 15, 2024
This was really helpful to me. I'm a relatively new player and was really helped by some of the later advice. This is not a GTO book, but it was nice to get some old-school advice.
March 13, 2018
A great book outlining a game plan for beating low stakes no-limit hold 'em. Miller breaks the plan down into simple steps and does a great job describing the philosophy behind the plan while giving you an entertaining and enjoyable reading experience. Miller is easily my favorite author for poker books.
September 25, 2015
I like how the author breaks down the different skill sets required for the different levels (stakes) of the game. He explains the strategies in a simple and easily comprehensible way and I definitely benefited from reading the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who is serious about grinding it out at live poker.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews