Total Poker

by David Spanier

Winning at poker is not just analysis, clever tactics, nor even inspired bluff—although Total Poker examines all these in depth. Ultimately, luck works out the same for everyone—there really is no such thing as “good cards” or “bad cards.” As the author maintains, winning is a “psychological decision” made by each player. Packed with stories about the application of poker to life in general, Total Poker looks at the game’s history, culture, techniques, strategies, rules, and probabilities. David Spanier is a former journalist for The Times and author of Easy Money, Little Book of Poker, The Hand I Played, and Welcome to the Pleasuredome.

Genres: Nonfiction, Games

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Doug Brunell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written in 1977 and it shows. Sexism. "Wit." Poker "strategies" so basic it seems like this was written at the start of poker's history. Incidentally, there is a history of poker contained in this book, and it is the best part of it.

This book is for a poker completist only. You know the kind. They collect chips from casinos. Have more decks of cards than they do books. That's who would enjoy this. Not someone who is casually into the game or even look for pointers.

[David Peterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not particularly informative. Narrative w/occasional odds description. Neither the narrative nor the odds explanation satisfied.