Play Poker Like a Pigeon (And Take The Money Home)

By Anonymous

Concentrating solely on Texas Hold 'Em, Play Poker Like a Pigeon teaches readers not just how to play poker well, but how to keep other players from understanding exactly how well they play--i.e., how to play like a pigeon (a poor poker player) as a means of misleading and beating other players. In clear, crisp narrative, Play Poker Like a Pigeon describes the play at each stage of the game: before the flop, after the flop, on the turn and on the river. Each chapter is broken down into two sections, one describing how the experts play their hands, and the other describing ploys to use in convincing others that the reader doesn't know what he's doing when in reality he is in control of the whole game--ploys that will fool novices and experts alike. Play Poker Like a Pigeon will show readers how to figure out what the experts are doing, while keeping others totally in the dark as to their own play.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0818407182
• ISBN13: 9780818407185
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Lyle Stuart
• Length: 213 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.5" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Makes understandable other theory books

"All" the author does here is give practical examples of ideas already published in many books, notably Winning Low Limit Hold'em by Lee Jones and Small Stakes Hold'em by Ed Miller, et al. That said, in the format presented it may be more understandable and more easily implemented. It's presentation is not very theoretical (and may even be wrong on some points) but it is the best description I have ever read of the winning style employed by many very good players. These players are frequently the one who other players say things like, "I just can't figure out how he always gets the cards or knows how to call with those trash hands that work out." I think for many players most other books are too detailed, or at least so detailed, that the readers miss the critical substance of how to think about the game in a broad conceptual sense. This author presents that conceptual view succinctly and lucidly with concrete examples instead of the usual correct (maybe even more correct) lengthy discussions that are so long they lose the reader. A very good book despite some very negative reviews in the poker press.

Buy it, its great!

Poker geeks will be able to figure out who this guy is and I'm sure that Doyle and the boys are enjoying a good laugh over it. The guy is funny and I'm pretty sure that he's telling the truth. I would also like to read a book detailing his experiences "back in the day" with all the made-by-ESPN famous names. His critique of "Super System" and his straight-forward accounts of the realities of the WSOP and online poker rooms are devasting and funny. On a real-life, how-is-this-going-to-help-my-game basis, his book illuminated several real-life players at my local card room and I now understand where they are coming from much better. That's gotta help!

The Best Book on Poker in a Long Time

I've read a ton of poker books over the years. This one is not only very helpful and informative but REALLY fun and entertaining. There are some GREAT stories in here about some interesting games. After reading this book, I felt like I had learned something--a lot, actually. I highly recommend this book. I don't know who this guy is, but he knows his poker.

Interesting Read

The author claims to have made his living for the last 30+ years as a limit hold em player in casinos. In this book, he speaks to his own playing style and how it allows him to float in and out of games without leaving any sort of lasting impression except that he got extremely lucky. He offers up a couple tips on how to give the table the impression that you are a pigeon (fish, basically). They include playing a small pot to showdown after raising with a trash hand from early position, accidentally knocking your cards face up as they go into the muck so the players can see the trash you cold called an EP raise with, and a couple more. Positives about the book: He's funny. He's a good writer. This was a huge deal to me because so many poker books read like a textbook (*cough*Sklansky*cough*) and it's a chore to get through those books, even if there is much to be learned. He mixes in some very entertaining stories, but not for the sake of it. He ties them into the overall theme of that chapter pretty well. Negatives about the book: Not many. The only ones for me were the chapters that didn't teach me anything new, although I think many can take something away from chapters on bankroll management and odds. He makes it more fun than Sklansky ever could and the meat and potatoes of the chapter are just as good as a Sklansky book. One other negative - it was too short. I loved his writing and I hope that someday he comes out with a book purely about his poker experiences and the great stories that came out of it.

very interesting book

A different but very good poker book. Not the same old stuff. Whoever this guy is, he knows what he is talking about. I like his opinions of todays current poker environment. No limit vs. limit, tournaments vs. cash games, and luck vs. skill. He advises you to do some unorthodox plays to mask your skill level and I totally agree with him. Most books advise you to play tight aggressive, which makes you somewhat predictable. I have been playing the way he advises for some time now and win a lot more. When you look at the top players who win with any two cards, there is a method behind the madness, and that is what this author seems to describe. Mixed in there is some history of Vegas and Texas cash games, which makes for an interesting book. Highly recommended.