Professional Poker: The Essential Guide to Playing for a Living<span>by Mark Blade</span>
With the popularity of poker at a level never seen before, millions of recreational poker players have found themselves dreaming of someday becoming the next Johnny Chan or Phil Ivey. The truth is most of these people will never actually take the plunge but for those who do have a go at it, most will go broke or quit long before they really have a legitimate shot at making it! Now why is this the brutal reality? Perhaps it’s because these people didn’t have the poker skills to make it against the proven professionals out there who have been eating up the poker world for decades. That may be true in some cases, but after reading this book I have come to understand that there is a much more likely reason for such a sad ending to one's professional poker dreams. They may know how to play the cards, but they have no idea how to put themselves in a position to succeed.
There are 6 sections in this book with several chapters in each section all written in a very frank, honest and easy to understand manner.
Section 1- The decision to become a pro poker player.
Section 2- Money Matters.
Section 3- The education of a pro player.
Section 4- The life of a pro poker player.
Section 5- Advanced mental and emotional tips.
Section 6- Advanced poker strategy tips.
One topic I would like to touch on here is inside Section 2- Money Matters, Chapter 13 "How Much Money Do You Need? (Bankroll Management)". In this chapter Mark Blade goes into incredible detail (the numbers are scary) about cash games and tournaments. He talks about bankroll myths, what size bankroll you need and strategies for each type of game. Also addressed is when and how to move up (or down) in levels with precise details about why. He gives specific advice for beginners and their bankrolls, as well as how to prove you are a winning player.
Blade gives candid thoughts and advice on whether or not you should quit your job with why’s and how’s. He touches on staking and satellites, taking money out of your bankroll as well as family considerations if you have them. I feel comfortable in saying that this chapter has without a doubt the most important advice for anyone who might be considering becoming a professional poker player!
If you want poker strategy, there are hundreds of books on the subject, but if you want to know what it’s like and what it takes to live the life of a professional poker player, there is NO better resource available than this book. I give Professional Poker
5 out of 5 stars!!To buy this book on Amazon.com click here: Professional Poker
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