Poker Articles

Killer Poker Online 2
by John Vorhaus

I have read a lot of poker books, but this may be the first time I have "laughed out loud" while reading about poker strategy. This is also my first encounter with the Killer Poker Series by John Vorhaus, but I doubt it will be my last. Killer Poker Online 2 is no dusty strategy tome; it is a pleasure cruise through tropical waters with John Vorhaus as your guide. Make no mistake, this book has indispensable poker advice for all levels of play, as it is geared towards the serious player and doesn’t waste a lot of time with the ABC's of poker.

While Vorhaus does spend some time discussing hand values and in-game strategies, Killer Poker Online 2 is primarily about how to be a successful player long term rather than in any given hand or tournament. His focus is on note taking, mental discipline, approach to the game, playing environment, and all the areas which make us better, stronger, and happier players. 

Here is an example of the writing style which separates this book from most of the Poker literature:

“With easy, immediate access to the game we love, it’s no wonder we enter play in almost every conceivable state of mind: sleepy, grumpy, dopey, and several other flavors of dwarf.”

This sentence is in the introduction after Vorhaus relates a humbling encounter with online poker mixed with jet lag and strong ale. While this is not a +EV combination, it is one many online players can relate to. After all, the game is a click away 24/7, and there is no breathalyzer between us and the start button of our computers. It is up to us to decide when and where to play; John Vorhaus simply gives us some tools to help make that decision easier and more profitable.

Killer Poker Online 2  is an interactive text with prompts throughout the book for the reader to make his or her own notes on whatever subject is under discussion. John Vorhaus uses a sometimes bewildering array of notes and codes for his online play, but one thing is for sure: they are entertaining. If you’re like me, the terms “TAG/LAG, rock, fish, etc.” become a bit tiresome after a while. It is refreshing to read about a “Timmy who’s Raises R Real but will Yield Orphans,” or to remember when I have “Tickled the Trout.” These are some of the more colorful terms Vorhaus employs throughout the book, and you can choose to incorporate his codes into your note taking or develop your own shorthand, as he encourages you to do. 

A pleasure to read, Killer Poker Online 2 is also a very useful poker reference which you can return to time and time again. One handy feature is that key ideas are highlighted in large bold text, which helps hammer them home. This also allows for easy reference, because these concepts can be found simply by flipping through the pages. Here are a few examples:

“Patience is precious when chips are cheap.”
“Raises look like Aces to most players.”
“Keep your ego out of it.”
“Build the pot, then take it away.”
“Refuse to lose.”
“Deception is what you do to others, Delusion is what you do to yourself.”

These pearls of wisdom are surrounded by more in-depth analysis of what behaviors and habits lead to making the most of these situations and observations. I had no trouble reading Killer Poker Online 2 cover to cover, because I enjoyed the writing and felt the strategy and advice were worth reading. If you are pressed for time, the book is divided neatly into general concepts, sit-n-go's, heads-up play, MTTs, and cash games, so you can easily skip around to the parts that interest you most.   

John Vorhaus concludes the book with a diary of 24 hours of uninterrupted internet poker. This is an entertaining section as well, published in a different font from the rest of the book to represent a handwritten scrawl. He updates the reader periodically with headings like this: “Time: 3:38 am, Game: Ten handed No Limit Holdem, Music: The Clash, London Calling (on headphones), Mental State: giddy with anticipation.”

The diary is followed by an “Outroduction” (no boring epilogues here) and an appendix of “Random Access” thoughts which don’t fit neatly into any of the main segments of the book. Overall, I found Killer Poker Online 2 to be a very entertaining and worthwhile read, and I recommend it to anyone who loves poker and good writing.

To buy this book on Amazon.com click here: Killer Poker Online 2