The Making of a Poker Player: How an Ivy League Math Geek Learned to Play Championship Poker

by Matt Matros

Book Overview

Matros teaches readers his tricks to winning poker through his experiences on the felt. Readers meet eccentric and generous poker players in addition to the cardsharps, angle-shooters and outright cheats that make up this fascinating subculture. This is the first book to teach poker through narrative which means that concepts like pot odds and expected value will seem completely natural because they are used in the context of Matros' stories. The...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0818406429
• ISBN13: 9780818406423
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Lyle Stuart
• Length: 286 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Different kind of Book

This book out of all others I have read(Sklansky, Brunson, Harrinton, etc...), this is probably my favorite. I myself, and a player who is wanting to learn the game and work my way up. This book gives you that hope. He seperates the book from Beginner, average, to advanced. And along the way, he shows you what he did and the mistakes he made. You get a sense of what not to do when playing poker for a living or trying too. The is a strategy-story book which is very different among others. I highly-highly recommend this book. I cant wait until his 2nd one comes out! _JAck

great book from a budding ameteur

Most importantly, I feel the need to correct something one reveiwer said. "Dave M (Alexandria, VA) The amazing part is that this book was written BEFORE he won playing in the 2004 WPT Championship. He was nothing but an amateur with a couple cashes. He had no business writing a book." The fact that this book was written almost in its entirety BEFORE getting the big payout is the true testament to its validity. I believe this book would have been inconsequential had it been yet another luck draw player made famous by his/her 15 minutes on ESPN. All theories and practices are well thought out and layout a natural development of this man's poker strategies. A great read for anyone bored with taking their friend's money every Saturday night, but not ready to start rounding.

Great Story, Good Tips, Fantastic Road Map

This book is a mix of narrative and poker tips. The poker tips are solid and I found them helpful. I would not make this the first book about poker that you read. I approached this book after having read Theory of Poker and several game specific texts by Sklansky, Malmuth, Harrington and Gordon (ie. "the classics"). I think the classic didactic texts provide a better format for presenting how to think about poker, but hearing these insights for a second time in a new format helped to cement some of the knowledge. The narrative portion of the book is quite enjoyable and I had trouble putting the book down, even waking up early in the morning to sneak in a few more pages. I'm a beginning/intermediate poker player so it was nice to live vicariously through someone who has achieved more but not so much more that his achievements seem unobtainable. Contrast this with Stu Ungar's biography, which I enjoyed reading,but don't ever expect to be able to replicate his success. I may never replicate Matt's successes either, but it is easier to believe that with the same hard work he showed, you could stand a chance of coming close. What I think separates this book from many of the other poker books is the bit of knowledge it presents that the other books I have read seem to have left out: a road map for improving in poker. Matt takes us through his road of home games and low limit casino ring games to internet bullitin boards, bigger tournaments and away from the table study techniques. It is surprising to me that no other book has attempted this. The story of how Matt progressed in his poker knowledge and skill is entertaining for any reader, but I think someone hoping to replicate some of his successes will also find the book useful. In summary, this should not be your first poker book, but I would definately recomend it for anyone who is not a total beginner.

An Intellectual Approach to Hold'em

This is a very interesting book. Matros is well ensconced in the upper reaches of the second tier of Hold'em players. I have found two general approaches to Hold'em by the big boys. Some are organic players like T.J. Cloutier and Doyle Brunson. Some of the new breed take a more academic tack. Count Matros in the latter group. And frankly for those of us who will not be going on the road in the Texas panhandle any time soon this latter approach offers far more dividends to those willing to study. Matros gives a fair and honest account of his development as a poker player. He is a math wonk but doesn't overburden the reader with too much 'reckoning'. He is a good writer and shares a lot of useful insight with his reader. While Matros is not yet in the top tier of players he has arrived near the top of poker writers with this book. This book is destined to gain wide readership. I rank it with Positively Fifth Street as a read but it has the added benefit of possibly improving your game. Kudos Matt.

Enjoyable and Educational

This is a great book to read and it is educational as well. The author states that you can live through his poker experiences and learn from his mistakes by reading the book. He did an excellent job of going back and forth between his poker instructions and personal poker stories/experiences. It makes for a delightful and interesting read. And it doesn't drag like most poker books. I would recommend this book to novices and experts alike. I think I can honestly say that Matt Matros is the best poker author out there right now.