Review of According to Doyle
- Title:
- According to Doyle
- Author:
- Doyle Brunson
- Publisher:
- Lyle Stuart
- Date:
- 1984
- ISBN:
- 0-89746-003-0
- Pages:
- 165
- Price:
- Out of Print
February 7, 2002
Few would argue that Doyle Brunson is one of the greatest poker players
who has ever lived. His exploits and expertise at the table are
legendary. He has twice won the main event at the World Series of
Poker, and is sixth on the WSOP all-time money list, despite not
playing in the event since 1998. When "Texas Dolly" talks poker,
wise people listen. According to Doyle is a collection
of his tales aggregated from the pages of Gambling Times
and Poker Player.
If the book were written by another writer, I'd probably call it a
collection of essays, but these are most definitely stories,
and one can easily imagine the author leaning back and reciting
the events this book chronicles in the same manner that
storytellers have done since before the age of Homer. Each story
has a message for poker players using one or more examples from
Brunson's past. They way the author approaches poker may be "old
school", but his understanding of the game cannot be questioned,
and his advice is timeless.
Through his writing we also get a glimpse of the life of the
professional poker player before the explosion of casino poker that
has occurred over the last 20 years. Today, most poker professionals
play in a public card room, with good security and often with
table-side food service and several games to choose from. In the
days when Brunson was accumulating his bankroll, it was all illegal
or quasi-legal home games, marathon sessions, and the constant risk
of being "hijacked". It was a different world with which today's
poker players are largely unfamiliar. In According to Doyle
we get a feel for what those days were like, and I feel fortunate that
we have this record.
Other reviewers of this book have commented that while it is
entertaining, this book won't help a person improve their game
much. While there are certainly better books for
improving the quality of the reader's poker game, I believe that more
than a little wisdom can be found in Brunson's stories. If the reader
is looking for advice on how to play certain hands in certain
situations, they won't find any in this book.
If a player wants to get inside the mind of a poker champion, to
find out what makes a great player tick, and to see how they approach
the game and the players they face, then According to Doyle
will provide the reader with a great deal to think about.
The biggest downside to this book is that it's currently out of print.
However, if a used copy can be found, I believe that acquiring it
would be rewarding.
While it doesn't compare to Super/System,
Brunson's magnum opus, in terms of poker theory, there is some good
advice mingled in with some great stories about the life and times
of a poker legend.
Capsule:
According to Doyle is a collection of stories written
by legend Doyle Brunson about his life as a poker professional.
Primarily a fun read, this book also allows the reader inside
the mind of a truly great poker player. Unfortunately, this book
is currently out of print, but if a copy can be found floating around
a used bookstore somewhere, I believe it will be well worth acquiring.
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