Essential Poker Math, Expanded Edition: Fundamental No-Limit Hold'em Mathematics You Need to Know Paperback – October 27, 2016

Probably a common story. I'm a long-time recreational player who thought they knew how to play NL Hold'em well, until I suffered one too many embarrassing losses due to my own lack of skill. I realized that the poker math was one of my weak spots, but I feared my lack of math proficiency - especially on the fly in time sensitive situations - would be a big roadblock to improving. That's all changed thanks to Essential Poker Math.Alton Hardin has accumulated a number of the most critical poker math concepts and equations into a very easy to read book. He's laid them out logically and in an easy-to-digest form with plenty of examples so as not to scare-off non-math people like myself. Many of the concepts come with time-saving tips that actually AOVID having to do math in your head such as memorizing odds-to-percentages tables, using the rule of 2 and 4, memorizing # of outs for common scenarios, etc... As the book progresses, you tie more and more of the concepts together to start making better decisions in certain scenarios.IMO, the most valuable part of this book are all the Exercises Alton has created. I hate math, but I loved doing these exercises! I'd seriously pay for a book with nothing but hundreds of these Exercises with Alton's thought process at the bottom explaining how to think-through the scenario. I learned a lot more than just math from these.One thing I think Alton missed was recommending poker training software or simulators so readers can apply what they've learned and practice to improve their speed and accuracy. All online free poker sites use "turbo" mode where you've only got 60 seconds to act (and players are all crazy maniacs). While slower paced, live poker games are too few and far between for most people to use for a lot of practice. Pointing readers to a good poker simulator would really make this book complete.Great book. I'd highly recommend to anyone learning poker, even if you're bad at math like me.

Over the last two years, I have been studying poker and reading a lot of books. I have read 30 plus and this book is better than all of them combined. I learned more from this book, it has improved my game more, and it was explained better than any other book. I wish I would have read this one first.I can't recommend this one enough, it will save you a lot of time and money if you start with this one. I will guarantee if you read this book and do the examples your game will improve.

Good intermediate poker math / strategy book. A step above the absolute basics, but nothing too advanced. Written in a pretty casual tone, easy light read.

This is a great book for advanced beginners to level up their play and results. It simplifies essential concepts into easy to remember, usable guidelines. I only play live, low stakes games ($1/$2 NLHE) and this will be a invaluable resource to improve my game.

Alton Hardin has done it again! He is my "go to" poker teacher - I have a library of his books and I have bought all of his poker video courses. I studied poker for 2 years through various means but ended up with a muddled head - a lack of "putting it all together". Alton has straightened all of that out, and my moving from a losing player to a consistent session winning player has shown me his teachings work. I am no pro - just a recreational player wanting to enjoy the game more and Alton has given me the tools and confidence to progress.I am a student of his first Poker Math book and the companion video course. Alton has taken the Essential Poker Math to a whole new level with this Expanded Edition. This edition is much more robust - elaborating on the basic concepts then adding the more advanced concepts. All subjects are explained thoroughly for student comprehension.The many hand examples and many practice hands bridge academia with practical implementation. The chapters include specifics on how to properly evaluate draws, steals, 3bets, set-mining, etc.Alton does include the impact of player types and folds that in appropriately. But he avoids what I find in so many poker educational materials - saying "just be aggressive against fish". This book puts context to the many dimensions of poker.Alton transcends textbook learning by taking that next step to instilling HOW to apply the math as you play. That is unique and VERY important. He makes Poker Math practical to apply. You leave a chapter having a real game plan to institute.Make no mistake - Poker Math is important to becoming a more accomplished player. Intuition may have its role at the table but base that in proven mathematical concepts.This book serves the live player as well as the online player - I am both.As with any poker teaching you need to focus and concentrate and learn what is presented - if you "study" the book properly, and don't treat it as "just a read", you will reap rewards.I can not recommend this book any higher, and all of Alton Hardin's other poker educational materials as well.

This well-written book covers essential analytic tools for any poker player who aspires to do more than just go"all in" aggressively a few times a night. This isn't just theoretical material -- it's very helpful ways in which using math analytics will up your game and cut your losses. The author explains things in a clear, step-by-step way with lots of actual hands analyzed to help you see how math equations work when played out in poker hands.This purchase is further enhanced by providing a very useful on-line 10 hour poker course that uses and explicates the principles covered in the book. Highly recommend this as the best poker purchase you'll likely ever make.