Review: Making of a Poker Player by Matros

I just finished Matt Matros's MAKING OF A POKER PLAYER.

If you're like me, you pretty much read everything that comes out, with mixed results.

This book is actually pretty good. His credentials - he made the final table of a WPT event, winning $700 K - don't compare to Hellmuth's or Chan's, but his perspective - a young student entering the poker world and climbing the ranks - sets him apart.

The first 5 chapters are very basic, and will be a little boring for regular players. But, for those who are new to poker, and who are still determining what game is right for them, which limits to play, online versus casino -- this is a good place to start.

Matros sprinkles tips throughout the narrative, using his own beats (and wins) to tell the story, and gives solid advice to players looking to build a strong playing foundation. The best tip is to find someone else who loves to talk poker and analyze hands, and talk about poker with that person constantly. This is espeically helpful if that person has a different style than you.

One of the final chapters suggests further reading, and this was the part that I found most lacking. He recommends Gary Carson's COMPLETE HOLD'EM without reservation (I think following Carson's strategy will actually cost most good players money), as well as Ken Warren's book as a good beginner book (Warren's book is terrific -- but it's terrific for me if you've read it and follow the advice, since much of the book isn't very good). Matros cautions that there are a lot of books out there, some good, some bad, and some poorly written. This is true. But, even bad books can have one tip that will improve your game (you, the reader, have to discern what aspects of a text you should disregard).

One book that doesn't make his suggested reading list is Hellmuth's PLAY POKER LIKE THE PROS. Personally, I don't think Hellmuth's book is a very good book. He does give some solid advice, but even Phil Hellmuth can't teach a person to play like Phil Hellmuth, and for the most part, I think that there are better books out there. But, you have to acknowledge that his book has sold a lot of copies. For that reason alone, you have to read it. You might not follow his advice, but you want to be able to recognize when your opponent IS following his advice and adapt your play accordingly.

But, overall, Matros's book is an enjoyable read. If you've been playing for a while, you may want to skip it, but if you're fairly new to the game, you should find plenty within to make it worth the time.