I was so psyched up about this book. Now that I've actually got my physical copy, I am even more psyched up!

I insisted to get this book before Xmas (it's supposed to be my Christmas gift), and fetched it today.

The book is actually more than just the book: with the book, you will also get access to additional information, like the forthcoming webinars from some of the authors either end of 2015 or in 2016, a bonus chapter from Byron Jacobs which is very good too!, and a Tournament cheat-sheet (I have yet to retrieve this one).

There are three main parts in the book:

1. Strategies with info on Tournaments (Moneymaker, Affleck, Clements), satellites (Lee), tells (Elwood) and how to move up stakes by Miller.

2. Technical with Alex/Assassinato's Range Analysis chapter, Short-stacking by Hellmuth + Boeree, Value betting + Final Table ICM by Jonathan/FieryJustice, and additionally Busquet's chapter on HU play as well as Tipton's GTO chapter.

3. Mental with Tendler, Cardner, Roe as well as a short section on great plays by great players by Mike Sexton.

This is a huge, huge book in terms of quality and reach, it's beautifully done and typeset as well.

I don't even know where to start reading because it is so full of great information and authors.

I may start with Busquet and Fitzgerald (Assassinato) as well as the Jacobs bonus chapter with the Hellmuth/Boeree collaboration, together with the ICM Final Table and GTO by Jonathan and Will respectively.

Then, I'll probably move on to the Tournament/Satellite/Value Betting chapters by Moneymaker, Clements, Affleck and Lee and Little.

I can't spare any compliments to Jonathan Little based on his work on getting this made with the authors, as well as providing all the extras.

This is a superb book.

Congrats!

I think you're going to be disappointed. I just finished reading the Ed Miller chapter and it's okay, not great, and his advice to write down every detail from every hand is, in my opinion, silly. While reviewing a few important hands certainly has value, what Miller recommends, again in my opinion, should just drive you crazy.

As for the mental chapters, which I have also read, it's my opinion that they have virtually no value. For instance, I don't agree with Tendler that there are seven types of tilt, and even if there were, why would it matter since when you're on tilt your brain gets locked up and you can't think rationally. In addition, when your brain is locked up and unable to think, how can "injecting logic" do any good? Also, the chapter by Roe gets some attention in my upcoming book Real Poker Psychology, and it's not favorable.

In addition, my comments on the first three chapters are above in this thread, and I did like what Moneymaker wrote, and I'm sure that some of the remaining chapters will also have value, and I'll comment on them when I get to them.

And finally, your post reads like one huge advertisement for this book. I hope you really are excited to get it and that my impression is not accurate. But when you write:

and from your post it's clear you haven't read any of it yet, I have to wonder why you would say this.

Please remember that this forum is for discussion of the content of a book like Excelling at No-Limit Hold 'em, not for promotion.

Best wishes,
Mason

On the contrary, I am highly excited to finally get it, after reading all reviews including this whole thread. Last year or so, when I saw Dan Colman rule, I was researching him and found out about Olivier Busquet. Another player who excelled at that time and caught my eye because I was specifically looking for people who excelled in poker, was Chris Moorman. I was looking for their writings, but unfortunately at that time, there was nothing. In the meantime, Jacobs did a book with Moorman (I have yet to get it but definitely will). Additionally, I was looking to find some new videos to watch or a good coach and stumbled upon Assassinato's site after Cardrunners incorporated his videos.

This to say, I would have bought that book for the same price even if it had contained solely the Busquet chapter.

Moreover, contrary to you, I didn't need to meet Jonathan (never have but when I do, I'll get him to sign my copy of this book), to know he's an extremely smart and successful poker player. His videos and writings attest to this, and I have a couple of his previous books (Secrets of Professional Tournament...)

Disappointed with it? Fat chance!

Haven't gone through it completely but I liked what I saw as his outline plan to move up stakes - makes total sense but I've never seen anyone advise it like this.

As for Moneymaker, I think it's very valuable he is writing for small buy-in tournaments. Most other books just write for the bigger buy-in tournaments without really expliciting that there are effects on strategy.

Haven't gone through them yet, and for now, since I am already very familiar with Tendler's vol. 1 book on the mental game, I think I am well-equipped for now. I may not benefit personally from these chapters, but most probably someone with no prior knowledge might find these a good first exposure.

6 forms of tilt, more or less, doesn't matter and just seems like useless nit-picking to me. The most important info Jared has put out IMO is the tilt profile and process and everything that goes around it (A, B, C-game). It's practical and useful. Perhaps here the chapter in Excelling is but a tiny part of what is in his first book, so someone may prefer the latter, so be it.

The thesis is that emotions hinder rational decisions, and not impair them completely (which I know to be true beyond doubt personally). I find it totally easy to do rationality injection even when under emotional duress. It's a great technique to rationalise to get some balance in difficult times.

Will probably do the same either here or elsewhere.

To suggest this is highly disingenuous, despite (or especially because of) it being your forum.

As written in plain English by myself for all to see.

The content is many things: the texts, the authors, the typesetting, etc... as well as the extras which come with the book (the Jacobs bonus chapter, the Tournament Cheat Sheet, the possibility of seeing additional webinars from the authors very soon, which you failed to mention in your posts).

I haven't been very satisfied with the typesetting or typography or font setting and layout, or whatever the actual technical terms are for this in the previous D & B books: the whitespace edge is too small, it looks sloppily typeset.

This one is however, just beautiful: from the cover, to the inside layout, the side indications for the chapters, the colorised images, the author little bios, it's a good upgrade in quality for D & B.

It certainly could be better: I would have liked the pictures to be in proper colours, and the font to be blacker instead of faded.

As for the text content, I would have probably liked more hand examples, something on small ball vs long ball and perhaps Moorman to also pitch in the writing. Additionally, some of the chapters are likely quite small, which is inevitable when you create that kind of multi-author book.

As it is, this is a smart book by smart people for smart people.

gptta love the little plug by Lon in the ME final table coverage the other night @FieryJustice!

Hearing my name and the book's title on the WSOP final table coverage was a very nice surprise! Talk about running hot!

YashN, I am glad you are loving the book.

Mason, your comments continuously enlighten the readers of this forum about your character and motives. Thank you.

What we would like to see on this forum are posts/threads that talk about the content of books, both pro and con. You and your groupies don't help.

MM

I am sure if Blumenfield was allowed to finish his 3rd place acceptance speech there would have been another mention. It was pretty cool to see what I took from reading the final table chapter play out in the ME, so I would definitely classify that as one of my favorite chapters at the moment. I do see the heavier marketing side of things with the more recent offerings from @fieryJustice (Hell, they got me to sign up for the free trial of audible which I forgot to cancel for example), but I 100% feel that the information I have gotten is worth the cost. I think I have bought 4 of the books, no hand histories, and no videos FWIW.

TLDR;
I see the 'hustling' too but isnt that just capitalism?
Got hustled a bit, content of the actual books is still well worth it

Ha, yep that was awesome: my gf and I both looked at each other at the mention that Blumenfield had read the book before the FT, knowing I'll be getting my copy soon.

Loving it so far.

Yesterday, I read Olivier's text, but Alex's chapter beckoned quite strongly.

I do wish Olivier's chapter was longer, but you can be sure I'll study those hand examples to get an insight into his thought process, at least as much as he was willing to reveal.

Ah yes, that too.

Maybe he is tilting and should read Jared's chapter more carefully since when I skimmed over it last night, the explanations about the tilt profile and logic injection and how the process works is clearly explained between pages 437 and 439.

Coming back to Alex's Chapter. I think this is one of the most important chapters, at least to me.

Another very articulate and smart guy providing the reader with a solid way of studying and analyzing ranges.

While I don't have Flopzilla, I am studying this chapter with my physical Poker notebook as well as Equilab through WINE on Mac OS X.

Also looking forward to the webinars!

Check out the bonus chapter available online about short-stack Heads-Up play by Byron Jacobs: checked it out rapidly and it looks like great information with ranges, and I think this will go well with Olivier's chapter.

I also signed up to Audible because of Jonathan & also forgot to cancel, LOL. Marketing is very important in the declining poker industry, so I see nothing wrong with Jonathan being a good entrepreneur, while many players like me have found his products to be of value.
It's more baffling to me as he trashes an enthusiastic 2+2 poster then all the mindset authors in order to promote his own book. Did Daniel Negreanu declare war on him because of the podcast or other reasons?

There's nothing wrong with Jonathan at all.

Also note the very high bias against anything not published here: take note that I was temp-banned with no reason given after mentioning the free webinar coming on Twitch (as if there's only one Poker forum I have access to or where I am active, in fact, I'm far more active elsewhere).

This reeks of inability to accept that customers prefer other things, also very low competence at modern digital marketing.

I find it extremely unethical and obtuse to block customers based on their preferences instead of learning from them, and to gratuitously bash authors published elsewhere.

Maybe Mason Malmuth thinks that will make his forthcoming book on 'poker psychology' sell more. It won't. That's one book I definitely won't be buying and won't be interested in based on the actions here as well as the misinformed bashing of Jared Tendler's seminal work.

The webinar was very interesting and there are more coming. I'll be watching the free ones. There are paid for ones as well if that piques your interest.

Coming back to Olivier Busquet's chapter which I left with the initial thought that it was too short and because I jumped to Alex's chapter which was awesome.

Busquet really dissects his thoughts in the hands. Yes, I'd definitely like more but if you really study the hand examples and the text, there's a lot of substance you can extract. As someone having less experience studying Head Up, this is extremely interesting.

Jonathan hung out on Twitch for study sessions on SNG/ICM review and for Q & A for free over a couple of days around Christmas. Much fun.

The purpose of this forum as it relates to other authors and other publishers is to discuss content and not to be putting up ads as you did before. Also, we have a low tolerance for insults.

You also need to get your facts straight. I did give Jared Tendler's first book a good review (and have not read his second book). It received an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best and I do recommend anything that receives an 8 or better on my scale.

And finally, if you're a fan of Jonathan Little, that's fine with us. You also may want to tell him that we do sell advertising on 2+2, some of which is quite reasonably priced, and that might be a good way for him to promote some of his stuff.

MM

I've bought this book, read it several times.

It's very good, excelent advice on many different topics. Would recommend it to any MTT grinder.

It seems like Jonathan changed the rules regarding the recordings of the free webinars. Starting from the most recent one that was broadcast yesterday it now seems like you need to pay and subscribe to his Twitch in order to watch the recording. (It's impossible for me to watch it live.. I'm at work during those hours. )

To change the rules like this in the middle of it come across as a tad bit too scammy and greedy for my taste. The original selling point was that the webinar AND its recordings were free. This whole book + webinars thing felt like a really good value deal in the beginning... but now when the free ones start feeling less and less so it leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
I'm disappointed. I would have gladly recommended this book to people. Now this is not the case anymore and I don't really feel the urge to buy any books from Jonathan Little in the future. Just my 2cents.

It has been stated many times that the free webinar recordings will be available for 1 week after they are complete. They are NOT available on twitch to the subscribers. Feel free to PM me if you can't find the recordings by following me where I am allowed post relevant information.

After Tricia Cardner, what will be the schedule with authors? topics?
thanks

The current schedule is:
May Alex Fitzgerald
June Elliot Roe

We don't have the topics figured out yet. We are unsure of the exact schedule after the WSOP. It is difficult to get poker players to plan more than a month ahead!

looking forward for Matt Affleck, Scott Clement, Bernard Lee, a little bit more focused on technical MTT stuff. I hope so...

If you are looking for technical mtt stuff, you will love Fitzgerald's webinars.

Putting up ads? Show me where?

There was a link to an updated online meetup which was free because the time had changed, that's all.

All my facts above are verifiable.

Not just him, but anyone who excels at NLHE.

I neither work for you nor for him, so take it up with him if you want to sell something.

I have a few of those and really like them too.

I am looking forward to his book as well.

I'm glad that you gave him the possibility of a chapter in 'Excelling' because that was what led to him being proposed publishing a full book, judging by a blog post at D & B if I remember correctly.

I though I'd get access to the eBook now by pre-ordering it, but I was mistaken.

Well, there's still a lot to study.

Since my initial review of Tendler's first book I have gone back through it at a very detailed level. The quick result is that I now withdraw any favorable comments.

Poker players need to understand that poker, being mainly a game of knowledge and not execution, is not a sport which requires things like speed, timing, and coordination. Thus those things which might help in this area and is where much of Tendler's stuff comes from, with unconscious competence being a prominent example, should have little if any value to poker players.

We have also stopped all advertising from Tendler (and Elliot Roe). However, he's still allowed to post on 2+2 but I don't think he has since the advertising was stopped.

Mason

Would have thought unconscious competence would be of great value to an online multi-tabler

An online multi-tabler should be using simple algorithmic strategies for many of his decisions. Not the same thing.

Best wishes,
Mason