Super System II by Doyle Brunson

[mchilger]

I will post more reviews over the coming weeks.

You can purchase Super System 2 by Doyle Brunson in our store.

Matthew

[Suited_Jock]

To be honest I was a bit disappointed with the book. Before I get hung drawn and quatered let me tell you why.

Im exclusively a No_limit Holdem player and as such took some great advice from the original SS. After reading the NL section in SS2 I have yet to spot any new information. To me it looks like they have just cut and pasted from the original.

I might be wrong as I havent gone back to look at the original yet but I feel I have a decent enough memory.

Secondly the Mike Caro section was quite informative however anything about tells and pyschology he mentions in SS2 are in his book Caros book of tells.

I feel a bit like Ive wasted my money on this one. Thats not to say all the other sections are great? I just havent read them.

[pwtjax]

So far I have read the limit holdem and omaha 8 hi/low sections.

The limit section didn't do much for me. This was probably because I have already read several entire books devoted to just limit. My advice is don't buy it for the limit section if you've read ITH and SSHE.

The Omaha hi/low section is really good. It is better than the Ray Zee book, which is generally considered the best one out there. In my opinion the book is worth the price for this section alone.

I am reading the no limit section. It's all new to me-- I didn't read SS 1. I will update this post when I finish the section, but my initial impression is that it is ok, but not great. I could see someone who doesn't have a firm grasp of the game having real problems trying to use this section. You have to know how to read between the lines sometimes and be able to reconcile advice that could be considered inconsistent on the surface. A player who has studied the game for a while should be able to do it fine, but I wouldn't want this in the hands of a total novice.

I've now finished to no-limit section and I'll stand by my original take. It's a must read for no-limit players, but I can't call it great. One reason is that I don't like the writing style. It's too conversational, not eidted well and too long for the info. covered. It would also be better with hand examples.

Sklansky and Miller are supposed to come out with a no limit book this summer and I expect it to put a real dent in the usefullness of this section.

I skimmed Caro's section and it looks pretty decent. It's hard for me to focus on Caro because the tells deal with live play and I'm too lazy to leave the house to play.

[chrisjp]

I've only read Caro and the NL section, both tourneys and ring. And the online info.

I thought Caro was great. My guess is that most of Caro is on his website. The NL was almost exclusively a retread of SS1. I already have SS1. I do love Doyle, but it is not worth it exclusively for the NL.

There are other sections though. If the Omaha H/L is great, like pjwtax says, this would make it worthwhile in and of itself.

I'm happy I got it...but you might not be if you get it. I know. I need to take a journalism class.

Chris

[ebo8b]

Super/System II is a great book...but I definitely do not recommend it as your first book unless you have a good grasp of many poker concepts. But I have learned a lot from the book...how to play Triple Draw for one. But if you just want Hold'em advice, this book probably isn't the best way for you to go. This fact does not detract from the book...the book's just meant for more of a broad audience.

[Ironfist]

I was disappointed in the HE Limit section in the book. Hardly any mention of shorthanded and Heads UP play.

I will be spending some time reading up on the other poker variations ove r the coming months but am not qualified to comment on the level of advice on those games.

[Penguin]

I haven't read SS1 but my take:

Limit Holdem section - average, predictable, contradictory in places

O8 and PLO - Worth the price of admission (although for me that wassigning up for Royal Vegas through this site ) by themselves.

Triple Draw - Very solid intro to a game I knew nothing

Internet section, WPT, tournament section - a waste of paper.

NL section - meh, I picked up at least that much from forums and online articles and experience. Sorry Doyle, you're not the only NL expert these days.

Haven't really cracked the stud section(s) yet.

Caro's tells - people play poker in the real world? Is that like a LAN party where you all take your laptops to somebody's house?

[sprstoner]

im half way throught the limit section now... i have to disagree with you guys.... i love the advice i love the way its written... great section. i cant wait to finish it and reread it... excellent.


i will post my opinion of other sections as i read them

[gusofhippo]

Dear All,

I disagree mightily with some of the posts here rating this as marginal, but do agree with some of the criticism:

1) The Caro stuff IS all on his website and found in everyone of his books. However, if you haven't read any of his stuff, this is a good introduction.

2) The History part and Doyle's biography were fun. Not strategy, but gives one perspective.

3) The Limit HE section is SUPERIOR - Harmen gives a very good OVERVIEW of this subject. HFAP it isn't, because it is not designed to be a definitive work on HE. It is an overview. One should remember that when criticizing it.

4) The split pot sections by Todd Brunson (78B) and Gregorich/Baldwin are the BEST two sections in this book. Clearly, and I would include Ray Zee's book, this is the best information on these two games out there, IMHO.

5) Negraunu's section on Triple Draw is excellent, and probably the best information out there, but is that saying alot.

6) The PLO section for me was disappointing. I think Rolf Slotboom in his review of this book stated it best:

[camfire]

Overall I found the book to be very informative. Doyle's history was quite interesting and I enjoyed Caro's section. Though I'm not sure how helpful the NL section will be for lower limit players.

[Radford]

Is this book any good? I hear it being the 'Bible of poker' and so on. I usually play NLH multi-table tournaments but i don't know if this book would actually help me.

I've been reading the thoeyr of poekr by Slanksy but i find it really boring and the wording is hard to udnerstand. Since i don't even know the rules to most poker game, only hold em i didn't really understand what he was talking about half of the time.

Will this be the same? What does this book actually have to offer?

Cheers, Chris.

[fep]

This book is a much easier and more entertaining read than the Theory of Poker (however, many feel The Theory of Poker the best poker book written)

Many also feel that Doyle is the authority on NL Holdem strategy and he wrote the NL holdem section of the book.

Super System 2 is over 600 pages long and is really several shorter books put together as one. It has chapters on various forms of poker with each chapter written by a different pro.

You say you usually play NLH multi-table tournaments. Harrington on Holdem I and Harrington on Holdem II are very very highly regarded books specific to NLH multi-table tournaments. Check these links:

http://www.internettexasholdem.com/phpbb2/a-summary-of-book-poll-scores-vt32098.html

http://www.internettexasholdem.com/phpbb2/harrington-on-holdem-volume-i-vt16125.html

http://www.internettexasholdem.com/phpbb2/harrington-on-holdem-volume-ii-vt27805.html

[Piemaster]

I don't dislike the book, but it doesn't tell you anything new. The strategy is all very rudimentary comapred with what you get in a specialist book. I guess it is a useful reference book to have in case you ever feel like playing triple-draw lowball or something, but I can't help but feel that this book has had it's time.

[Primitive]

It made my Poker Library 4.7 cm wider.

[badboywes]

I really like the book let me tell you why. I was able to get vol 1 and 2 in leather bound edition from the web site for my player points.

I have only read some of it but im sure in the future as I look to learn more games ill pick it back up.

Thats why I like it the most. I know someday when I look to expand my game it will be there waiting with alot of valuable information.