Poker Forum - Hilger, Burgio Poker Books Cover Diverse Interest Areas

The author of Internet Texas Hold‘em and Texas Hold‘em Odds and Probabilities, Matthew Hilger, has a fine new book, co-authored with Ian Taylor, for players who enjoy fresh ideas entitled The Poker Mindset (Essential Attitudes for Poker Success).

Vince Burgio, one of the most personable, colorful players on the circuit—author of Pizza, Pasta and Poker—also has a new one, entitled Inside Poker: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Stories, Reflections and Anecdotes).

The Hilger-Taylor collaboration (which sells for $24.95 and is a 274-page paperbound), has a goal of revealing the answer to what “secret” separates top poker players from poker wannabes?

As the authors state on the cover, their approach to making good players better and excellent players a notch higher is through “seven core attitudes and concepts” involving an, “optimal emotional, psychological and behavioral framework.” This includes bankroll management; how to determine your competitors mental and emotional processes so you can dominate and handling downswings and bad beats.

Hilger cashed eight times at the World Series of Poker between 2004 and 2006—including one final table and a 33rd place finish in the main event—lives in Georgia. Taylor lives in England and is an expert in risk tolerance and gambling.

Burgio, a likeable player and credit to the industry, loves to tell stories about poker players, life in general and people he’s met at the poker tables and beyond. His book, a $14.95 paperbound (300 pages), is a collection of many of his columns, views of the game and friends he’s made. A six-page index of names makes it easy to find a world-class player or just a plain character with a funny nickname.

Along the way (and Burgio is a well-traveled individual), you’ll find plenty of common sense advice and pitfalls to avoid and you will be thoroughly entertained.

“I always try to monitor a game before I get into it. I pay attention to see if there is a ‘talker’ present. I try not to sit next to talkers,” he says, because they affect his concentration.

Along the way, he talks about players (many of them world class) with superstitions (seats, toothpicks, jackets, the weather, certain soft drinks, cats etc). His views and recommendations about dealers, bad beats, playing on a ship are all good stuff. The well-priced book is both educational and entertaining.