Book Review: Caro's Fundamental Secrets of Winning Poker, Author: Mike Caro

By: Donna Baldwin
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:42:00
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Most of the poker books I read treat the subject in a compartmentalized fashion. There is good reason for this. Poker is such a multifaceted game, that each area justifies separate consideration. For those that are methodical and organized thinkers, this book might make you feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland. This book is like having an enjoyable and lively conversation with Mike Caro. It is also very much a motivational book and easy to read and understand. Not motivational in the way of so many “Peter Pan” type infomercials, but rather very good advice sprinkled with persuasive upbeat comments. To read this book is to feel like Mike Caro is mentoring you. In fact, this book is actually the same material he gives in his live seminars.

There are very good nuggets of information covering a small spectrum of areas. For example, he might mention a situation advising against bluffing, but it is included in a train of thought that touched on other things as well. So, if you (possibly being methodical and organized) are looking for all his guidance on bluffing in one concise area, well um, that’s not how this book works. But it does work. Whether you think of this book as a train of thought or as a rabbit trail, you would do well to give it a try.

He starts off with what I think is more of how to perceive the game of poker and builds on that with references to deciding when to play straightforward and when to try deception. He discusses self-control and discipline. He describes how some hands are best played against many opponents or how some hands should only be played with a few opponents. He recommends how to play against tight or loose opponents and whether they are aggressive or timid.

There are also strategic type sections on Money Management, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud High-Low, Hold’em, Draw Poker and other forms of poker, plus a section on Tells and Psychology. The section on Tournament Advice is also very useful, particularly for the wilder lower limit games. One of his chapters is called: Best Tip Countdown, (and I agree) but it is not a complete summary of all the tips he offers in the book. You will have to read the whole book for that. I especially appreciate his last chapter: Final Winning Affirmation. It is a reminder that cards will run bad as well as run good, to psyche yourself out to always play your best game. He even recommends a small type of mantra statement for saying to yourself in those moments you might benefit from positive affirmation.

I do recommend this book, but you should be prepared as it is different than most all the other poker books on the market. I think that Mr. Caro is also different than most of the poker gurus out there too. Beginners through advance players would both benefit from it, but I wonder if beginners would appreciate the information as much. The best way I can think to illustrate the level this book works at is this: When you play poker, and just before you make a decision, you might hear that “inner voice” that is nudging you “not to do it”, or “yes, do it”; but you ignore it and later kick yourself for not listening. You learn, usually the hard way to find that “inner voice” or conscience and listen to it.

Depending on how steep your learning curve is, sooner or later you know you need to develop that kind of awareness and discipline into your game. This “voice of reason” is where Mike Caro is coming from. You will probably only appreciate his advice only as well as you listen to your own or anybody else’s for that matter “voice of reason”. Putting it another way, you have to think out what you are doing. If you are hoping for a magic formula of blow by blow plays found in Blackjack books, that tells you how to play poker, this book is not for you, which is a shame. If there is an ethereal component of poker that would be like trying to nail gelatin to a wall….I am certain Mike Caro could do it.

Publisher: Cardoza Publishing
Copyright: April 2004

Donna Baldwin frequently plays poker and wins. She and her husband Donovan Baldwin own a site where visitors can learn to play poker at http://likepoker.com.

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