Ace on the River

Barry Greenstein Reviewed by Ozone on Aug. 02, 2005. Overview In the past five years, few people have won as much money playing poker as Barry Greenstein. Known as the "Robin Hood of Poker" for giving his tournament winnings to charity, Barry's mind is considered one of the brightest in the poker business. His book is written for advanced players and lives up to that calling. For anyone new to the poker world, this would not be the best book to purchase. However, if you are a seasoned player, or one with aspirations to become a professional, this might be the best book on the market for you to read. Poker Advice Unlike most poker books, this one does not revolve around specific hand strategy. Readers will find that the first 75% of the book touches on the psychology of poker and how poker relates to society. Many poker books have a tendency to start sounding like broken records, yet this book seems very original. Barry did a great job of saying things that have not yet been said in the poker world. For advanced players with dreams of making a living playing the game, the advice Barry gives on psychology and how to manage money is of great value. The last 25% of the book deals with more specific strategies. Barry seems to preach a style of poker that involves lots of thinking and analyzing of the entire situation at hand. This book is most valuable for Barry's insight into the poker world. Barry's words of wisdom should help put the game into perspective for some addicted players. As he says towards the end of the book, "When all is said and done, if I spent most of my time sitting at a poker table, I would feel that I was a loser in the game of life". This is just an example of the insight Barry gives us into his fascinating and brilliant perspective on the game of poker. Presentation This is the coolest poker book on the market. Every page is printed on glossy paper, and most pages contain at least one picture. The images are of various people and places in the poker world and serve as a nice way to break up the text. The suggested retail price on this book is $25, which seems like a steal once you start reading this book. For advanced players who have mastered all of the basics, there is perhaps no other poker book in existence that will help improve your game more than Ace on the River.