ITH Poker Forum

[Meridian]

I have read ITH several time and used to win pretty regularly before US players left and the games got so tight. it seems like it was written for the looser game. Any thoughts about this, or whetther there are better newer books for these 20% VPIP times. I play full ring at FTP. Maybe theres a better place to play

[mchilger]

Actually, ITH was written before the poker book when the limit games were pretty tight. Online limit games have seen a cycle, in 2000-2003, relatively tight play (Paradise 20-40 was consistently in the 20-22% VPIP). Then the poker book came and games got quite loose, and then as players improved the games got really tight again. So I think ITH is geared more towards tighter games, than say a book like Small Stakes Holdem.

But to answer your question, the book you are looking for is Winning in Tough Hold'em Games by Stoxpoker. It's a very good book written for today's limit game.

To be honest though, full-ring limit games in today's world is a tough business. You might try another game like Omaha Hi-Lo or PLO if you play regularly.

Matthew

[Meridian]

Thank you for the response. When I started playing maybe 5 years ago, Pacific had games of 40 percent in the 2/4, 3/6 and even 5/10. Now 3/4 of the players are in the teens, sometimes more. (I have dropped back to 2/4 and 3/6) To be honest, I don't know any of the other games (even 6 max seems hugely different and NL seems scary, although I hear there are more weak players), but I play enough that winning is important. I won quite a bit of money at Pacific (I've never had to redeposit), but at FTP, that's only because of rakeback. It would be a lot more fun winning.