Casual poker fans may not be familiar with the online poker pro known as “Fox”, but Chris Wallace has been making a name for himself in the world of online poker for quite some time. Wallace isn’t simply an online poker player grinding away at the tables –although he does grind with the best of them—the name “Fox” is even better known for his theoretical work, insightful articles, and his terrific results as a poker coach.
Now the poker world will become even more familiar with Chris “Fox” Wallace. For his latest endeavor he has teamed up with Adam Stemple to author the new No Limit Holdem strategy book, No Limits: The Fundamentals of No-Limit Holdem.
At 227 pages, No Limits is broken up into 16 chapters with 3 Appendices and a Glossary, giving you plenty of material to digest. Each chapter also contains multiple sample hands, so you can see each concept in action. Although shorter than other poker primers, there is very little fluff in this book, and you’ll likely need to read the book multiple times, and will pick-up something new on each reading. The self-published book is available at www.NoLimitsBook.com.
Before you even get to the quality of the advice, one thing you will notice immediately is the quality of the book itself. Little expense was spared in the printing process, including full-color depictions of playing cards in the sample hands, something I wish every poker book contained.
Here is a look at the Table of Contents from No Limits: The Fundamentals of No-Limit Holdem:
• Introduction
• Preface: How to Use This Book
• Chapter 1. Pre-Flop Play
• Chapter 2. How Does It Play?
• Chapter 3. Knowing Your Opponents
• Chapter 4. Bet-Size: The Key to No Limit Holdem
• Chapter 5. The Importance of Position
• Chapter 6. The Flop, Turn, and River
• Chapter 7. Bluffing Strategy and Tips
• Chapter 8. Hand Reading
• Chapter 9. Bankroll Management
• Chapter 10. Short-Handed Play
• Chapter 11. Tilt and the Psychological Side of Things
• Chapter 12. Keys to Online Play
• Chapter 13. Common Mistakes
• Chapter 14. Why the Donkey is Whipping You
• Chapter 15. More Sample Hands
• Chapter 16. Final Words
• Appendix A: Continued Study
• Appendix B: Should You Go Pro?
• Appendix C: I Want to Play Like That Guy
• Glossary
After reading through No Limits I was impressed that unlike other poker primers which focus on rote memorization and what do with x cards in y situation, No Limits focuses more on the situation and its impact on the hand. The book is definitely aimed at players who already have a decent understanding of No limit Holdem but are struggling to reach their full potential.
I only have a smattering of experience in No Limit Holdem cash-games, so I was probably a perfect representation of the target audience for the book –I’m a break-even NLHE player in low stakes games, with quite a bit of Sit & Go experience. Here is how I can sum up the benefits of No Limits: As I said, throughout the book there are practice hands to help further explain the different concepts, and I struggled mightily with most of them. However, at the end of the book there are five practice hands, and I went a perfect 5-for-5 on these hands, even choosing the precise bet-size on the last practice hand. The book works! It teaches you to think through each hand and situation on your own.
I would definitely recommend this book to any new player who has a decent understanding of No Limit Holdem’s basic strategies –if you’ve read another primer, browse online poker forums, or frequently read strategy articles; or any struggling No Limit Holdem player; or any player who is having difficulty moving up in limits. Chances are you’ll pay for the cost of the book in your first session after reading it!
I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Chris “Fox” Wallace recently, and will be posting the interview tomorrow.
*UPDATE* Read my interview with Chris "Fox" Wallace here
Chris “Fox” Wallace is an instructor at www.PokerXfactor.com in addition to working with the new poker training site www.GrinderU.com where you can sign-up for free. “Fox” also runs the wildly popular FoxPoker.com where you’ll find all manner of useful information and downloads, such as spreadsheets and auto-rate rules.
“Fox” will also be running a poker boot camp for aspiring pros in Las Vegas, Nevada in March 2011. For more information regarding this unique training experience please visit www.propokerseminars.com where details for the seminar will be made available shortly.
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