Wed, 03/09/2011 – 01:07 – PokerPages Staff

#5 – Phil Hellmuth: Play Poker Like the Pros
A nine-time WSOP bracelet winner just has to be a mine of information for the intrepid poker learner, and Phil Hellmuth doesn’t disappoint.  Filled with vivid personal stories, Phil has authored a veritable master-class on poker.

#4 – Dan Harrington: Harrington on Hold’em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments: Strategic Play
This is simply one of the best Hold’em instructional tools to appear in years.  Harrington describes his own tight conservative play candidly, and gives brilliant insights into the ultra-aggressive antics of more turbo-charged players.  This book is next best thing to having a top pro sitting beside you mentoring you.

#3 – Barry Greenstein: Ace on the River – An Advanced Poker Guide
Easily one of the finest poker books out there at present, the Robin Hood of Poker has written a sizzler filled with superb pictures and pure wisdom.  It’s aimed at the more advanced player but everyone who reads it will come away feeling considerably more enlightened for their efforts.

#2 – David Sklansky: The Theory of Poker
As books on Texas Hold’em go, this is probably one of the most important ever written.  You won’t get a lot of detail on individual hands here but you will let invaluable gems of wisdom on general strategy.  A Texas Hold’em masterpiece; look and learn.

#1 – Doyle Brunson: Doyle Brunson’s Super System
When it came out in the 1970s, this book convulsed a few Hold’em pros who accused Brunson of revealing too much about the game.  It’s now deservedly an all-time poker classic and its indispensable reading; most pros now regard it as one of the best books on the game ever written.  We think it’s a must-have item and happily award it our #1 slot.

Wed, 03/02/2011 – 01:28 – PokerPages Staff

Season 7 of the High Stakes Poker game show premiered on Sunday evening as new host Norm Macdonald took the reigns for the first time.

Macdonald, who was a surprise choice to replace former favorite Gabe Kaplan, oversaw a star-studded table which included Poker Hall of Famer Doyle Brunson and Team PokerStars Pros Vanessa Selbst and Barry Greenstein.

Selbst got the action underway at the Bellagio, rasing from early position with Ah-Qc. Robert Croak called from the cut off with pocket jacks and Bill Klein (Ks-7s) and David Peat (9d-8h) also came along for the ride.

Selbst fired the first bullet on the 4s-2h-9h flop for $7,600 and Croak min-raised to $15,700. Klein and Peat mucked but Selbst continued her interest in the hand.

A 5h on the turn prompted Selbst to fire a second barrel for $28,400 and Croak finally gave up as the 26 year-old dragged down the pot.

The next big action came when Phil Ruffin limped with pocket threes. Brunson made it $4,900 to go with 7s-5s and Selbst called with pocket queens. Antonio Esfandiari also wanted to see a flop as he limped in with 10d-9d.

Esfandiari bet $17,000 on a 4c-9c-3d board and Ruffin elected to smooth call with his flopped set. Selbst re-raised to $63,800 and Ruffin then made it $117,100 to go.

Selbst tanked before jamming all of her chips into the middle. Ruffin snap called and the 6d and 6h turn and river were no help for Selbst as Ruffin snared the huge $474,100 pot.

Ruffin was also involved in the last notable hand of the evening after meeting Esfandiari’s $6,000 raise with Ad-8h. He was in bad shape as Esfandiari held Ac-Qd and it seemed like he would bleed a significant percentage of his stack when an Ace hit the felt on the flop.

Esfandiari fired an $8,300 bullet only for Ruffin to four bet to $38,300. Esfandiari responded by moving all his chips into the middle, forcing Ruffin to fold.