PRO POKER SCHOOL Learn Before You Earn

Poker Review

Review by Bo Jungblut

High-Low Split Poker For Advanced Players by Ray Zee is the classic book on hi-lo split. An important read for beginners and anyone preparing to play either online or live. The two games are very similar in approach and the insights and strategies into one game can often be applied to the other. Understanding the winning principles will also give your overall poker game a boost, especially in holdem, lowball, Omaha high, and seven card stud.

Both of the sections are especially well structured and organized. The keys to these games are in two areas that Zee addresses quite well. The first concept being the relative hand strengths. This reading provides the basics for playing split games in ring games and shorthanded tables.

Understanding starting hand strength relative to that of your opponents is extremely important, especially when trying to raise for value in a multi-way pot and when trying to isolate another player. Ray Zee offers solid strategy approaches to playing low style drawing hands and big pairs, key hands in these games.

He also clearly defines the hands in which you should avoid, since their win rate is negative. He also discusses hands that will separate you from your competition.

The other key to success Zee stresses in both this game and Omaha high-low split is the importance of playing tight. The tighter you play in choosing both the hands you play and in deciding the course of action to take after the flop in Omaha high-low (and on fourth street in 7 card stud hi-lo) are essential to understanding the poor expectation of chasing in these games.

For the most part this book can clearly get you headed in the right direction in these very profitable forms of poker. However, to master these games you may have to supplement your reading after this book on these games to get a more complete understanding of aggressive plays and tournament strategy.