Doyle Brunson's Super System is still worth buying even after twenty-five years. He regretted publishing his book because it changed the way poker was played. Everyone suddenly had access to a lifetime of observations and reflections of how the poker mind worked. Doyles ultra aggressive style of poker is much more common today, but that makes his book even more indispensable. Since everyone's read it, this book has become a standard for poker, which means you will be missing something if you do not read it for yourself.
Like most poker books, it is a collection of essays by people who Brunson considered to be at the top of their profession. To be honest, most of the chapters can be skipped without any regret. The statistics (contributed by Michael Caro), although nice to have on paper all in once place, can easily be found on the internet for free. But it is two particular chapters that overcome the dead weight of the rest of the book to make it an absolute must-read: Chip Reeses chapter on Seven Card Stud and Brunsons own chapter on No Limit Hold Em.
What makes the Brunsons style, and this book, so worthwhile is that he teaches you how to make the most out of any situation. Unlike tighter, more controlled poker styles such as Cloutier and Sklansky, Doyles is much more adaptive. Creativity, insight, and an ability to adapt to your situation are all necessary qualities for tournament play. Super System teaches you how to break the habit of waiting for good cards.
While many think of Super System as best for no-limit side games, its insights are incomparably helpful to the tournament player as well. If your goal is to play no limit tournaments, which is the main attraction to most players nowadays, then Super System should be your very first purchase. Doyle uses anecdotes and examples to illustrate the techniques he has used in a lifetime of winning. That single chapter alone has a significant impact on everyone who reads it. They notice a dramatic change from very closed, tight, and frankly unimpressive play, to a very intuitive, knowledgeable, and unafraid style. Our suggestion is to buy this book, no question, but perhaps split the cost among friends and pass the book around. This book has greater value when read one among several perspectives. It is better to polish off Doyles ideas with a more recent outlook by reading his book first then following-up with a newer book by a different author. My recommendation as a follow-up book is Championship No Limit & Pot Limit Hold Em by Tom McEvoy and T.J. Cloutier for another, newer perspective. |
