Super System 2015

[Tal]

You are tasked with compiling today's edition of the great Super System book. This is supposed to be the manual for poker and reflective of the modern game.

But it also needs to sell, as the people you want to recruit won't come cheap and your distributors don't either.

You are told that you need to have chapters on the following:

Poker in 2015 (a 5,000 word essay on how much the game has changed and what modern attitudes towards poker are. The writer will have freedom as to what they write)

No Limit Holdem (These need to be general enough as to capture what is needed in cash and tournaments and need to cater to a good range of ability, from aspiring local players to winning grinders)

Pot Limit Omaha

Seven Card Stud

Mixed Games

Cash strategy (This will focus mainly on NLH for the audience but examples in other games may be used, too)

MTT (Again, NLH focus mainly)

STT

Playing in a Casino (A 5,000 word guide to starting out in the live game. The purpose of this will be to reassure new or online-only players that casinos aren't full of burly gangsters and poker is a fun, sociable game. You want funny anecdotes and a little strategy)

Cover photo (A person? A hand? You want something memorable and which defines poker in 2015, even if that means referring back to the old days)


Ok. Over to you.

[Tal]

For reference, the 1979 original contents, as per Wikipedia:

The book begins with a biographical sketch of Doyle Brunson and then quickly discusses general poker strategy. General strategy includes controlling emotion, watching competitors play, reasoning out play, and other similar tips that benefit all forms of poker play.

The sections of the book dedicated to strategy were divided as follows:

Draw poker written by Mike Caro. Among other things, Caro writes in detail about tells, how to gain information about an opponent's hand based on how they act. He is regarded as an expert on poker psychology and behavior and would later go on to write his own seminal book on tells.

Seven-card stud written by Chip Reese

Lowball written by Joey Hawthorne and Doyle Brunson

Seven-card stud high-low split (with no qualifier for low) by David Sklansky

Limit Texas hold 'em by Bobby Baldwin

No-limit Texas hold 'em by Doyle Brunson

Finally, there is a comprehensive list of probability and statistics calculated by Mike Caro. In addition to raw numbers, many scenarios are investigated and common questions are answered.


The 2004 version, Super System 2, again from Wikipedia:

The second book is broken up into several sections, each covering a different variant of poker, and written by experts on those games. Contributors include: Daniel Negreanu; Lyle Berman, founder of the World Poker Tour; Bobby Baldwin; Johnny Chan; Mike Caro; Jennifer Harman; Todd Brunson; Steve Zolotow; and Crandell Addington.

[Doobs]

No chapter on PLO8?  Think we can live without stud?
Need separate chapters on Hypers/Sats/double or nothings/staking?
Needs a software chapter?
Needs a guide to ghosting, sharing of hands, soft playing, swapping of screen names, shared bankrolls?

[Tal]

No chapter on PLO8?  Think we can live without stud?
Need separate chapters on Hypers/Sats/double or nothings/staking?
Needs a software chapter?
Needs a guide to ghosting, sharing of hands, soft playing, swapping of screen names, shared bankrolls?

Lol

Swapping and staking can be captured in the essay chapters, for example, as can software. You get to choose and brief the contributors, after all.

If you want to add a chapter (on Split Games, PLO8 specifically or something else), I reckon the publishers can be persuaded, although you'll need to make a compelling case with a name people will want to read.

Stud is a good 'home game' game and easy to follow. That has to stay in.

[DMorgan]

I always assumed that keeping Stud in the second book was more of a nod to the original writers who were all big stud players than to contribute much strategic content.

Thee things that Doobs mentioned are much more relevant to improving the winrate of your intended audience than a seven card stud chapter would be imo.

Then again it would probably be easy enough to write 5,000 words about most of those points, such if the nightmarish task of a book editor I suppose

[redsimon]

Stud type games are still central to the roster of mix games in Las Vegas mid to high stakes cash games, which explains their inclusion I guess.

PLO8 would definitely be a good chapter.

OFC too?

[RED-DOG]

I bought the original Super System and I have to say it revolutionised the way I lost.

[Tal]

Stud type games are still central to the roster of mix games in Las Vegas mid to high stakes cash games, which explains their inclusion I guess.

PLO8 would definitely be a good chapter.

OFC too?

Publishers say OFC has had its peak and their research tells them 95% of their audience aren't interested in a specified, detailed chapter. Doesn't mean it can't be part of an existing brief, though.

Mods, add UP TO TWO CHAPTERS OF YOUR CHOICE to the list in the OP, please, but they need to be justified, because the publishers will need to be "sold" on the idea before they fork out the cash.

No one going first?

[tikay]

Stud type games are still central to the roster of mix games in Las Vegas mid to high stakes cash games, which explains their inclusion I guess.

PLO8 would definitely be a good chapter.

OFC too?

Publishers say OFC has had its peak and their research tells them 95% of their audience aren't interested in a specified, detailed chapter. Doesn't mean it can't be part of an existing brief, though.

Mods, add UP TO TWO CHAPTERS OF YOUR CHOICE to the list, please, but they need to be justified, because the publishers will need to be "sold" on the idea before they fork out the cash.

No one going first?

No, I'm scared.

If we have a "Playing in a Casino" chapter, as you suggest, ought we have a "Playing Online" Chapter, too?

[Tal]

Stud type games are still central to the roster of mix games in Las Vegas mid to high stakes cash games, which explains their inclusion I guess.

PLO8 would definitely be a good chapter.

OFC too?

Publishers say OFC has had its peak and their research tells them 95% of their audience aren't interested in a specified, detailed chapter. Doesn't mean it can't be part of an existing brief, though.

Mods, add UP TO TWO CHAPTERS OF YOUR CHOICE to the list, please, but they need to be justified, because the publishers will need to be "sold" on the idea before they fork out the cash.

No one going first?

No, I'm scared.

If we have a "Playing in a Casino" chapter, as you suggest, ought we have a "Playing Online" Chapter, too?

Publishers say MTT and STT chapters will be largely online focused. Also, for the European market, most of the non-holdem games will invariably be online rather than live. In the USA market, playing online is problematic. Live chapter will recognise that lots of people will have played online before they walk through the casino door.

[Doobs]

Stud type games are still central to the roster of mix games in Las Vegas mid to high stakes cash games, which explains their inclusion I guess.

PLO8 would definitely be a good chapter.

OFC too?

Publishers say OFC has had its peak and their research tells them 95% of their audience aren't interested in a specified, detailed chapter. Doesn't mean it can't be part of an existing brief, though.

Mods, add UP TO TWO CHAPTERS OF YOUR CHOICE to the list, please, but they need to be justified, because the publishers will need to be "sold" on the idea before they fork out the cash.

No one going first?

No, I'm scared.

If we have a "Playing in a Casino" chapter, as you suggest, ought we have a "Playing Online" Chapter, too?

Publishers say MTT and STT chapters will be largely online focused. Also, for the European market, most of the non-holdem games will invariably be online rather than live. In the USA market, playing online is problematic. Live chapter will recognise that lots of people will have played online before they walk through the casino door.

Where is your justification for the chapters you chose?  O8 is the 2nd most popular STT game and probably 3rd most popular game overall after hold em and Omaha.  We don't need to spoil it by combining it with stud hi lo.  You can throw stud and arid hi lo into an 8 game/mixed game chapter.  I thought the brief was a 2015 version and not a 1975 version?  Suggest the casino chapter is the last one for all those who have failed to get competitive online.  Though these days you'd probably need a U.S. version and a free world version to recognise that in some places you can't play online.

You probably need to find some players that are still competitive to write the chapters.

[Tal]

It's only a bit of fun, doobs.



Yes, you can put split games into mixed games if you want. The shape of it is down to you and your contributors. Yes, the contributors need to be a good combination of relevant and engaging. You have a varied audience to satisfy if you what to make yourself rich.

Are you going to come up with your list of contributors and their chapters?

[Tal]

Ok. Was holding off, but here's my effort. I've added two categories, as per Doobs's suggestion that there would be a benefit to doing so...
 
Cover Photo: Martin Jacobsen playing Doyle Brunson heads up. We want to have reference to the original book and the fact this is now 2015.
 
Poker in 2015: Victoria Coren-Mitchell. The first two-time EPT winner, a symbol of the modern game (not only but certainly not least through her gender) and one of the most accessible writers on any subject is charged with arguably its most important role. She will be expected to research and to offer positive insight on the progression from dingy, smoke-filled poker den-dwellers to the clean-cut, hoodie-clad, ICM monkeys. We don't want people skipping to the strategy sections and we want those who start with the introduction to want to read on. Safe pair of hands.
 
No Limit Holdem: Ike Haxton. There is no question that a NLH section must be as forward-thinking and progressive as possible, as the chapter must have relevance in two, three, five...years' time and that simply won't be possible unless one of the greats of the game in 2015 is writing it. This might well be the most-read and most intensely studied chapter, so handing it over to one of the elite is a no-brainer. There are clearly a few you could choose, here, but I think there's a good spot to follow VCM with Ike, given their heavily contrasting images.  
 
Pot Limit Omaha: Phil Galfond. A lot of today's younger players talk a good game to those who can already play one. Phil Galfond can talk to anyone. A talented writer with an established fanbase and someone who has experienced everything the game has to offer.  
 
PLO8: George Danzer. Whilst he could easily be in the Stud or Mixed Game sections and whilst this could well be the most controversial choice, I'm going to argue that there needs to be a European for the PLO8 section, rather than an American, and a highly successful all-round poker player with an established fanbase is hardly a poor selection. 1.01 he is researched, writes well and surprises a few naysayers. As this is a fast-growing game, it's important to focus on strategy for low stakes players, albeit with some more advanced aspects included.
 
Seven Card Stud: Jeff Lisandro. We have international markets to aim for, but we are also lucky that Jeff is highly regarded in this game and continues to achieve success in the WSOP. He is going to take some convincing to write, but we will find a way. Vastly experienced, highly successful and with an almost peerless longevity at the top of the game, this very entertaining and well-known name should prove an interesting draw for a wide audience.
 
Mixed Games: Phil Ivey. One, he's the poker player even people who don't know the hand rankings have heard of. Two, he's Phil Blinking Ivey. As coups go, it's a barnstormer and securing "No Home Jerome" makes the publishers their investment back by itself.
 
Cash Strategy: Tom Dwan. Bankroll management is an important feature of this chapter and the man who plays for sums we can barely imagine will need to show his skill in discussing five dollar pots. He is rated in a breadth of games and should be able to offer lots of insight on how to build your game and your balance, both live and online.
 
MTT: Chris Moorman. One of the easier choices; a name, a face, a recent author and respected the world over. The focus will be on the principles involved: early, deepstacked stages changing gears, final table strategy, deals and everything inbetween.
 
STT: Taylor Paur. An elite coach and a successful player, remembering that a lot of the audience will be happiest playing small buy-in, hour long sit and go's, this is a very important chapter to get right. The chapter will need to range from the basics of underlining the importance of position to the most advanced and forward-thinking aspects of the game.
 
Playing the Player: Phil Hellmuth Jr. This might be a controversial choice, but I want to find a good balance between name, writing style and content. This essay will be on establishing information from your opponents in whatever format. This will likely be more live than online, where the two articles before will touch on that. This isn't just about physical information, though, but a way of getting to understand what makes people tick, how to identify weakness and strength and how to manipulate situations to your advantage.
 
Playing in a Casino: "Mad" Marty Wilson If there's somewhere he hasn't been, it's probably not worth writing about. If there's a more welcoming person to have at your table, I've yet to meet them. If this doesn't leave you smiling, you should consult an undertaker immediately. An excellent way to finish the greatest poker book of our time.    

 

[tikay]

I don't think we can call this "Super System".

Suggested titles are?

[pleno1]

Matt Ashton would be a shoe in for the mixed games. Speaks really really well whilst also crushing online and additionally recent 50k players champion and won wsop poy.

Wcg for no limit he's known by everybody as the best in the world.

Dan Colman for MTTs. Record speaks for itself

Playing the llayer - ari engel.. Plays more live tournaments than anybody else and has very good records

Plo is tough but I wouldn't go for galfond

Specific mixed games - perhaps freshod or an online guy who is playing day in day out and running a lot of sims etc