Here are my reviews of poker videos and poker dvd's. Videos of actual poker play can help you become a better poker
player but remember that some of the poker moves that the pro's use ... are meant for pro's. Some of the "How To"
type poker videos can be quite basic - how many times can you watch the same summary of how to deal a hold'em game and what a
"dealer button" is. Make sure that you buy poker videos that are equivalent to your playing skill. Some videos are
very basic while others are more technical, it usually depends on the author or poker pro who is presenting the material.
Final Table Poker
with Phil Gordon
This dvd features poker professional Phil Gordon sitting at a poker table and explaining his thoughts and actions during a mock
poker tournament. It gives you insight into the mind of a professional poker player as he plays the game.
There are two versions available on the dvd - beginner mode and a more advanced mode. I watched the advanced mode but did not
really consider it to be very advanced. It was a bit unique to listen to the thought process that Phil goes through as he plays
his cards. The cost is $24.95.
Shout! Factory
This four-disk DVD set contains 8 episodes from the World Poker Tour season 3. Each disk contains
two episodes of about 1 hour and twenty-five minutes in length. There are no commercials and very little 'extras' included
with this DVD set. It's almost exactly the same show that you see on television except for a couple deleted hands that are
included. Unlike the previous DVD set, there are no voice-over commentaries by professional poker players. Watching, and
re-watching these DVD's over and over again will probably help your poker game more than most poker books will.
[Read the full review here]
WPT Bad Boys of Poker DVD
from SHOUT! Factory
This is an episode of The World Poker Tour featuring five of the "Bad Boys" of poker (Paul
Darden, Phil 'The Unabomber' Laak, David 'Devilfish' Ulliot, Antonio Esfandiari, Gus Hansen) and bank teller Mark Richards. The
DVD is 1:25 in length and is identical to the televised WPT shows. The game itself is not too bad. There is an extra commentary
track by Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak. This is the best commentary of the three that I have heard from these two players -
they actually talk quite a bit about odds and how and why hands were played. There are also some biographies and "Bad Boy"
moments from the WPT episodes. The price is $19.98.
World Poker Tour Season 2 DVD Set from SHOUT! Factory
This 8-disk DVD set contains 14 episodes from the 2003-2004 World Poker Tour. Each
disk contains two episodes of about 1 hour and twenty-five minutes in length. I really liked these DVD's. Four of the games
contain a voice-over commentary by either Daniel Negreanu and Erick Lindgren or by Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak (The Unabomber).
Some of the commentaries are extremely interesting because they offer an inside view as to why a hand was played a certain way and
why a decision was made. I really enjoyed the discussions about the amount of bets and the repercussions of the bet on further
betting rounds in the hand.
[Read the full review here]
2004 World Series of Poker DVD Set
This is probably the best poker dvd that I own. It is a 3 disk set and includes the entire 10 hours
of the ESPN World Series of Poker television broadcast as well as 3.5 hours of special features including Greg Raymer's recap
of the final table, which is very interesting. The Omaha and lowball games are also very good. The production quality
is very high, it is the exact same show that you see on television, without the commercials. The price is $23.99.
Bonus Features: Tournament of Champions - Top Ten Moments from the 2004 WSOP - Greg Raymer Commentary - Final Table with
Fossilman - $1000 Buy-In Texas No-Limit Hold'em - $2000 Buy-In Pot Limit Omaha - Kansas City Lowball - Stu Unger Feature -
Greg Raymer All-Access - Greg Raymer Bio - Beyond the Felt: Poker Talk
Phil Hellmuth
These Phil Hellmuth videos are not as annoying as you might expect. Phil's presentation is good and he
doesn't have a chip on his shoulder. The disks consist of Phil sitting at a poker table and discussing various poker hands ands
situations. Even though it is just Phil sitting at a table, it's not too bad. Each disk is separated into different sections of
about 5 to 10 minutes each. Each disk also contains the same bonus features, a poker dictionary, and 3 trailers.
Bonus features: Each disk contains the following bonus features: Back to Basics - Rank of Hands - Top Ten Hands -
Majority Play Hands - Texas Hold'em, 7 Card Stud, & Omaha Rules - Bad Beats - The Rake - Crazy Home Games -
Tournaments vs. Side Games - Knowing When To Quit - Love of the Game - Will Phil's Secrets Work For You?
Phil Hellmuth's Million Dollar Poker System
These are Phil's basic instructions on how to play hold'em. He ranks hands and groups players
into categories named after animals - Tigers, Bears, etc. depending on how those players play poker.
Chapters: Texas Hold'em - Rank of Hands - Animal Types- Top Ten Hands - Majority Play Hands - Tough Calls - Holding & Folding -
Pot Odds - No-Limit/Limit With Pot Odds - The Raise - Mix It Up - Position - Re-raising - Going On Tilt - Low Limit - Money
Management - Recap
The price is $14.99.
Phil Hellmuth's Million Dollar Secrets To Bluffing & Tells
Chapters: The Art of the Bluff - Bluffing on the River - Bluffing With Pot Odds - Tells - Trusting Your
Instinct - The Top Ten Tells - When To Raise or Fold - Recap
The price is $14.99.
Phil Hellmuth's Million Dollar Online Poker Secrets
Chapters: Introduction - Before You Get Started - The World of Online Poker - Online Tells - Cheating -
Playing Multiple Games Online - Pot Odds Online - Online Tournaments - Recap
The price is $14.99.
Phil Hellmuth's Million Dollar Tournament Strategies
Chapters: Introduction - How to Enter - Satellites - What to Expect - The First Hours - Raising to Steal the
Blinds - The "All-in" Strategy - The Bluffing Weapon - Work Your Chips - The Will to Win - The Final Table
The price
is $14.99.
Howard Lederer
Like the Phil Hellmuth videos, these videos feature Howard "The Poker Professor" Lederer
sitting at a poker table, dispensing poker advice. Unlike the Hellmuth videos, these dvd's are a simple transfer of the vhs
tapes over to dvd format, there are no chapters or bonus features. I have not had a chance to view much of these videos yet.
I will post reviews within a couple weeks.
Howard Lederer "Tells" All
The price is $8.99. Running time: 60 minutes.
Howard Lederer Secrets of Texas Limit Hold'em
The price is $14.99. Running time: 120 minutes.
Howard Lederer Secrets of No-limit Hold'em
The price is $14.99. Running time: 90 minutes.
Howard Lederer More Secrets of No-limit Hold'em
The price is $14.99. Running time: 100 minutes.
