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Larry W. Phillips
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The Tao Of Poker: 285 Rules to Transform Your Game and Your Life Paperback – March 1, 2003

by Larry W Phillips (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 53 ratings
See all formats and editions
Poker is more than just a card game - it can also help you become a winner away from the gaming tables! By blending the life lessons of a time-honored spiritual practice with the strategy of this popular card game, you can create a powerful approach to successful play - and successful living. In The Tao of Poker, prize-winning poker player Larry Phillips offers more than 280 rules to bring you to new levels of personal achievement, just when and where you need them most.
Here are some of The Tao of Poker’s rules for success:
  • Take the long view
  • Once you commit to a hand, play it strong
  • Don’t throw in good money after bad
  • If you think you’re beat, get out

Try out these rules and watch your game, and your life, improve. Now you can be a winner at home, at work, and at the casino - wherever the stakes for success are high!
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Adams Media
  4. Publication date
    March 1, 2003
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.64 x 7.13 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1580628370
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1580628372
  8. See all details
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Amazon First Reads | Editors' picks at exclusive prices

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Only Poker Book You Need to Read
This is the best book on poker I have ever read - being a poker player for over 20 years, I can identify with 90 percent of the situations he describes.
In fact, I wonder if he must have been watching me play because some of the situations come right out of my playbook. The other ten percent of the book contains more advanced concepts that I never thought of. Whether you're a veteran player or a beginner, if you're interested in becoming a better poker player, this is THE ONLY poker book to read.
--A reviewer, and a poker player, September 2, 2003

Deceptively Strong.
I was vaguely aware of Larry Phillips and his "Tao" and "Zen" of poker books before I decided to purchase them both a couple of weeks ago. As the reader probably knows, Steve Dannenman (the 2nd place finisher in the World Series of Poker Main event in 2005) was carrying Tao around with him during the World Series this year.
Just about everything here is quietly valuable. ...will make you a sounder player.

Reviewer: Bernard Chapin (CHICAGO! USA) - January 22, 2006

About the Author

Larry W. Phillips is the author of five books, including the bestseller Zen and the Art of Poker. His articles have appeared in such magazines as Poker Digest, and he is a frequent competitor on the poker tournament circuit. He lives in Monroe, Wisconsin.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Adams Media; First Edition (March 1, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1580628370
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1580628372
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.64 x 7.13 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 53 ratings

About the author

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Larry W. Phillips

Larry W. Phillips

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Larry Phillips is a journalist, writer, and professional poker player. He has played poker most of his life and is equally comfortable competing with world-class players or two-dollar players. He lives in Monroe, Wisconsin, and placed second in the 1997 Wisconsin State Poker Tournament.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
53 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Max Ley
5.0 out of 5 stars Patience and Aggression Equals Pots and Advantage
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2012
Verified Purchase
The Tao of Poker offers a spiritual outlook on the game preaching consistent play with the foundation being playing tight and aggressive poker. Front and foremost in this text is playing well and making correct decisions. As with life, this is a strategy that works well for both poker and every day situations.
Larry Phillips lays the book out to make it an easy and enjoyable read. Each chapter has several rules which are guidelines on how to play the game. From making observations on opponents to knowing your game through and through, every rule discusses key concepts. There are also several quotations from various people (Phil Jackson, Sun Tzu, and Bruce Lee to name a few) that offer subtle thoughts which can be easily applied to the game of poker.
I consider this the bible of poker books. Anytime I hit a slump in my game, I pick up the Tao and read it cover to cover before sitting back down at the table. It's as if the Tao picks me up in the land of tilt and sets me back down in the Holy land that is The Zone. Perhaps I should read it more often.
3 people found this helpful
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CMH
5.0 out of 5 stars The kind of book you should reread every year or so
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2011
Verified Purchase
I've had this book for 7 years now, and it remains one of my favorite poker books. No, it doesn't go into detailed strategy of how to play hold'em or omaha, but when I was starting out as a poker player, I often found I got involved in too many hands and played them too aggressively. This book gives you a basis of how to think while playing poker. It's more for beginners than advanced players, but even as someone who has been playing for years, I like to read it again every once in a while to get my game back to what it should be.
4 people found this helpful
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Riccardo
4.0 out of 5 stars Resist the temptation to feel robbed...
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2013
Verified Purchase
Okay, if you buy this book thinking it will be a collection of quotations from Taoist/Daoist literature as they relate to poker, just forget it, you're going to feel robbed; the few quotations from anyone in the book don't even come close to Taoism in any way. What you're getting here is a long and deep meditation from the author on a lot of psychological topics relating to the play of the game. It's a great read, even if you find yourself disagreeing with a certain amount of his thinking. I really don't know what the author was thinking to package the book this way other than to steal a sure-to-sell title that hadn't been used yet in the field, but no matter, you still ought to read it, and won't regret it if you do. It covers all the issues you can think of in the playing process and a few you probably didn't think of (and a few you might not think important)...
3 people found this helpful
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N. Gaerlan
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for day traders
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2018
Verified Purchase
I got his book because I Day trade equity futures. There are a surprising amount of parallels between the two worlds. Both require self awareness in the face of shifting probabilities. Good trades don’t always get rewarded just like good poker playing, but in the long run, good playing and good trading yield results.
6 people found this helpful
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Robert L. Dunning
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth Every Cent!
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2007
Verified Purchase
I am not a Zen kind of guy and was avoiding this book for that reason alone. I bought it based on the recommendation of another player that I met at a tournament, and am glad I did! Chock full of common sense advice that would take you a lifetime of playing to gain (if then). To my relief it is not some sort of "touchy feely," liberal nonsense book, but real poker wisdom, offered in a enjoyable format.
5 people found this helpful
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Dustin J. White
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for getting your mindset right for the ups ...
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2016
Verified Purchase
A great book for getting your mindset right for the ups and downs of poker! A part of my collection!
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Robert Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars Poker info
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2018
Verified Purchase
I liked it because it was informational to understand poker.
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bc
4.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2016
Verified Purchase
Keep calm and focus on the present. Great book
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Top reviews from other countries

J vee
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
Reviewed in Canada on February 26, 2016
Verified Purchase
its okay some of the points are good but i dont think any of it is that insightful
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der
4.0 out of 5 stars ranked in at number #4
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 10, 2012
Verified Purchase
this is a "tilt" book, it teaches you how to remain calm and not tilt when your tight aggressive play is not being rewarded and your getting "burned". A lot of what is in it will ring true with experienced players. but in my opinion there are 3 books that are of more value in the "tilt book" genre and they are #1 "THE MENTAL GAME OF POKER"
#2 "THE POKER MINDSET"
#3 "ELEMENTS OF POKER"
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