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 When I see the number 2 proudly affixed to the end of a familiar title, I
automatically think sequel. Super System 2 can fairly be called the first
poker book sequel (I can't recall having seen The Theory of Poker 2 on the
shelves) - and coming into it with the same expectations you'd have for a
Hollywood sequel is probably the best way to approach the book. Not as
innovative as the ground-breaking original, but with some updated special
effects, Super System 2 is just like any second installment of a movie series
- you walk away somewhat satisfied but unable to avoid the feeling that the
original was better.
There's one thing you'll notice the first time you pick up a copy of Super
System 2: it's a big book. With all the introductions, discussion of poker
strategy, and history of Clan Brunson, the final page count on this monster is
over 670 pages. Easily half of the book could have been trimmed away without
losing anything of real value. Part of the reason for that is that several
sections of the book are rehashes of what Doyle Brunson already covered in the
original Super System: namely, Brunson's life story and his winning cash game
strategies for no-limit hold'em. For anyone else it might have been considered
too arrogant to simply have a no-limit hold'em section referring the reader
back to another book, but Brunson could have gotten away with it. After all,
the advice on the game from his original book is still some of the best out
there. But as it stands, the unnecessary half of Super System 2 is there and
you'll just have to skip around it to get to the good parts of the book.
There are definitely good parts of Super System 2. Cover your eyes for just a
moment, 2+2 fans, while I share something with the rest of the audience:
Jennifer Harman's section on limit hold'em might be the best one ever written.
(Okay, you can open your eyes again.) It's not so much that Harman presents
any ground-breaking concepts, but she is concise and easy to read in a way
that Sklansky falls short of on his best days. It's the difference between
having a coach who screams at you and a coach who treats like an intelligent,
if less experienced, fellow traveler. Harman's advice is well-organized and
well-written and should benefit anyone thinking of taking up limit hold'em.
Other sections of the book are also worthy of note. The Omaha Eight-or-better
section, written by Bobby Baldwin with assistance from world-class O8 player
Mark Gregorich, should become the definitive text on what's becoming one of
the most popular forms of poker in play today. It resembles Harman's limit
hold'em section in both tone and ease of reading, and it sets a high standard
for future books on the game. Daniel Negreanu's section on triple draw is a
good look into a game few players know of (and fewer play), and Todd Brunson's
seven-card stud eight-or-better section is definitely a good text for anyone
with little or no familiarity with the game who needs to get up to speed
quickly. The elder Brunson's words on tournament poker aren't lengthy, but
they do provide solid footing from a veteran whose advice on such a topic
can't be overlooked.
Some other portions of the book are less than stellar. The tips from Mike Caro
are insightful if you don't already own Caro's other books, but if you know
the Mad Genius' work well you won't be gaining anything new and can safely
skip his advice. Lyle Berman's section on Pot Limit Omaha, one of the most
popular varieties of poker in Europe and the southern US, comes off a little
light on strategy and heavy on anecdote. Steve Zolotow's exploration of
whether to specialize in one game or learn many is one of the best parts of
the book, but it's so short it makes you wish he'd been given a full section
to write himself. (Maybe Razz, since it was missing from this book.) Finally,
Steve Lipscomb's nearly 20-page-long advertisement for the World Poker Tour
would make for great copy on the WPT website, but its presence in a book heavy
on poker strategy is questionable at best.
If you're planning on learning more than one game to round out your poker
knowledge, you could do a lot worse than Super System 2. Some of the sections
on popular games are outstanding, helping to offset the sections of the book
that are of little value. The book's list price of $35 is a bit too steep, but
if you can get it for a moderate discount you'll probably be happy with your
purchase.
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