I recently read Volume one of Advanced PLO Theory written by Tom Chambers (LearnedfromTV). This is the most comprehensive book I have ever read on poker. In fact it reads more like a graduate school text than it does like a poker book. All other poker books I have read to this point would be high school or in some cases kindergarten texts compared with this book. This book is the most complete and in depth book I have ever seen on any form of poker.

At $2,500 for volumes one and two this book comes with a very hefty price tag. For me this book was worth every penny. I am unlike many people who will read this review however, in that I have lived and breathed PLO for the past two years. If you are a recreational player who just recently picked up PLO, this book is not for you. This is a very comprehensive book which I would estimate would require 100-150 hours of study per volume to gather the information presented. Do not buy this book unless you are willing to set aside a huge number of hours to learn the material. I would also suggest for you to have played a lot of PLO in the last 6 months. I think this book will be lost on you if you have not played PLO almost every day for the past 6 months, or some other form of very high level poker. If you are playing 1/2 NLH and want to transition to PLO, this book is too advanced for you. If you are playing 25/50 NLH and considering moving to PLO, this book may be good for you if you are willing to spend some time learning the material.

Beyond just putting in time which is required of everyone to grasp this material, you should also consider how you learn. This book is very math heavy and reminds me of my engineering days. This book is loaded with charts and excel spreadsheets and this mathematical approach suits my learning style. I have heard that future volumes are less math and nomenclature heavy. I think the first few chapters are setting the background so everyone is speaking in the same language. This volume has certainly helped me develop a fuller understanding of PLO and ranges. Some people don't learn as well in such a structured mathematical environment. You should really consider this before buying this book as it is very heavy on math and nomenclature.

I am in no way trying to deter anyone from buying this book. I think this is the best piece of poker literature out there and definitely the definitive book on PLO. Advanced PLO theory will be a huge help to those ready and willing to study it.