Why you don't learn poker from TV Event Coverage

[Windbreaker]

If you watch tourneys on tv you can learn a lot. It won't make up for experience playing...but there are things you can pick up on. If you watch celebrity poker, there's very little you can learn from the players, but you can learn stuff when Phil Gordon comments on bets and such....which most players should already know. The FSN Full Tilt poker tourneys are good events to watch because they show every hand and has Howard Lederer to commentate.

As an example, for the latest Monaco episoid, he explained a situation where Phil Ivey should move in with just about any hand for a good raise.

Basically to 3 paid and 4th gets nothing. Chris Ferguson got crippled and had less than one big blind left. Lederer said that's the perfect opportunity to raise and steal blinds because the second and third place guy can not call your all in without monsters. If they fold, they will finish at least 3rd....if they play there's a chance they end up with nothing or face a very difficult decision.

Another thing that I learned was from Daniel Negreanu in tourney play - there's opportunites to pick up a full pot when you're expected to pick up half the pot.

Eg. A9 vs AJ. And the board makes AQ55. This is a situation where even if you're a slight underdog with A9, you can make it difficult for others to call by moving in.

Most times the things you learn are more subtle than the obvious.

[Talking Poker]

Certainly. But there are small little tips that you can learn. To learn the fundamentals, you need to read a book. Or two or three.

I can watch a 2 hour episode of celebrity poker and maybe, MAYBE if I am lucky get 15 seconds of advice that I find useful (to me) from Phil Gordon. I could spend that same 2 hours REREADING Harrington, SSHE, etc, and learn much, much more.

That's the point.