52 Tips is an easy to understand, well written 'how-to-book' on how to play Texas hold'em. It is loaded with practical tips that will make learning and improving your poker game easy and fun. No words are wasted on meaningless anecdotes or hard-to-remember, complicated statistics and tables.The one and only thing it will do is make you a better poker player.
- Daniel Negreanu

With 150 illustrated poker problems presented in an easy to follow format, this is an excellent guide for those brand new to the game of Texas Hold’em. The book begins by introducing readers the rules and execution of the game, and then discusses basic strategy such as pot odds. A convenient chart of all 168 possible starting hands described statistical win-rates which is a good reference for those new to the game.

After the introductory chapters, the illustrated examples lead the reader though a number of poker problems to test and improve their understanding. Each problem uses the same layout: An illustration of the poker game is shown on the left page in a clear and easy-to-follow format. It also explains what has happened thus far in the hand and asks you what you should do. The right page contains the answer, and continues by explaining why it is correct. The book begins with very simple problems and gradually increases in difficulty as the reader progresses through the 150 illustrated pages of poker problems.

If you are considering teaching someone the game, or are learning on your own, this is a great book to use as a guide

Carson is a veteran player from 80's, and know the game well enough cover it for both beginners and experienced players. Even the advance player, who is interested in alternate theories regarding minimum opening or calling hands in a variety of situations for example, should find the information here quite useful. The book in fact is divided into two sections with the first 86 pages devoted to informing novices of the game's fundamentals (the first betting round; the flop; the last two cards); then moving to more advanced concepts.

The advanced material looks at picking the right table; picking a seat; poker theories; betting theory; a theory of the starting hand value; and the dynamics of game conditions. Carson later presents advice on table image; player stereotypes (aggressive or passive; loose-tight); kill games; and short-handed games. He devotes six-pages to tournament play and concludes with a comparison between no limit and pot-limit poker, a small section on charting and a small discussion on playing as professional.