Valid and Top Ranked?

I'm beginning to believe the blurb out there on search engines and now I'm worried.

Blurb #1 says that all my code has to be 100% perfect (even Google's own website recommendation say this) before my site can be top ranked.

Blurb #2 says exactly the opposite - be as slapdash as you like - and you can be on a winner.
Just look at the pages that the search engines produce - many of them have horrendous errors in their HTML code.

Do I follow Google's recommendations:

• Only valid HTML allowed
• No covert keyword areas
• No link farms
• No duplication of pages
• No overloading of key phrases
• Every page to be indexed must have a clear link to it
• Use google meta tags to help promote the correct navigation
• Include a Robot.txt file

If I do this - will I get a good ranking? Unlikely - but it could well be an easy site to maintain!

I really must get a good book on search engine optimization. Trouble is - the big three have completely different ideas about what makes a good page - and then they keep on moving the goal posts.

I guess I will keep on trying to do my best and see what happens!