Poker Books...

[liladypokerpro]

What is your favorite poker Book or Author of Poker Books and why?

What books would you recommend to a friend who is interested in them?

Do you think reading these books has enhanced your play, or was it just a "good read?"

[frob23]

Without a doubt The Theory of Poker is my favorite poker book. I find that it does more to teach you why you should be doing something and less about what you do in a specific spot. Poker can be very complex and general... and there are always going to be subtle differences between one hand and another that specific rules won't cover. On top of that, it's not Hold'em specific or even specific to any game at all. Everything in there applies to all games or at least has a generalization that can be applied to a game.

I think anyone could benefit from the book but it might not be the best book to give someone who is learning to play because it assumes you already know the basics. It doesn't talk about hand rankings or how a game is dealt.

[st_ever]

I would recommend to someone who knows a little about poker Harrington on Hold'em without a doubt the best way to drastically improve your play.

If you want a improve overall poker ability it has to be Super System 2 the Plo and Limit Hold'em sections are excellent. Also this book caters for beginners right through IMO.

To improve your sng game Scott Fischmans book is excellent and i also believe it helps a lot with satellites.

[Latrocinium]

I like Frob's choice. Sklansky does write an excellent book to teach you advanced theories. I read it once when I first started years ago. It was to deep for a beginner. They just won't truly understand some of the concepts. I've reread it a couple of times since, and it made a lot more sense each time. lol.
So I'd have to say it's in my top 5, but not my favorite.

I like st's pick of SSII. I think it's a good book for a beginner & an intermediate. Re-read it. You'll get a lot more out of it. I like SSI a lil more, cuz it has the limit section with Bobby Baldwin. But the NLHE section with DB teaches a lot about the aggression of poker. So decent beginner read.(I read this section. Went into a cash game .10/.25 on poker room with $8 got it up to $60 and left with $20. In about 15 min. LMAO) Again, not my favorite but a top 5.

I personally dig "Poker Wisdom of a Champion" by DB. Favorite
It talks about his experiences. He gives this one example of when he needs to change gears in a game. He thinks back to when he first learned to drive a stick. He did'nt have second as he put it. So it was either first or third. So that's what he tells himself at the table to make himself change gears. "1st or 3rd Doyle." It's the advice he's probably give ya if ya sat down at his house and had a drink.
That would be for intermediate/advanced players.

Another great book, just for a general read is "Hunting Fish". Yes, it's a poker book.

I think for beginning players. Harrington on Holdem Vol1. It starts with the basics, and works it's way into a more advanced style of thinking, and does'nt exclude HAG from the thinking.

[ZZZZZZZZZ]

Originally Posted by st_ever To improve your sng game Scott Fischmans book is excellent and i also believe it helps a lot with satellites.

This was a good book 5 years ago when it first came out, the sng game on the internet has improved alot since this was written in the days of Party Poker when A7=nuts to most players. He recomends things such as limping suited aces early which is Colin Moshman SNG startagy is much better. I would nto recomend reading scott fishmans book as it is outdated and does not mention some of the most important SNG topics.

[Fictive]

Lots of good books out there, and some, well... not so good. I've read quite a few of them, and the one that was truly helpful for me back then was Phil Gordon's Litlle Green Book. I recommend it everyone.

[liladypokerpro]

Great responses and information all...thanks! Any others? I'm sure there's plenty of interested members just itching to know what is the best poker book out there!

[Vito_Nuccio]

There are so many books on poker now that is has really become mainstream (one of the few popular/trendy things I enjoy).

As long as the book does not go too far into exact hand strageties I get more enjoyment and knowledge out of it.

I forget who wrote it but I have a book at home titled, 'The Tao of Poker'. It does not get into too much hand analysis or strageties. The focus is more the thought approach to poker and trying to compare to life like events. Pretty cool read.

Of course SuperSystem 1 and 2 are must reads. Even if some of the knowledge is well known by now, it was written by Doyle. If you are a poker player, you should have thanks and admiration for Mr. Brunson for helping make poker what it is today. Skalanski has some good books, but he really likes to get technical with his value equasions and such. I am not shy about the math, but if you want to avoid the algebra, be careful with David's works.

Take your pick and grab a few and read them. Hit the bookstore or eBay for more poker books. At worst you will learn a little more than you know now and the absolute worst thing that could happen is you spend some time reading about poker, not too shabby a proposition.

[Blackstone3]

The Tao of Poker is by L. Phillips. Read it. Not bad. Focuses on the mental (harmony, peace, the way, etc) aspects of the game. Useful to avoid going on tilt, especially after you have folded your 50th hand in a row.

I personally like the "The Little Green Book" of Poker by Phil Gordon. That book as good insight into poker.

Poker books. I used to like reading them. Then, well, after a while they are pretty much the same (except for the Tao of poker, which is pretty weird).

[Latrocinium]

Originally Posted by Vito_Nuccio I forget who wrote it but I have a book at home titled, 'The Tao of Poker'.

It was Larry W. Phillips. I keep it close by. It's a nice light read. Sort of soothing too. lol.
It does'nt bog you down like sklansky or some of the others. (Always feel like I'm studying for a final exam when I read his books. )

Anyways he wrote another book along the same lines. I think it was "Zen and the Art of Poker" I'm not for sure. It's boxed up now or I would just grab it.

These books are what really gave me the idea that there's a rythem to the table. There's a lot of good advice in these books.

If you're a rookie, you really need to just start reading these things. There's a thousand places and ways to get a poker book. They become addictive after awhile. I have something like 40 poker books.(Was working on mikey's theory too) 20 of which I have read.

[stoffmakers]

cant wait for negreanus new book that should be coming out, finally after many delays, around the WSOP. gonna be like supersystem but moderm and all holdem.

[Fictive]

Originally Posted by stoffmakers cant wait for negreanus new book that should be coming out, finally after many delays, around the WSOP. gonna be like supersystem but moderm and all holdem.

Last christmas, I got Negreanu's book called Wisdom for all players. That book wasn't worth anything. Absolutely nothing that hadn't been said a million times before, and there was really nothing in-depth analysis of any sort. A waste of money. That other book of his that I heard of, Power Hold 'em strtegy I don't know anything about, but after reading the other one, I'm definetely not getting it. Not to mention that I've read so many books some years ago that they just seem to twist and turn the same things over and over again.

[liladypokerpro]

Well you have to imagine that most poker books will seem redundant after a while...I mean there is only so much you can really talk about without eventually repeating it. The trick is just finding the right books to compliment each other, and if they repeat themselves, compare the different opinions and take from it what you will.

[stoffmakers]

fictive, dont let 1 book turn u away from DN. especially cuz he isnt the only writer of this book. and dont judge a book by its cover lol.

[Legion III]

I am dredging up this relatively old thread because I have come to the realization that I need to supplement my meager understanding with some book learnin’.

Originally Posted by frob23 Without a doubt The Theory of Poker is my favorite poker book.

I hope this recommendation is sound Frob because this is where I intend to start. I’ve have done some preliminary searches and this book in particular gets rave reviews by many. I hope to have a copy before the month is out.

[Wyte22]

Herrington on Hold'em Vol 1 and 2. Also No Limit Holdem Theory and Practice are the three books that improved my game 100000000000% A must read for any SERIOUS NL poker players.

[phosphorescence]

who wrote no limit hold'em theory and practice?

i'm half way through harrington on hold'em vol 1 at the mo, would recommend it. it's quite easy to read.

[Wyte22]

David Slanksky. HoH 2 is WAY more insightful IMO. HoH1 is kinda like going back over basics and covering some advanced lessons but HoH 2 is all good stuff

[phosphorescence]

cool, that's next on my reading list

i have found HOH1 a bit basic so far to be honest, looking forward to the final table and heads up bits in #2, cause i'm still a bit dodgy at heads up - just got to the final 2 of a 90-man tourney and he was a bit of a maniac, kinda steamrolled me (until i trapped him with AK muwahahahaha ).

btw have you read Harrington on Cash Games yet?

[Wyte22]

Originally Posted by phosphorescence cool, that's next on my reading list i have found HOH1 a bit basic so far to be honest, looking forward to the final table and heads up bits in #2, cause i'm still a bit dodgy at heads up - just got to the final 2 of a 90-man tourney and he was a bit of a maniac, kinda steamrolled me (until i trapped him with AK muwahahahaha ). btw have you read Harrington on Cash Games yet?

No, because as of late, I am more interested in improving my tournament game and reviving my poor sharkscope stats. Maybe once I am again showing profit on SS, and people stop bitching me out over it. Then I'll play cash games again. Right now only like 1-2% of the time I play, I'll be in a cash game, and it's mostly 6-max $1/2 limit and I do between 4-6 tables.