Hello! Recently I started playing poker online and quickly found out that poker as a game is not as simple as I first thought and that, in fact, there is a lot to master. So was wondering, what poker books you found very helpfull and allowed you to improve your play considerably?
I think all poker books are interesting. In my opinion, the tight aggressive style of play is easier to use for beginners. This style of play and the basics are well described in the older poker books. A big difference in the game of poker itself (regardless of whether it is a flop game, draw game or stud game) is whether it is cash game or tournament poker. In the cash game the blinds do not increase and there is no ante, in tournament poker the blinds and ante increase and you have to adjust your strategy accordingly. In order to understand the basic concepts of the game, one cannot avoid the "classics" like Hellmuth, Sklansky, Brunson and Harrington. There are of course many newer books that favor the loose aggressive style of play and which are also very good. Ultimately, it is best to pull the best out of all books and incorporate them into your own style. Hope that helps 🙂
There are a lot of books available, even in pdf (e-book). Every single one has different advantages and I liked the ones, where the writer gives you insight in his thinking process in a hand. But there are as well many forums (like this one here 🙂), where you can find a lot of strategy tips. I love to take quizzes, so I can check, if I understand it good.
I would recommend The Mental Game of Poker. It focuses mostly on tilting, but it’s an important aspect in poker. It also explains things as variance and basic strategies. If you want a book explaining the mathematics and strategies, then your could try reading Essential Poker Math. It explains the concepts of pot odds, EV, implied odds and how to calculate them.
if you play mixed games...doyles supersystem 1 and 2 are essential reading...especially the 5 card draw section by Mike Caro. Bobby Baldwin's section on PLO8 is also excellent...as is Daniel 'rebuy more-rake-is-better corporate shill' Negreanu's section on 2-7.
I recommend starting with some books that will excite you about the game and make you fall in love with the game. Positively Fifth Street, Ship it Holla Ballas, One of a Kind, and Molly's Game are all great for this. Back it up with movies like Rounders and Molly's Game.
Then Tommy Angelo's Elements of Poker is essential for laying down a proper foundation. Why Alex Beats Bobbie at Poker will build on that foundation and give you the proper frame of reference to learn strategy.
Next I would go into Andrew Brokos' Play Optimal Poker 1 to learn the basics of Game Theory.
Jonathan Little's Mastering Small Stakes No Limit Holdem is a great primer for a comprehensive strategy.
I'd then go back to Brokos and Play Optimal Poker 2.
Finally, Michael Acevedo's Modern Poker Theory is probably the pinnacle right now... but you'll need to build up to it first, which is what this type of path will accomplish.
If you are going to play live and have a good grasp of everything else, adding Zach Elwood's 3 tell book series is also worthwhile.
As you read, augment it with podcasts, videos, and lots of practice!
Good luck!
Then Tommy Angelo's Elements of Poker is essential for laying down a proper foundation. Why Alex Beats Bobbie at Poker will build on that foundation and give you the proper frame of reference to learn strategy.
Next I would go into Andrew Brokos' Play Optimal Poker 1 to learn the basics of Game Theory.
Jonathan Little's Mastering Small Stakes No Limit Holdem is a great primer for a comprehensive strategy.
I'd then go back to Brokos and Play Optimal Poker 2.
Finally, Michael Acevedo's Modern Poker Theory is probably the pinnacle right now... but you'll need to build up to it first, which is what this type of path will accomplish.
If you are going to play live and have a good grasp of everything else, adding Zach Elwood's 3 tell book series is also worthwhile.
As you read, augment it with podcasts, videos, and lots of practice!
Good luck!
Dara O'Kearney - Poker Satellite Strategy & PKO poker strategy (2 books)
Collin Moshman - Heads Up No Limit Hold 'Em
Larry Phillips - Zen and the Art of Poker
Molly Bloom - Molly's Game
(Dara and Collin are on CardsChat to answer any questions you might have about Poker too under learning poker thread) 🙂
Collin Moshman - Heads Up No Limit Hold 'Em
Larry Phillips - Zen and the Art of Poker
Molly Bloom - Molly's Game
(Dara and Collin are on CardsChat to answer any questions you might have about Poker too under learning poker thread) 🙂
the truth is that unfortunately I haven’t gotten to the point of reading a book on poker yet but it would probably be useful for the development of the game as well, and a lot of useful things and advice could be drawn from it. unfortunately I also have little time to read, but I would also like to further develop my poker skills and game, so I will take the time to learn about poker in the future!
ednaroza said:
Since you're playing online I could recommend two:
The grinders manual.
by Peter Clark
And
Poker workbook for math geeks.
by Doug Polk
There's some more recent ones.
But I read these two and even though they're from 5 years ago are still very good for 6max cash online games.
YuriSLopes said:
Poker Workbook For Math Geeks is actually written by Doug Hull, not Doug Polk. 😀
And just for clarity, The Grinders Manual is written by Peter Clarke, with an "e" at the end. A very small detail, I know, but I'm a stickler for details. It might help somebody who does a web search...
Two excellent books, good suggestions... altho the Doug Hull Workbook is not exactly a "book" in the traditional sense, it's a workbook filled with exercises that you are meant to fill in the blanks and then go to the back section and look up the answers to see how you did. But for a math geek such as myself, I really enjoy that sort of thing. I was one of those weirdos who got excited for math classes in school while everybody else hated them. 🙂 Who knew that it would eventually benefit me in my poker "career"? (well, okay, hobby hehe)
Surely there are many of them and in each you can take something for yourself. I haven't read the book yet. But I read manuals on poker on the Internet and drew a lot of interesting information for myself. And in time, I would read it again.
Lots of great recommendations in this thread. Especially anything by Tommy Angelo - it will improve your life while it improves your game...and your mood.
As no one (I think) has so far mentioned any poker novels, I have to give a shout out to 'Shut Up & Deal' by Jesse May. If you loved Rounders, chances are you'll eat this up.
And you really should, it's fantastic.
As no one (I think) has so far mentioned any poker novels, I have to give a shout out to 'Shut Up & Deal' by Jesse May. If you loved Rounders, chances are you'll eat this up.
And you really should, it's fantastic.
seraxel said:
Good recommendations in this post, imo. 'Positively Fifth Street' by James McManus is the best non-poker poker book around, and all Tommy Angelo's stuff is worth a read - especially 'A Rubber Band Story' and 'Painless Poker'.
I would be more inclined to see content on social networks than to read a book since just seeing the thickness of the book would not encourage me to read it, there professional players who make direct shows where they teach you everything there to know about poker, and how to confront to an aggressive rival🙂