Best Book To Read...

I have Dan Harrington's first book on hold 'em and am about to start reading it. Is it a good one in terms of learning the game and strategy? Or should I go for a different one?

Yep, it's a great book. It was the first one I read when I started playing and really helped me understand the game better.

if ur looking for a great poker book and a great read go for Doyle's super system. Improved my game a ton, especially my Limit holdem game. Also a lot of interesting poker anicdotes aswell.

Harrington is a good choice

His first 2 books on tourneys are very good, but haven't read his cash game books, and the tourney stuff isn't always good for cash games, and vice versa. SuperSystem is good if you want to learn many games.

SS is a good book, but, its really heavy reading so maybe not the best one for some one reading his first poker books and its NL chapter is massivly outdated(its aimed for like 200BB+ deep live cash game where u could run over the table by just raising draw).
JMO

First tournament book is excellent, and I'm about half way through the second (I'm a slow reader) and it is worth it too.

If you only read one tournament book, Harrington on Hold Em is it.

This is one of the books you have to read if you want to know something about poker!
Read the second and third book of him too!
It will help you to improve your game!

For Tornament Hold Em? I love Full Tilt Strategy Poker Guide.

i think best book is: Mike Matusows: Check-Raising The Devil. much of good info about much situations was wery good

The Matusow book is a biography so its not the best strategy book...

Harrington's books are very good. His style is firmly rooted in game theory, and he demonstrates a very solid method for mixing your game enough to ensure opponents cannot have easy decisions.

While I truly love this style for better opposition, at microstakes online, or $200nl live, it's far too advanced. He does cover this caveat as well, which is a nice touch.

I've read lots, and lots of books, and honestly I think the most important thing is to remember to play. If you just study and study, and never implement what you're trying to take in, it's very difficult. Make sure you're putting time in on the felt as well, some of your best lessons will come there.

Ill tell you what book I like going back too and is a great toilet book (men will know what I mean) is Zen and the art of poker. Its good because you can open at any page and read, is good to have in your pocket too for waiting rooms etc as you dont have to really think so hard about it.

For gaining a solid foundation for NLHE Tournament play, the HOH series cannot be beat. There are some books you could consider picking up after getting thru these but I'd recommend reading both Vol.1 & 2 first.
(for sure you're heading in the right direction.. great choice of book btw!!). I'd also consider reading Phil Gordon's 'Little Green Book' (at same time or perhaps prior to HOH Vol.1).

I personally wouldn't recommend Doyle's SuperSystem and can't understand folks who would pick it as their first choice (or first book to read). I've read a few dozen+ books and SS wouldn't come close to my Top10 list.

If you're planning on specializing in SNG play, Collin Moshmann's SNG Strategy is without parallel (2p2 calling it the 'Bible of SNG's').

Aside from HOH another great book on Tournament strategy is Kill Everyone, this book introduced some new concepts to me and definitely improved my game.

http://www.thepokerforum.com/bookreviews64082008.htm

I have read the Harrington books Vol. I, II and the workbook several times now. Each time I read it I get more out of it. Those little details and little nuances that I may have glanced over on previous readings I am starting to pick up and starting to understand how important they are. Each time I get stuck at a plateau in development, I go back to the HOH books and can usually find the answers I am looking for.

As for Mase's post, I mostly agree with that: studying + playing experience = maximum benefit. One compliments the other. Also he is right about the microlimits. Some of the stuff he goes over (I.E. squeeze play) isn't going to be too effective at the lower levels. However, Dan is a very solid player (I don't think anyone is going to dispute that) and if you can get a good grasp of what he is trying to teach, you are going to have a firm foundation to build off of. From there you can start branching out and learn new stuff, like concepts found in 'Kill Everyone' (as mentioned by rStormChaser).

The book 'The Poker Mindset' I think is another good book. It does not deal with the mechanics of playing, but the mental aspects of the game. If you are learning the game I would probably put it on hold. Once you start taking bad beats and you start going on tilt frequently, that's when I would read it.

Lastly, the article written by Chris Ferguson on proper Bankroll Management should be at the top of your list. Takes about 10 minutes to read but will save you the heartache of trying to figure out what limits to play and when you should move up (or down).

Lots of great stuff out there. Good luck.

Mike Karo's book is awesome!

harringtons is worth your time...but if you really want to profit playing this game...focus your time and effort on cash tables...go and buy phil gordons little blue book...its like the bible to me

I was looking at that book on amazon and I was looking for some positive reviews. I'm glad I saw this post.
What did you like about this book. Does it really teach you something new?
I'm really thinking about adding this book to my library.
If anyone else has read this book, what is your opinion?

Thanks

I am currently reading this, and it's very interesting stuff very suitable for today's aggressive game.

But I find it very difficult (suck at math), so only progressing slowly.

Did it take you long to succesfully and quickly apply stuff like bubble factor/tournaments odds to call etc... ?

A good book is Power Hold'em Strategy, by Daniel Negreanu

Hello,

I liked Ken Warrens winning Holdem.

little blue book is mostly about tour. situations

books on cash games are harrington on cash games part 1 and 2

The theory of poker should be the first book read by every new poker player. The definitions are the basics to every other worthwhile poker book on the market.

very interesting advices here.
I agree that the Harrington on HE books are really useful, and I plan to read them again soon.
And I definitely will pick a couple from this thread, probably the Colin Moshman's that seem great

I read a book called Ken Warren Teaches Hold 'em. This book was criticized a little bit in a review I subsequently read, but I liked it. It provides exercises to teach you instead of just lecturing. However, it is for the very beginner who may not even know the rules yet.

After reading the book I drove to Atlantic City and played live poker for the only time in my life. I played $2/4 limit HE and finished up approximately $250 after an 18 hour session. So the book isn't all bad. It it easy reading and clear lessons, but it is for beginners.

Is Super System II a continuation (or sequel) to Super System? Do you have to read SS and then read SSII or can you go straight to SSII without missing much?

Is his article online anywhere? Got a link?

Thanks,
-SD

Sklansky's NLHE: theory and practice has helped me out a toooon. pick it up, it will definitely help yo game

The first poker book I read was Phil Gordon's Little Green Book. It was easy to read and has tons of information. I ended up buying the Little Blue Book and Black Book also. There is more poker history in the black one. It's all good. Someone mentioned having a hard time understanding Doyle Brunson's Super System. I got it and only read the NLHE parts. That makes it a little easier because I'm not that interested in other poker games at the moment. I have not read Dan Harrington's book yet, but it is on my list of must reads.

I have been wondering and asking several players which book I should read as I am a beginner to Poker. I have been learning as I go, but really would like a book concerning the very basics of Poker. This is probably a backward way of learning, but I just jumped into playing into the deep end of the pool. I have heard a lot of conflicting advice...and some have been helpful, while others have not. Can anyone recommend a very basic handbook that will allow me to go into a tournament with knowledge rather than 'guessing & learning as I go'?
For the most part, I'm not a bad player...I can hold my own most of the time for 2- 2 1/2 hrs till my chips usually run out. I would like to know how I can learn about side pots v. main pots...the logic isn't very logical to me! I'd like to know how to immediately build up a big stack of chips in order to compete with others that do.
I am looking forward to replies that will enable me to eventually play very well indeed, & without looking & feeling like I'm 'lost at sea' because I'm not sure of what I'm doing! Thanks!

When i can find this book? Matusow great player,and i will learned his school !
(answer me in PM)

I should check out Harrington's book. I'm still not good in playing poker, as I am learning it by searching in the internet. I will find this in any bookstore and to purchase it for making myself a good poker player someday, like everyone's favorite, Texas Hold'Em.

Chris' article on BRM.

http://www.chrisferguson.com/article-4

Internet is your friend:

Amazon.com: Mike Matusow: Check-Raising the Devil (9781580422611): Mike Matusow, Amy Calistri, Dr Tim Lavalli: Books

I have read Phil Gorodon's books and i think they are pretty good books for beginners. You may also want to check out "Every Hand Revealed by Gus Hansen". Gus's books is mainly about hand reading and reading your opponents. There is very little poker strategy in the book, but you may learn some tournament strategies.