my recommendations, which have become somewhat standard reading for all players from what i hear:
lee jones "winning low limit holdem" - the perfect starter book for beginners, whether you play limit or no limit. it will help tighten your game up and teach you a bit about
odds, etc.
doyle brunson "super/system" - all around good book, but the message is simple: be aggressive. selectively aggressive, but aggressive. this works for cash games, but will likely bust you out of tournaments, particularly online ones. (note: this book covers a number of
poker games, not just limit/NL holdem.)
mike caro "book of poker tells" - very useful if you play live games in helping you understand the nature of
tells, what to look for, and how to interpret them.
sklanksy and malmuth "holdem poker for advanced players" - more of a theory and reference book than anything. well worth the read, particularly to reinforce statistics/percentages/odds understanding.
dan harrington "harrington on holdem: no limit tournaments, vols 1 and 2" - probably the definitive book(s) on tournament NL holdem. highly recommended. lots of advanced strategy for each stage of a tournament. many good examples of real
hands, problem sets, etc.
before you buy every poker book ever printed, consider first what games you play. obviously if you play holdem, dont waste your time with omaha books, or even all-encompassing poker books, because the material will be spread thin. if you play limit holdem (or NL for that matter), definitely start with lee jones' book, and upgrade to sklansky/malmuth's "bible." if you play cash limit and/or NL games, super/system may be your best bet. and for tournaments you really cant beat harrington's offerings.
one final note: all of the above books, with the exception of lee jones' "winning low limit holdem," assume you understand basic concepts like
pot odds, implied odds, percentages, etc.. they are not for the newbie or even "beginner," as most of them offer advanced strategies. furthermore, much of the advice these books give (particular in super system and harrington on holdem) assume that you are playing against other non-beginners. do NOT try to apply super system at your average home game, or harrington's advice in low level STTs because you will undoubtedly lose all your money to chasers. these books offer "advanced" strategy to be used by smart players against other smart players, so keep that in mind.
happy reading!
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post script:
theres another book i would recommend for pot limit games (omaha, O8, holdem, stud), but i forget the title. when i get home ill check the shelf and post the name/author.
