Best books

What do you think is the very best book for not complete beginners, but people having played for years wanting to improve their game? Mainly cash games but MTTs I also play once in a while. Which book changed your game the most?

The Mental Game of Poker by Jared Tendler, Barry Carter. This book helped me overcome my tilt anxiety and rethink my attitude towards the game.

If you want the most amazing books (IMO) for tournament poker buy Harrington on Hold’em 1+2. They are amazing, they will get you to the final table many times if you follow his conservative style. I am working on my ultra loose/bluffing game so getting to the final table is not my priority right now. Those books hold up well, even today for low stakes/large field tournaments...and can buy them used, shipped for like 5 bucks each. Fantastic books, even though old, they are amazing and full of awesome info to build a tournament playing foundation on.

Dan Harrington won wsop in 1994 or 1995 (can’t remember) and can see him finish at final table with moneymaker at 3rd or 4th. His methods will give you a perfect solid foundation for playing tournaments in a conservative fashion and easily to the final table many times in many of today’s games at lower stakes.

I don't read poker books any more but when I did the first 4 chapters of Applications of No-Limit Hold'em by Mathew Janda was pretty good. Super System and Barry Greinstein's book are the most entertaining though, that I've read. Past a certain skill level I think all poker books become useless. In the end you need to run the calculations and study the strategy, looking for patterns. There is no substitute anymore in my opinion.

If you are interested in nash-equilibrium strategies though, I would recommend to stay away from Modern Poker Theory. I've tried to read the first one but it's so basic trying to look valuable by being disguised with lots of math and copy and past filler material. Waste of time and money, and again, isn't a substitute for doing the work yourself.

MichaelTyler said:

I don't read poker books any more but when I did the first 4 chapters of Applications of No-Limit Hold'em by Mathew Janda was pretty good. Super System and Barry Greinstein's book are the most entertaining though, that I've read. Past a certain skill level I think all poker books become useless. In the end you need to run the calculations and study the strategy, looking for patterns. There is no substitute anymore in my opinion.

If you are interested in nash-equilibrium strategies though, I would recommend to stay away from Modern Poker Theory. I've tried to read the first one but it's so basic trying to look valuable by being disguised with lots of math and copy and past filler material. Waste of time and money, and again, isn't a substitute for doing the work yourself.

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I myself do not agree with that, because I learn new elements of poker in almost any book I read or video I watch. Now whether or not that really applies to my game overall (to make money) is definitely subjective, but for me, learning more and having more knowledge of the game is beneficial and of course enjoyable!

If just toying with strategies was all it took, you would be a multi-millionaire like the rest of the high pros lol.

No, there is value in learning all you can if you want to take the game serious. It doesn't just come with reading a few books and winging it from there on out with practice. It takes diligent study and practice at the same time.

I do know that some have a natural ability to just pick up on the game instantly, but most get disappointed after they run hot for a period of time, then when they have a major downswing...Most do not resurface, this is why you do not see the same hotshots from the early days still striving to this day.

No few books will ever skyrocket anyone to a level of excellence, and for sure not tweaking on the fly will either, even if you run hot for a short time.

It is a huge craft that takes many years to get "close" to mastering, as you can never truly "master" poker as there is the element of luck that exists with every hand, of every game.

Sorry I just winged this reply, I can revise it if I want to spend more time on it, but nup

I always recommend Jonathan Little's Mastering Small Stakes No-Limit Hold'em.

It can be fairly in depth, especially if you've never really studied poker theory before, but not to the point that you get bogged down.

You can also read it again and again and still learn new things, or gain a better understanding of what was being said. I'm currently reading it for the 3rd time and find it just as valuable.

I'm reading Decide to Play Great Poker - Annie Duke / John Vorhaus.

It's such a nice book.

jimmiandersen said:

What do you think is the very best book for not complete beginners, but people having played for years wanting to improve their game? Mainly cash games but MTTs I also play once in a while. Which book changed your game the most?

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Phil Gordon's Little Green Book, that book completely changed my vision of cards like QT

the best book is the bible

Doyle Brunson - SUPER SYSTEM
When it came out, I got great advice for a number of different games.

I think it’s better not books will help the best way is to look at professional players who have done everything from scratch, thereby you will learn more from those people who have already done it

I think that for experienced players, it is important to read psychology books. The emotional state of the player always plays a very important role and therefore it is necessary to be able to analyze your emotions in order to be able to keep them under control.