Thoughts on Poker Books ?

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razzor94

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I feel like nowadays players who start at the begining with a desire to be good pay litle attention to the most efficient type of learning, reading a poker book. I am starting this thread to see how many of us here are reading, or have read a book about poker and to urge new players to start reading. I recommend for cash games "Harrington on cash games" Vol1 and Vol2. It helped me a lot in combination with training videos and playing experience. I am struggling a litle with my tournament play and was told to read "Kill Everyone" by Lee Nelson, and it has some good reviews although its recommended for intermediate and advanced players.
Also one i am looking forward to read is "The Mental Game of Poker" by Jared Tendler which should help me to upgrade with the mental part of my game. Thats something you cant find on training videos.
I 'd love to here some of your thoughts on this topic and what do you think is a better way to learn. Training videos or poker books ? Do you have a book to recommend ? How much time do you spend learning, thinking and analyzing your game ?
Thanks.
 
MoeJurphy

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I've recently picked up Lee Jones' Winning at Low Limit hold 'em which is ideal for beginners learning to play solid poker, I would also recommend Dan Harringtons Harrington on Hold ’em which many say is still the best poker book.

Digest both of these books and you will see an improvement in your game :)

Obviously there are lots of other books out there two these are just the two I would suggest to get you started.
 
Al Spath

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Book Review – “Winning No-Limit Hold’em” by Ashley Adams

Either you just caught the poker bug, or have had the bug and are struggling to get to the next level, or you find yourself asking everyone, “what should I read, where do I start?”

Let me recommend you pick up Ashley’s newest book, “Winning No-Limit Hold’em.” His practical approach to INFORM and TEACH the reader is smooth and very transparent. He explains and demonstrates his game theory based on countless years of experience of success and failures. This is what sets him apart from other authors and frankly other poker players. Ashley “feels your pain,” he’s done that, asked that stupid question, made a fatal mistake, but recovered and learned from each experience.

In this book, Ashley takes you from the ‘basics” to “next level and beyond.” If you are already a top flight player, then this book is one you should gift to a player you encouraged to play poker so their transition to your level will be swift and seamless. Don’t be mislead, this book is not for everyone, although the foundational concepts covered could indeed help some upper tier players regain their balance, this book (IMHO), is for the new players, the struggling players, the intermediate players who got to that level and somehow where not instructed properly along the way.

Players want to feel like the writer understands the frustrations and hurdles we all face as we take our lumps at the table. Ashley illustrates that poker is not only a game of skill and experience, but odds and outs, deception, and control of your emotions to mention a few chapters in his book. He talks about tournament play, online play, and improving your overall game. When he finishes a chapter, you’re provided a review and questions that will challenge you to reinforce what you read and help you build a knowledge base that will not let you down.

No one in poker knows it all, although many think it. I learned plenty by reading this book, and as it should, it reminded me of concepts I knew, but had (maybe), let slide. One new word was introduced to me: “Semi-Demi-bluffing!” No, I won’t explain it to those who (like me), never heard of it, you have to buy the book and have a great read!
 
Al Spath

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Book Review: “The Poker Mindset”

Ian Taylor and Matthew Hilger have co authored a book that provides the reader with an ideal source document to better explain the complex mental side of poker. The meat of the text (for this reader), is when they dive into subjects such as tilt, bankroll, downswings and getting into the mind of your opponents.
With the authors’ permission, I’d like to provide an example of how they describe the underlying attitudes or “stages” associated with handling a bad beat:
“To further illustrate the difference between the stages, let’s look at a limit hand example from the point of view of a representative player we will call Rick.
Rick is dealt Ad Kh in middle position. He open raises, the player on the button re-raises, and the big blind calls, as does Rick.
The flop is Ac Kd 8s. The big blind checks, as does Rick. The button bets, the big blind calls, and Rick check-raises. Both opponents call.
The turn is a 9c. The big blind checks, Rick bets, the button folds, and the big blind calls.
The river is a 6c. The big blind now bets, Rick calls, and his opponent shows 7d 5d for a backdoor straight.
How will Rick respond to this hand? It all depends on what stage he is at.
Stage 1 – I can’t believe it! What was he thinking about calling all those bets? He had nothing the entire hand and lucked out. What an idiot! This always happens to me, it’s so unfair! I’m going to do my best to get back at him and win my chips back.
Stage 2 – What a bad beat! Losing an eleven big bet pot to a suckout like that really hurts. How can you win at this game when players call down with garbage and then hit? I know in the long term he will lose all his money, but I really needed that pot. That has put me in a real hole!
Stage 3 – Ouch! Oh well, that’s poker I suppose. If he keeps playing like that, I will take his money in the long term, so I just have to be patient. I’ll make sure I remember that he is a calling station and play accordingly. I wonder if there was any way of winning that pot had I played differently.
Stage 4 - Okay, I now know that the guy on the big blind will call down with pretty much anything, so I will take that into account from now on. I wonder what the button had. Maybe he had JJ or TT. It’s worth knowing that he will make a continuation bet in that situation. Maybe I should have bet out on the flop in the hope that the button would have raised? That might have driven the big blind out, although I’m not sure I want to drive him out if he’s willing to pay off all those bets with such a weak hand.
As you can see, Rick has two advantages when he is at stage 3 or 4. First, he accepts the result of the hand and so is less likely to go on tilt, and second, he is using his time more productively to think about the things that really matter. These are two good reasons why every player should want to move beyond the lower stages to reach these levels of thinking.”
After blogging this excerpt at www.pokerschoolonline.com, I asked the members if they would like to share their view on which stage they could relate to themselves and here is a sampling:

• “I'm usually in Stage 3 most of the time, sometimes in stage 4, although if I have been playing a while, and particularly in several tourneys at once, I go on tilt more easily.”
• “We can know all the math and all of the angles, but learning how to control our emotions and going to the tables prepared takes a lot of practice and discipline.”
• “Definitely stage 1, I try to reach stage 3 which I do for most of the time, then some outrageous things happen and I fall down to one. I still got work to do so does everyone else even if they think not.”
• “I am usually stage 3, I do say a mental ouch or something a bit more colorful but I don't let a bad beat affect my play though I will often pretend it has put me on tilt to get more action on my big hands.”
As you can see, just this excerpt fueled a bevy of responses and interaction between members which lead to more curiosity and critical discovery.
The Taylor/Hilger book allows the reader to see a situation from many angles; including angles that most beginners are unaware exist. The advice is sound, rationale, and on point. If you are going to add a new book to your poker library, pick up a copy of “The Poker Mindset” and consider it another piece of the puzzle found.
 
Al Spath

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Are You Your Worst Poker Enemy?

Your Worst Poker Enemy by Dr. Alan Schoonmaker, PhD, tackles issues associated with logical thinking as it relates to the psychological impact of playing poker. Dr. Schoonmaker replicates the rollercoaster ride poker players experience by addressing such subjects as head games, varying emotions, irrational thinking, and sometimes even exaggerated masculinity (machismo) which players endure on a daily or regular basis both online and live.

This author is quick to point out: “I’m not a poker expert. I’m a psychologist who plays for moderate stakes and writes about poker psychology. I rarely give advice about playing specific cards because many people can do it better.” To this end he stays true to his word and provides the reader, insights, which include, recommendations on how to deal with emotional instability and suggestions on logical thinking while in stressful situations (can seem like every hand) during play.

He has the ability to “remind” you of the exact emotion a player feels when handling a tough beat or when there is significant damage to his bankroll and there is the instant awakening: “This is me he is talking about; I’d better reread that page again.”

Dr. Schoonmaker takes the readers attention into the much feared conditions of: running bad, anger, arrogance, paranoia, tilt, losing streaks, aggravations, denial and not knowing when to quit. His ability to recreate the “conditions” that each of us face at one time or another is uncanny and makes us want to read more on how to combat these obstacles to “winning poker.”

There were a few passages in particular that rang so true to me by my own observations at PSO (PokerSchoolOnline.com) and other poker internet sites as well as live play. Specifically, “If you listen, a few dummies will tell you exactly how to beat them.”
The Dr. illustrates with these examples:
• “I’m not aggressive. I won’t raise unless I’m almost certain I’ve got a winner.”
• “I’ll always bet on the flop if I’m last and nobody has bet.”
• “I’ll call all the way with anything, if a pot is big enough, but I’m not willing to make loose calls for small pots.”
• “I never check-raise because I believe in betting my own hands.”

The last chapter primarily concentrates on the degree of seriousness to which a player should take poker and I found his observations and recommendations to be spot-on. In particular, not allowing poker playing to take over your life, setting your priorities, questioning if you are doing yourself harm with over-indulgence, making sure you are playing “within your means and in the right comfort zone,” and finally, deciding on options to diversify and balance your life.

After reading Your Worst Poker Enemy, a member at PSO offered this statement:
“This is a must read. In fact it is an excellent book for anybody whether they play poker or not. Mastering the mental game is something everybody can use whether you are competing at Poker, in sports, at other games or trying to advance in your job. If you are honest with yourself after reading this book you will gain a better understanding of yourself and why we do things that are counterproductive. This will lead you into playing your “A” game more consistently and give you an understanding of why your opponents are playing the way they do. I would strongly suggest this book to anybody who finds themselves in a competitive situation. (Tulio Braz, aka Sabbath).

Recommended reading of Dr. Schoonmaker’s book is not only essential for you to compliment your experience and table skills, it should be mandatory for all players who display the emotional instability to perform and sustain excellence associated with playing at the top of their game. My library of poker books is hardly complete; however, with the addition of “Your Worst Poker Enemy,” I have enriched my mind as well as my book shelf collection.
 
Al Spath

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7-Card Stud - 42 Lessons by “Roy West”
If Lee Jones book (Winning at Low Limit Hold’em) is the best entry level book for hold’em, with Matthew Hilger’s (Internet Texas Hold’em) right there also, then I have to give the nod to Roy’s 42 Lessons as the best beginner 7 Stud (high) book around.

Roy takes you from third street to seventh street with information you must have knowledge of to become a winning stud player. His approach is covering all contingencies along the way and pointing out why or why not you should be in the hand at all.
The author asks and answers the tough questions about studying your opponents:
What is the texture of the hands you see them play?
Are they a check-raiser?
A slow-player?
Will they raise with a drawing hand?
Some players rarely bluff. Some raise on a whim. Some are super-solid, selectively aggressive, well-disciplined, consistent winners. You need to know “which is what.”
Roy provides tons of tips, here are some classics on reading hands:
• A player pairing his fourth street card is more likely to have two pair than trips.
• A player who makes a flush is most likely to make it in the suit of their doorcard.
• A player cannot have a full house at fifth street or sixth streets, without showing at least one pair. The same is true of four of a kind on fifth and sixth. But be aware, that at seventh street, it is possible for an opponent to have a full house, or even four of a kind, with no pair showing on their board.
The book covers ring (cash games) and tournament play and the writing style of the author makes it very easy to follow the rationale approach to play 7 Stud (Hi).

This small sized book carries a big wallop, and you will begin winning instantly. A second or third read through the book (should not take much time at all), will help solidify the concepts he is laying down for you to follow.

To not buy this book first would be a huge mistake.
 
STL FAN

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Hope all is going well and glad to meet you. I have read Advanced Limit Holdem Strategy by Barry Tanenbaum, Lee Jones Limit Holdem Strategy, Daniel Nagreanu Holdem wisdom, Haseeb Qureshi The Philosophy of a Poker Player, Jared Tendler The Mental Game of Poker, David Sklansky The Theory of Poker, David Sklnasky Holdem Poker for Advanced Players, Alan Schoonmaker Ph.D. Your Worst Poker Enemy, Doyle Brunson's Super system; owning all these books will let me reread them especially after a period of time after letting my game run then reread to see what I have learned or may have missed from reading these the initial time.

A person will not be able to master the information unless the time is put in to practice reread then play and repeat when necessary. I also have read many math based books because I need this recognition of what math players are doing because there are so many math based players that are just going to use math based software to support math based decisions. I read these to keep a keen understanding of where my opponent is at on how they understand math and then it makes it easier to recognize mistakes they make in situations that math will make their decisions for them as an example.

What this part means to me; the opponent is comfortable, what they are doing is not actually a mistake from their own thought process, but I am observing from a different perspective that from my thought process it will be a mistake from no fault of their own. Then it comes down to do they understand, observe, or even care what I am doing at the table when I am in a hand? This approach covers a wide variety of players not just math based players; this still can go south because of poker being abstract as a few examples.

I started playing limit poker when I first started playing and would love to continue to play but ACR limit tables do not fill up at the level I am willing to play. This base information is the basic of the books read it becomes the first two levels of my game. The next two levels are filled with the psychology that I am still going to school for and then understanding how the brain works for me and what I see in others. Creativity of my own information from my two coaches and what I continue to read about philosophy, the mental game book from Jared Tendler as a few examples. When I find myself lost I can always go back and reset my basic skills then fix my game then go back to the next two levels.

What helped me improve was learning and applying the basic information, and then throwing out the basic information to expand my game with the next two levels of information, otherwise a person will be just stuck on the first two levels and I find that is just basic poker information that has been mastered to the point of unconscious competence. Then adding the next two levels and learning this to the point of unconscious competence. I have acquired the ability to put someone on an exact hand, that allows me to expand my game post flop. Board texture skills, hand reading abilities, and other technical skills comes from limit poker.

The mental muscle will build and then I do not have to put someone on an exact hand, just when I need to because to do this constantly, continuously it takes mental muscle I need for other aspects of poker. The other information learned allows the brain to store new information and then inch worm your game along; which will allow my B- game to be my old “A” game for example.

Then I started reading books about how to bluff, pick off bluffs, and talked countless hours, years with my coaches about bluffs because they play much different than I. This helps to get a different perspective of which to learn. The best information about the game of poker was not acquired from a poker book, but without reading the books prior; I could have not bought in to what was being taught to me by better players than I. I am currently rereading Jared’s book for the third time and going to read the philosophy of a poker player after I finish for the second time. Hope everyone has a success in their poker journey.
 
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Sam Carter

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Poker books

Hi.
I want to share with my experience of different poker books. I have read a lot of them (a kind of hobby). I noticed a book "Poker by the Book". Author has collected all useful information from 9 years of teaching. The book is easy to read and understand. That book is good for those men who have just started playing poker but has a strong desire to develop their skills.
 
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lauraPOKER

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Hi fellows:
I read 2 books about póker strategies and I must admit they helped me a lot to understand beyond the basics.

read, play, read play.. great combination!!!!!!!!

Hi.
I will try to get hold of it overseas.

Rgds
Laura


Hi.
I want to share with my experience of different poker books. I have read a lot of them (a kind of hobby). I noticed a book "Poker by the Book". Author has collected all useful information from 9 years of teaching. The book is easy to read and understand. That book is good for those men who have just started playing poker but has a strong desire to develop their skills.
 
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tkearly

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My favorite on cash games (my bread and butter) is Dan Harrington's.
Harrington on cash games volume one and two.
 
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razzor94

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Wow, some really nice posts. So glad i started this thread. You can really take a pencil a right some of this down. Nice recommendations from Al Spath. I will surely cosider reading some of them. STL FAN has some really good points on dealing with those math geeks. I see you want to get in their heads, and i really like how you think. I can see that you are an advanced player and like you said the best way to learn is to learn from someone better than you. Thats why i joined this forum and i am glad there are people like you willing to share their thoughts.
 
Al Spath

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"The Course" by Ed Miller (reviewed by Al Spath)

Sometimes you need a book to be written that allows the reader (in this case the poker player), to follow along with the information provided, and apply it to the situations we all encounter at the table.

In "The Course" Serious Hold’em Strategy for Smart Players, by Ed Miller, this Card Player Magazine weekly contributor, presents material exactly what is needed to play at the 1/2 and 1/3 NL tables, and then takes it two steps forward, providing the necessary guidance to ad...vance into 2/5 and finally 5/10 tables.

NOTE: I believe this book really helps those struggling at the lower end of these no limit tables, concentrating on pre-flop decisions, card ranges, and of course position. Suited-ness plays a role, but Ed skillfully allows you to select the right time to apply this factor, giving it the extra allowance needed to play a particular pot.

Recently one of my online clients here in Maryland, who has read the book 5 times, yes FIVE times (who has memorized the charts, the ranges provided and more), and is smoking them at the 2/5 tables (@ both the Horseshoe and Maryland Live). On a recent cruise, they did not have daily poker tables available, however on the way back to port, they did present a poker tournament, which he played, applied the same theories, and won first place, a $2,000 watch, and a ton of swag. Now, I sure would like to hear from those who have read the book, and for those who haven't, I highly recommend you get the E-edition or the book from reputable book stores and online distributors like Amazon.com.

If you haven't purchased and read this book, you should ask yourself if playing poker is just entertainment or recreation for yourself. Should that be the case, then don't bother acquiring this book, but if it's your intention to supplement your income, create a new stream of permanent income, or to move higher into the cash table world, then don't delay, get this book today. (Al Spath - me, is an poker author, book reviewer, and poker instructor). I rarely review a book where I had the privilege to personally receive prior to its publishing, and report any errors (grammatical, punctuation, or confusing sentences), to the author. In addition, if I felt a particular subject could be further explored (from a players perspective), I made that observation for any updates the author may make in the upcoming editions but to be honest, they were minor. It's a terrific book! Many of my clients have purchased it and to a person they said it helped make their game better instantly.
 
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Silix00

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Is it worth buying a book about poker?
 
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razzor94

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Is it worth buying a book about poker?

It is, if you know what you re looking for. Try finding some of them on the internet. There are many out there for free.
 
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