The value of poker books

[RRR]

There has been a lot of discussion about learning and which books to get. Today I played in True's freeroll I made a play based on something I read earlier today in a poker book that retails for 29.95 and I was able to gain a chip lead and win $3k from something I read in a book taht reatial for 29.95 (I think I paid less than that for it). In case anyone wondered it was Harringtonon Hold'em, but I woudl recommend that anyone that is going to play seriously read everything by 2+2 and everything by Bob Ciaffone and Super System. Also when reading Super SYstem do not skip over the games you dont' play there is a lot of valuable theory info in there. Whenever I find myself under-performing in high low split games I reread the section in Super System about High low. The game in tehre is never played any more lower than 40-80, but the info can be applied to all split pot games.

[MindRot]

I agree. Poker books are a great source of knowledge. The only greater source, imo, is experience.

However, I've been lead to believe that the higher limits you go(30/60+), that you have to start tossing the books out the window. I don't know this for sure, as I don't play that high of limits, but that is what I've heard.

[Ajw]

This might sound like a dumb question but can you post 2+2 website for me plesae.

[RRR]

However, I've been lead to believe that the higher limits you go(30/60+), that you have to start tossing the books out the window. I don't know this for sure, as I don't play that high of limits, but that is what I've heard.

This is not true but you need to read the books deeper and study more. At that level everyone has read the books and you will need to vary your play some. THe strategy advice given is still very solid but the books do talk about varying your actual tactics. When the HPFAP was written they said their advice was good for up to and including $40-$80. Back in those days Mason Malumuth played 30-60 and 40-80. These days he is playing 100-200 so I woudl guess wiht the explosion and inflation of poker that their advice is good up to the 100-200 level. They also say you should not jump into a 40-80 game. As you gain experience and reread the books (it is important to continually study) there will be things in the book that you suddenly see in a new light. As you move up in limits you will see subtle changes in the games. A good sign you are ready to move up is when you can identfy specific flaws in an opponents thinking.

[MindRot]

Originally Posted by Ajw

This might sound like a dumb question but can you post 2+2 website for me plesae.

www.twoplustwo.com

[wond3rbr3ad]

I still say limiting yourself to one author or even one publishing company is just plain stupid.

[Barton]

I don't think anyone is implying stick to one author or publishing company. 2+2 is without question the premier outfit. There are some other good books out there, but there is also some trash. Anything from 2+2 is unlikely to be trash.

[ugly24]

Originally Posted by wond3rbr3ad

I still say limiting yourself to one author or even one publishing company is just plain stupid.

read whatever you like, but 2+2 publishing puts out the definitive works on poker and gambling. There are other good books out there, but you have to be careful what you get. If you get something 2+2 published, its spot on.

Authors to look for:
Mason Malmuth
Ed Miller
David Sklansky
Ray Zee

*****

I'm not sure if I've posted this before, but if I were starting to learn Hold 'Em today the books I would read (in pretty close to this order) are:

Hold 'Em Poker by David Sklansky
Small Stakes Hold 'Em by Ed Miller / David Sklansky / Mason Malmuth
Theory of Poker by David Sklansky
Hold 'Em Poker for Advanced Players by DSklansky
Super System 2 (I'm starting it now ... if anyone has read 1 and 2 and wants to comment about the value of reading both, I'd love to hear it as I've not read 1)
Pot Limit / No Limit Poker by Ciaffone (I don't recall exact title and Ciaffone had a co-author, but an Amazon search should find it).

******

Harrington on Hold 'Em 1 and 2 fit in there somewhere, but I haven't read the first and the 2nd is just released (or just about to be). Also, an author named King Yao has put out a book about limit hold 'em that has received VERY good reviews. Again, haven't read it, but my most trusted poker "mentor" has read it and recommends it... so I'll get to it soon.

And that's my book info for the month of July...

ugly24

[RRR]

Ugly you hit the list pretty good. I have SUper SYstem 2 sitting here to read I havent' read it yet. Super System is a must read. A lot of people skip over the games that aren't played any more, but this is a mistake; poker is poker and everything in there is quite valuable. I would put Bob Ciaffone's Improve Your Poker on that list and hold off on the no limit book. All of the books you listed are must reads, I would also add Al Schoonmaker's Psychology of Poker on there for someoen learnign and then John Feeney's Inside the Poker Mind for a more advanced player. There area a few boooks I would recommend that aren't 2+2: Super System (I haven't read SS 2 and can't comment on it) and anything by Bob Ciaffone, but other than those I would stick to the 2+2 particuarly as an inexperienced player that isn't able to seperate the good from the bad. Almost all poker books have some value, but why not go through all the ones that are known to be good (Poker Essays by Mason Malmuth comes to mind) before going out and buying something that was thrown together and has a TV player's name slapped on it.

[furrykef]

I often see people recommending either Small Stakes Hold'em by Sklansky, Malmuth, and Miller, or Winning Low-Limit Hold'em by Lee Jones. I haven't yet seen somebody recommending both. I only have SSHE and I also have a bias toward the 2+2 guys, but I wonder if Jones' book is worth reading even if you have SSHE.

- Kef

[chris]

here's my favorites, in order of sophistication bottom to top:

full limit ring
1. ken warren teaches THE
2. leee jones winning low limit holdem
3. sklansky THE for advanced players
4. ciaffones middle limit poker

i haven't read sshe yet because i hate limit right now.

short limit
1. hellmuths. i know that book sucks, but it does magnify the level of aggression you need to play well shorthanded, which is the toughest thing for new players to get used to.
2. sklansky THEFAP

NL ring
1. harrington's tournament book is the best ring NL book i've ever read, oddly.
2. s/s
3. ciaffone and rubens PL / NL poker

nl tournament
1. harrington ties with sklanskys TPFAP. they are complimentary.

limit tournament
1. i would rather shoot myself in the kneee than play a limit tournament, so i don't study on them.

books i found a bit useless: all of vorhaus's stuff, all the zen of poker stuff, and i didn't like the ...poker mind or ...psychology of poker much, altho i will reread them soon since rrr vouches.

odddly, hellmuths "bad beats and lucky draws" was FAR more instructive as a tourny text that his actual strategy book. i recc bad beats and lucky draws to all tournament players, as it essentially amounts to a bunch of hands that get thoroughly analyzed by phil.

c

[RRR]

1. ken warren teaches THE

I hope this is some sort of a sick joke. This is the guy that says AKo is better than AKs becasue it can make two different good flushes, if the flop has been coming all low cards playing low cards is an acceptable strategy, and if you are on a rush and lose a pot you shoudl be careful becasue the rush might be over.

[furrykef]

Snerk. Are you serious?

[RRR]

poker mind or ...psychology of poker much, altho i will reread them soon since rrr vouches.

You should read the John Feeney book not the Schoonmaker. 2+2 released these the same day with the Schoomaker geared as a beginners book and the Feeney as a more advanced text (the actual titles escape me at the moment). The Feeney book is purple and Aaron has my copy at the moment if you want to read it.

[AaronC]

great book recomendations, but i think its a little braod, saying everying 2+2 has released is excessive.
I think the must reads are :
2+2:
small stakes
holdem for advanced players
ciffone:
middle limit
(if you play pl, his pl book is good as well)
Finally:
Supersystem2 has a good limit section

While there's nothing wrong with reading every book you can get your hands on, these are the ones that have impacted my game the most or that i feel are most likely to impact other's games positively.