Poker is a game of skill, and you will hard pushed to find anyone who disagrees with this. In my opinion the ‘skill factor’ of the game is what makes it so appealing. There is no coincidence in the fact that the more time you spend playing at the tables the better player you actually become.
Everyone, no matter what standard of player you are, could do with some advice and pointers from some of the best poker players the game has seen. I’ve searched my book shelf for my favourite poker strategy books and provide my opinion on my top 10 books about poker strategy.
I'd suggest every decent player has at least one strategy book in their collection!
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1. Super System 2 – Doyle Brunson
The 1st version of this book was often referred to as the ‘bible’ of poker, and the much anticipated sequel brings this title up to date, with a section completely devoted to online poker. Don’t be put off by the size of the book, (its currently weighing in at 624 pages). It’s superbly edited and broken down into easily readable and referencable sections. The chapter on aggression is worthy of the price itself. I’d recommend this title to all levels of players.
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2. Harrington on Hold’em Vol 1– Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie
Vol 1 of Harrington’s 2 volume serious is the better of the two books. Harrington describes the various techniques to employ to enable you to get through tournament play. Concise, well written and extremely informative, this book deserves a place on any poker player’s bookshelf.
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3. Tournament Poker for Advanced Players – David Sklansky
Skalansky has been around for a while, and definitely knows his tournament poker. This book is a great introduction to tournament play. Despite it’s title, its actually useful to all poker players, from begineers to advanced. There isn’t much to choose between this and Harrington’s book.
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4. Caro’s Book of Poker Tells – Mike Caro
This book is tailored specifically for ‘real’/offline poker players. It goes into some detail looking at the body language of poker players. Using a collection of photographs to determine various physical ‘tells’. It may sound a little heavy, but it makes surprisingly entertaining reading. You may not take it all in, but just being aware of how pro players look for tells makes it worth the price. Ideal for those players who play a lot online, but have little experience of offline/real poker.
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5. Phil Helmuth’s Texas Holdem – Phil Hellmuth
I’m not a big fan of Phil’s etiquette at the poker table, but I can’t fault him for this book, which is a great introduction to the game for new players. It covers the basics of rules, tips and strategies and is amusing in parts. It’s a shame old Phil can’t stop telling us how good he is though. Nevertheless, it’s definitely one to buy if you are new to the game.
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6. The Theory of Poker – David Sklansky
If Phil’s book at number 5 is for beginner’s then Sklansky’s ‘Theory of Poker’ is aimed squarely at the experienced amateur/wanabe pro. Don’t even go there if you haven’t got a good grounding in poker as you won’t get past chapter 2. I’d personally describe this book as ‘brilliant if slightly heavy going’. Then again, if it was easy we would all be in with a shout at winning a WSOP event. A must for any serious amateur looking to take their game to the next level.
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7. 52 Tips for Texas Hold’em Poker – Barry Shulman Mark Gregorich
Simple yet efficient book that is easy to read and has some useful tips to take your game to the next level. Not personally one of my favourites, but there are a lot of people out there that swear by it.
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8. Championship No Limit and Pot Limit Holdem - Tom McEvoy
Aimed at the mid level poker player, McEvoy has produced a book specifically for tournament play. It has some very useful and interesting analysis of major hands played at the WSOP. A good useful practical book. |
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9. Ace on the River - An Advanced Poker Guide - Barry Greinstein
A book definitely aimed at the more advanced player, Greinstein has produced an interesting read despite it being a little philosophical in areas. The main bulk of the book is focussed on 'Advanced Hands' where individual hands are discussed in detail and recommended plays suggested. Well worth a place on the bookshelf, with some good photos throughout. |
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10. Kill Phil: The Fast Track to Success in No-Limit Hold’em Poker Tournaments
A recent addition to my collection is this great book, which has endorsements from both Joe Hachem (2005 WSOP) and Russ Hamilton (1994 WSOP). As you’d expect, it provides detailed information on tournament play, including techniques for handling tough opponents and for stealing the blinds. Not quite as detailed analytically as Harrington (No 2), but still well worth it.
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Have I missed one of your favorite strategy books? Don't hesitate to contact me with your recommendations. Back to 3D Poker home page. |
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