Rake in the chips with
these books on poker
24 May 2004
By Mark Pilarski
Mark,
I got into a friendly low stakes poker game with
friends. I absolutely loved it, though I did not
understand some of the different games and
rules. I need you to recommend a beginner poker
book, one that explains checking, raises, and
the different games. A poker for dummies book,
if there is such a thing, is what I am looking
for. Any recommendations will be helpful. Mike
S.
Dear Mark,
Do you have any recommendations for general
books on poker and Texas Hold'em specifically?
Donald M.
There is such a book for dummies, Mike, and
surprise, surprise, it's called Poker for
Dummies. Because one of its authors is Lou
Kreiger (I am a longtime fan of his witticism
and knowledge), I give it an enthusiastic
thumb's up. Poker for Dummies will show you
systematically how to bet, bluff, and play your
way to the top, from seven-card stud, to Omaha,
to Texas Hold'em. Read it Mike, and you'll be a
dummy no more.
Now Donald's question forced me to sort out,
then categorize my entire gambling library. On
Texas Hold'em alone, I have 37 books. As one who
believes that getting just one tip from a book
makes it worth more than the price of the book
itself, it was tough to choose amongst them a
half dozen that would take you from Beginner to
Winner. These six books will certainly give you
an enormous edge at your weekly game; even make
you a competitive tournament player.
HOLD'EM EXCELLENCE by Lou Krieger:
Lou Kreiger's Hold'em Excellence makes my list
as an entry-level favorite for fostering poker
skills at Texas Hold'em. Whether you are a
beginner or seasoned tournament player, it is
loaded with expert tips on almost every page.
This book would be a good starter on your World
Series of Poker journey.
THEORY OF POKER by David Sklansky:
Considered one of the top general poker books of
all time, it should be on every want-to-be poker
players' bedside nightstand. This book will
definitely help you understand the logic and
principles of skillful play. If you want to go
into the head of the most skillful players in
the world, I highly recommend this book.
CARO BOOK OF TELLS: THE BODY LANGUAGE OF POKER
by Mike Caro:
If you are serious about winning, you will
realize that most profits come from being able
to read you opponent. Caro's book is designed to
help serious players recognize other players
"tells." This book teaches you how to interpret
tells, such as subtle shrugs, sighs, shaky
hands, eye contact and much, much more.
Once you have mastered the basics, the three
expert level books below are probably the best
books ever written on poker. They will certainly
take you to a much higher level of play,
possibly even the final table of a major
tournament. These best-of-the-best tomes contain
expert level advice from the most highly
regarded authors/players in the world. I only
wish I had read them years ago as a substitute
to my poker school of hard knocks education.
HOLD'EM POKER FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS by David
Sklansky & Mason Malmuth:
SUPER/SYSTEM (A Course in Poker Power) by Doyle
Brunson:
CHAMPIONSHIP NO-LIMIT POT LIMIT HOLD'EM by T. J.
Cloutier & Tom McEvoy:
There is enough information in any of the books
mentioned to make a winning player out of anyone
willing to study and apply the concepts they
learn in them. If you can't find any these books
at your local bookstore, try the Gamblers Book
Club (GBC: 800-522-1777) or their online
bookstore: gamblersbook.com.
Gambling quote of the week: "I like to play
poker with politicians. They're easy to beat.
Sometimes in poker it's smarter to lose with a
winning hand so that you can win later with a
losing hand. Politicians can't accept that."
Robert Redford, Havana (1990)
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