What's the best poker book?

SHOOTSHOWS

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Dec 23, 2003, 5:20:26 PM12/23/03

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I play a lot of no limit and limit. Rarely higher than 10/20. I've read Super
System, but heard that they're writing a revised addition because the old one
is outdated in places. As far as tactics and strategy, what is the single best
book for each catagory?

For limit, Ive heard that "winning low limit hold 'em" by Jones, is a great
book. Is that true or are there better books on low limit?

For no limit I've heard that Sklansky has some good ones, but I'm lost. Any
recomendations??? My friend wants to lend me Sklansky's "Hold 'em for advanced
players" but someone told me it's better for high limit games, which I don't
play that often. Help Anyone?

Thanks!

Rich

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Dec 23, 2003, 5:33:38 PM12/23/03

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On Dec 23 2003 2:20PM, SHOOTSHOWS wrote:

> I play a lot of no limit and limit. Rarely higher than 10/20. I've read
Super
> System, but heard that they're writing a revised addition because the old one
> is outdated in places. As far as tactics and strategy, what is the single
best
> book for each catagory?
>
> For limit, Ive heard that "winning low limit hold 'em" by Jones, is a great
> book. Is that true or are there better books on low limit?

I think it's the best. I got a lot out of Lou Krieger's books early on,
and Gary Carson's is very good. Gary's is a lot about adjusting to the
game.

> For no limit I've heard that Sklansky has some good ones, but I'm lost. Any
> recomendations??? My friend wants to lend me Sklansky's "Hold 'em for
advanced
> players" but someone told me it's better for high limit games, which I don't
> play that often. Help Anyone?

You should read "Theory of Poker" by Sklansky. HPFAP doesn't sound like it
will apply much to what you're playing now. You will probably want to read
it at some point, though.

In terms of NL books, besides Super System many people recommend the
Ciaffone/Rubin book, which is very good. I also recently re-read TJ
Cloutier and Tom McEvoy's NL/PL book, and I have to say that I got quite a
bit out of it. The first time through I wasn't crazy about it, but I think
I just may not have been ready for it.

Rich

_________________________________________________________________
Posted using RecPoker.com - http://www.recpoker.com

JohnnyD

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Dec 23, 2003, 5:41:02 PM12/23/03

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This topic has been discussed here so you can do a Google search of this
newsgroup and find what others have said. But here are some of my
favorites:

For low limit and how to think about poker - "The Complete Book of Hold'em
Poker" by Gary Carson
For middle limits and hand analysis - "Middle Limit Holdem Poker" by Bob
Ciaffone and Jim Brier
For pot and no limit - "Pot-Limit & No-Limit Poker" by Stewart Reuben and
Bob Ciaffone

I'm not aware of a Sklansky book on NL. Even though I say the one above is
best, I don't think there has been a GREAT book on NL and there certainly
has not been a great tournament book.

--
JohnnyD
www.LearnTournamentPoker.com
For Poker Tutors and those looking for Poker Tutors
Not Just for Tournaments

"SHOOTSHOWS" <shoot...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20031223172026...@mb-m06.aol.com...

Lou Krieger

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Dec 23, 2003, 6:22:26 PM12/23/03

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>> "SHOOTSHOWS" <shoot...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20031223172026...@mb-m06.aol.com...

I play a lot of no limit and limit. Rarely higher than 10/20. I've read

Super System, but heard that they're writing a revised addition because the
old one is outdated in places. As far as tactics and strategy, what is the
single best book for each catagory? <<

I think you're painting yourself into a corner by asking that kind of
question. There are lots of good books, and you ought to be reading all of
them. Asking what's the one best poker book is like asking what's the only
book you should read for improving your golf, or to guide your investment
planning, or looking for one cookbook only if you're planning on becoming a
chef. Most of your skilled opponents are learning from every source they
can find: books, discussion groups, seminars, forums, and you might want to
do the same or you'll run the risk of your opponents improving at a faster
rate than you are. That's sort of Kai-Zen in reverse, and it's not really
the way to go.

I write poker books and I hope people buy each and every one I've written.
But I'd be untruthful if I suggested that by reading only one book about
poker, you'd improve just as fast as you would if you decided to avail
yourself of all the knowledge that's available to every player.

Learning poker is an iterative cycle of reading, playing, and examining your
game in light of what you've been reading. Do that, and repeat it, and
repeat it again, and keep repeating it as long as you want to improve your
game. That might make a nice New Year's resolution, don't you think?

_____
Lou Krieger
Raise your game with Lou Krieger, author of "Poker For Dummies," at Royal
Vegas Poker.
http://www.royalvegaspoker.com/lou

blisterfoot

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Dec 23, 2003, 2:29:40 PM12/23/03

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Lou's advice obviously makes sense, but if you're looking to read just one
or two quality books to jump-start your low limit game, I'd recommend
Lou's "Hold-'Em Excellence--From Beginner to Winner" and Lee Jones's book.
I've read about 8-10 poker books so far, and these two I found most
useful, by far. The others' weren't as comprehensive, and certainly not
as well-written and easy to understand.

Also check out Mike Caro's website (www.caro.com), it's full of usefull
info, I've learned a lot there.

_________________________________________________________________

Vince lepore

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Dec 24, 2003, 1:30:46 AM12/24/03

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shoot...@aol.com (SHOOTSHOWS) wrote in message news:<20031223172026...@mb-m06.aol.com>...

> I play a lot of no limit and limit. Rarely higher than 10/20. I've read Super
> System, but heard that they're writing a revised addition because the old one
> is outdated in places. As far as tactics and strategy, what is the single best
> book for each catagory?

For limit Holdem poker, the best book is unquestionably "Holdem For
advanced players (HPFAP)" by Sklansky and Malmuth. In fact it is the
only Holdem book that I read until very recently. By following the
concepts and advice found in this book I have been a successful 15-30
Holdem player for the past 4 years. Before that I played $15-30 7 card
stud exclusively, at which I was also successful and where I developed
most of my poker skills. The only poker book I read before playing
stud was 7 Stud for advanced players. I have also read and recommend
Theroy of poker. There are those that claim that HPFAP is too advanced
for beginners. That's just not true. The authors do assume that the
readers are familiar with or are somewhat experienced in playing poker
but the material found within, once understood and mastered, is all
anyone really needs to know to become a successful winning poker
player.

Some authors like to draw a distinction between low, mid and high
limit poker. I believe that the primary reason they do this is to sell
more books. Poker is poker. Skill and bankroll of the participants
are the variables that separate the limits. In limit poker the game
itself doesn't change because the limits are higher or lower.

Lou Krieger makes an excellant point. That is, that reading alone
will not ensure success. Discussion, reading, practice, experience
and maybe most important, commitment all play a roll in developing
poker skills.

Vince

SHOOTSHOWS

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Dec 24, 2003, 3:55:54 AM12/24/03

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Thanks guys, and yes, I'm not crazy enough to limit myself to one source of
info on such a complicated game. I asked "which book is best" because my
girlfriend wanted to get me a poker book for the holidays, that's all. I'm
planning to read every good poker book I get my hands on in due time. Again
thanks!

Keyser Soze

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Dec 24, 2003, 9:31:31 AM12/24/03

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If it was the only book that you read, how can you say with any certainty
that it is "unquestionably" the best? Why not just say it is really good?

"Vince lepore" <lepo...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bbdd5c2d.03122...@posting.google.com...

Bill Reich

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Dec 24, 2003, 10:02:53 AM12/24/03

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lepo...@hotmail.com (Vince lepore) wrote in message news:<bbdd5c2d.03122...@posting.google.com>...

> shoot...@aol.com (SHOOTSHOWS) wrote in message news:<20031223172026...@mb-m06.aol.com>...
> > I play a lot of no limit and limit. Rarely higher than 10/20. I've read Super
> > System, but heard that they're writing a revised addition because the old one
> > is outdated in places. As far as tactics and strategy, what is the single best
> > book for each catagory?
>
> For limit Holdem poker, the best book is unquestionably "Holdem For
> advanced players (HPFAP)" by Sklansky and Malmuth. In fact it is the
> only Holdem book that I read until very recently. By following the
> concepts and advice found in this book I have been a successful 15-30
> Holdem player for the past 4 years. Before that I played $15-30 7 card
> stud exclusively, at which I was also successful and where I developed
> most of my poker skills. The only poker book I read before playing
> stud was 7 Stud for advanced players. I have also read and recommend
> Theroy of poker. There are those that claim that HPFAP is too advanced
> for beginners. That's just not true. The authors do assume that the
> readers are familiar with or are somewhat experienced in playing poker
> but the material found within, once understood and mastered, is all
> anyone really needs to know to become a successful winning poker
> player.
>
> Some authors like to draw a distinction between low, mid and high
> limit poker. I believe that the primary reason they do this is to sell
> more books. Poker is poker. Skill and bankroll of the participants
> are the variables that separate the limits. In limit poker the game
> itself doesn't change because the limits are higher or lower.

This distinction by limits masks the true distinctions: How many
raises are likely? How many people will take the flop? THESE
distinctions make a large difference in the number of playable hands.
Sklansky's books are excellent for learning general ideas about poker.
Some of them very subtle and powerful. He doesn't, however, cover
adjusting to games where six or seven people commonly see a flop for
one or two bets. I play in those games some of the time and I think
Carson's book is a valuable one for people having to adjust to
non-typical poker games. Reading a book isn't hard. Let's read more
than one and learn more than one point of view.

> Lou Krieger makes an excellant point. That is, that reading alone
> will not ensure success. Discussion, reading, practice, experience
> and maybe most important, commitment all play a roll in developing
> poker skills.
>
> Vince

--
Will in New Haven

"Quit when you are as FAR ahead as you are going to get." Joan H.

Garycarson1

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Dec 24, 2003, 10:30:44 AM12/24/03

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>There are those that claim that HPFAP is too advanced
>> for beginners.

Nobody claims that.

What some claim is that the book is too muddled for beginners to understand.
The concepts aren't difficult, understanding the stilted prose is tough

Gary Carson

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Dec 25, 2003, 1:56:58 PM12/25/03

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"Keyser Soze" <key...@soze.net> wrote in message news:<P5mdnQbnzd3...@comcast.com>...

> If it was the only book that you read, how can you say with any certainty
> that it is "unquestionably" the best? Why not just say it is really good?
>

I said it was the only Holdem book I had read until recently. O.K it
is "really good."

Vince

Tony Popejoy

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Dec 25, 2003, 2:01:22 PM12/25/03

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pu...@aol.com (Pugum) wrote in message news:<20031224190956...@mb-m06.aol.com>...

> > In reponse to what books? I say read them all and then find your
own style. Having said that I say Kreiger/Carson for smaller
limit(although not exclusively), Sklansky is solid for midlimit. And
for any limit I like Roy Cookes' writings as well as your very own
Wayno(L.W Phillips). Those are some of my favs' as you progress you
can get to the advanced-simple stuff like Waynos' much like
Mastercard= Priceless.
P.S. those are honest answers as I could care less about spareing
feelings. Best of Luck. T. Popejoy
> >
> >
> >