Best poker books

[Percussion]

On a previous thread, someone mentioned the books "SSH, ITH, ToP", and the only one I know is Theory of Poker--what are the other two?
(Im a newb to 2+2) :P Thanks

And also, any reccomendations?

[DemonDeac]

SSH=small stakes holdem, a must read. awesome book
i dont know the other one. cant say ive seen that before

[Kevin K.]

I believe ITH would be Internet Texas Hold'em by Matthew Hilger.

[Kjell201]

If you're a new player then get ITH, it's very good for getting started. When you understand everything in it get SSH to really learn how to take advantage of the play at low limits.
SSH can be tough to understand if you haven't read a poker book first, and for that I think ITH is the best.

[frank white]

small stake hold 'em is the best book ever written (in my opinion) on the subject of texas hold 'em. in order to really benefit from it, you must already have a basic understanding of the game, but it is one of those books you can read and re-read and still learn new things everytime. i couldn't say enough good things about it.

[27offsuit]

I have the obligatory HEFAP, Caro's and TPFAP.

But, I just recently picked up Harrington on Hold'em, which I only got because a few guys here said it was good. I found it very informative. Still, I think ol'Dan is a 60+ year old mama's boy with no rap and a stiff bill on his hat. I always go back to his 'speech' to Crux upon his 2003 WSOP exit. What a maroon.......talk about stammering jackass. Crux actually gave me a tell about halfway through Dan's rant. His eyes were saying "Get this tool away from me, I just got busted out of my shot at 5 mil."

Also, I just picked up Tournament Poker and the Art of War, which kicks ass. I'd recommend it to anyone. Not big, but big on content.

[jojobinks]

[ QUOTE ]
I have the obligatory HEFAP, Caro's and TPFAP.

But, I just recently picked up Harrington on Hold'em, which I only got because a few guys here said it was good. I found it very informative. Still, I think ol'Dan is a 60+ year old mama's boy with no rap and a stiff bill on his hat. I always go back to his 'speech' to Crux upon his 2003 WSOP exit. What a maroon.......talk about stammering jackass. Crux actually gave me a tell about halfway through Dan's rant. His eyes were saying "Get this tool away from me, I just got busted out of my shot at 5 mil."

Also, I just picked up Tournament Poker and the Art of War, which kicks ass. I'd recommend it to anyone. Not big, but big on content.

[/ QUOTE ]

despite your feelings about harrington personally, his book is to NL tournies what Miller's is to limit at small stakes: the greatest ever.

[johnc]

Behind TOP & SSH I'd add The Psycology of Poker by Alan Schoonberg(sp?). Provides a valuable insite to the various styles of players as well as your own. Helps you get into their heads.

[defyodds]

27 offsuit--I recommend that you get to a few final tables before you call wsop winners, moron's. two other points obviously you are young and ignorant or would not feel free to insult 60 year old men. Please learn how to spell moron before you call someone that name.
why don't you write a book and enlighten us with poker knowledge and wisdom? /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[Johnny Richter]

Defyodds,
Not to defend 27's post or anything because i don't agree with it, but i do belive he was shooting for the word maroon and not moron, so a spelling correction is not necessary /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[27offsuit]

agreed

[27offsuit]

[ QUOTE ]
27 offsuit--I recommend that you get to a few final tables before you call wsop winners, moron's. two other points obviously you are young and ignorant or would not feel free to insult 60 year old men. Please learn how to spell moron before you call someone that name.
why don't you write a book and enlighten us with poker knowledge and wisdom? /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't actually call him a moron, I called him a "maroon". I think I quoted Bugs Bunny.

I wish I was as young as you think I am.

[d1sterbd]

I don't really see how it is possible for any NL Hold'em tournament player to not like Harringtons's book. Since so many people here like Harrington (he is a Two Plus Two author), you can probably expect similar responses when you say childish derogoatory things about him.

[Deorum]

[ QUOTE ]
Behind TOP & SSH I'd add The Psycology of Poker by Alan Schoonberg(sp?).

[/ QUOTE ]

The Psychology of Poker was very dull and uninformative. It
provided almost no new insight into the world of poker, and
did nothing for my game, nor my state of mind at the poker
table.

[Loci]

For your absolute, no nothing, run of the mill stranger on the street, killer poker. The theory is light, but gets the point of playing better cards across in a manner that a beginner will listen.

novice-supersystem has pretty pictures that make you feel warm and special inside. more importantly, read ITH. Helmuth's first book can be inspirational in that "i'm a whiny millionaire" type of a way...

progressing players- caro and touch on sklansky, malmuth. Tj cloutier's book is a personal favorite.

advanced players- the sklansky collection. Haven't picked up SS2 or harringtons yet.
Cheers
Ez

[JoshuaD]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Behind TOP & SSH I'd add The Psycology of Poker by Alan Schoonberg(sp?).

[/ QUOTE ]

The Psychology of Poker was very dull and uninformative. It
provided almost no new insight into the world of poker, and
did nothing for my game, nor my state of mind at the poker
table.

[/ QUOTE ]

I found one paragraph really nice in it. It's addressed to players who are already TAG's, and how they can improve their game: Making it more inviting for tourists to come play with us.

Otherwise I didn't like the book at all.

[Wally Weeks]

[ QUOTE ]
For your absolute, no nothing, run of the mill stranger on the street, killer poker. The theory is light, but gets the point of playing better cards across in a manner that a beginner will listen.

[/ QUOTE ]

No one really talks about John Vorhaus around here it seems. I haven't opened one of his books so I'm assuming they aren't that great...or that people are biased toward Two Plus Two books, which I don't blame so far in my own reading.

Regards,
Wally

[Loci]

Vorhaus is a writer first and a player second as opposed to many of the other books out there. His strength, as such (imo) is that he describes things in a way that other non-players will understand and respond to. His stories are fun, his advice is actually fairly solid, and they do a fair job of relaying the basic messages. His theory is no where near the complexity of a 2+2, but that's also why I categorized it as a pre-novice book. It's an easy read.

He actually made a few practical points that I still use today, several years later. One suggestion is to find a "magic" word that you train yourself to say when you're getting your nutz kicked in... figuratively and literally. He uses the spanish word for enough, which sounds elegant to him, and when he finds that he's getting beaten to a pulp, he finds himself muttering it and that's when he leaves a table...
Another good point for the average pre-novice is that if you could have a genie grant you an extra ten grand in winnings or ten grand less in losses which would you prefer? doesn't matter, because ten grand is ten grand, either way. Its a cute way to put detrimental losses in perspective. Nothing too fancy, but it works for the new neubies.
Cheers,
Eric

[Tevyee]

Read Internet Texas Hold'em by Matthew Hilger. Then read Theory of Poker followed by Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players, both by David Sklansky. If you want the best book on No-Limit Hold'em, get Harrington on Hold'em. I don't know why anyone would hate on that book, it's packed with so much poker knowledge. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Loci]

I've heard that, I just haven't had the time recently.

[johnc]

I disagree. I look upon it as a companion to SSH, but bc it's not packed full of what to do here or there type of info some might not get value but I guess maybe I've find it harder than most relating to stupid idiots at the table which is where this book had value.

[sandrew]

I recommend Super System II among all the other great discussions. Doyles sections is great on playing NL agreesively. The limit secion written by Jennifer Harmon is great as well.

As I am starting to branch out to Omaha Hi and Hi/Lo I am finding SS II a great resource for those as well.

As already mentioned Harrington's book is greate for tourneys. Lots of examples. The Sklansky library is a must have also.

[jlande37]

Speaking of Vol. II's, I know this has been asked in other threads but I still have yet to find an answer. Any idea when Harrington Vol. II is due out, I've made it through 3/4 so far, and not only is it a great tourney book but also a great read. My random number generator really spiced up my play this weekend especially mixing it up with the Hammer and the Rope a dope, I was raised and reraised and my opponents couldn't come close to putting me on a hand.

[Paul2432]

No one here has mentioned Bob Ciaffone's books. His PL&NL book with Stewart Reuben is very highly regarded in the PL&NL forums.

His limit hold'em book (Middle Limit Holdem) with Jim Brier has its critics, but most agree its a well done book. While SSHE assumes very loose opponents, MLHE assumes tighter more competent opponents, and thus some divergence in advice. The two books complement each other.

Paul

[Jibbs]

[ QUOTE ]

I didn't actually call him a moron, I called him a "maroon". I think I quoted Bugs Bunny.

[/ QUOTE ]

Other B.Bunny options would have been "NinCowPoop" or "Gulli-Bull".

[ QUOTE ]
I wish I was as young as you think I am.

[/ QUOTE ]

You can't be too young since its hard to find these cartoons on anymore.

[PktAcesSoWht]

Dan Harrington's Book is one of the very best books, and also Mike Caro's Book of Poker Tells is a great book, and of course Small Stakes was good, was well as the Tournament poker book by Sklansky.

[shish]

Harrington's book taught me more than any other poker book I've read. Other books are very good (Sklansky, SSHE, etc) but HOH taught me the most. I can't wait until Vol. 2.

[27offsuit]

Don't forget "Heavens to Mergatroid"....

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I didn't actually call him a moron, I called him a "maroon". I think I quoted Bugs Bunny.

[/ QUOTE ]

Other B.Bunny options would have been "NinCowPoop" or "Gulli-Bull".

[ QUOTE ]
I wish I was as young as you think I am.

[/ QUOTE ]

You can't be too young since its hard to find these cartoons on anymore.

[/ QUOTE ]

[SenecaJim]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't forget "Heavens to Mergatroid"....

[ QUOTE ]


okay, snagglepuss. it's time to " Exit, stage left"

[helpmeout]

There sure is a lot of crap in this thread.

What books you need depend on your level of skill and the type of games you play.

Assuming you are a beginner limit player then you would be best to start with.

Winning Low Limit Holdem
Internet Texas Holdem
Small Stakes Holdem
Theory of Poker

From there you can go to

Middle Limit Holdem
Holdem Poker For Advanced Players

Thats pretty much the best way for a beginner to go. Once you have gone through all those you pretty much have to read anything else available SS1&2, POP, ITPM, Killer Poker series (no good for beginners), Poker Essays etc.

You'll find more information in the books/publcations forum.

[JNash]

Ditto
IMHO Bob's Middle-limit Holdem book is one of the best written ones out there, because it takes you step by step through how to THINK about situations.