TOP or Improve Your Poker?
 

I play mostly NL tournies, SNG's, and ring games. I have all the NL books (Harrington, Brunson, Cloutier, Ciaffone, etc.), but I am looking to add another book to my arsenal.

Between Theory of Poker and Improve Your Poker (Ciaffone), which one will help me more in NL play? I have heard TOP is catered more towards Limit HE, so I wasn't sure if IYP would be better or not.

Thanks for the advice.

Re: TOP or Improve Your Poker?
 

Get TOP, its definitely not catered towards Limit HE. Its one of the most important poker books ever written and a must own for any serious player.

Re: TOP or Improve Your Poker?
 

ToP. I own both and have read both multiple times; IYP is nice and all, but ToP is where it's at, and NL is no exception.

Re: TOP or Improve Your Poker?
 

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Get TOP, its definitely not catered towards Limit HE. Its one of the most important poker books ever written and a must own for any serious player.

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It's like your reading my mind.

TOP and it's not even close.

Re: TOP or Improve Your Poker?
 

TOP isn't even geared to holdem per se, it really is a book on poker theory. When this came out over 25 years ago it was head and shoulders above anything else. Still is today.

KC
kingcobrapoker.com

FOR ALL WHO ARE THINKING OF READING TOP
 

read it...asap. it lays the fundamentals of poker. you can't build a building without a good foundation, right? On a side note, improve your poker is an excellent read. Ciaffone gives many tips and tactics that i have not seen printed anywhere else that have given me an edge in a game.

good luck
Johnny

Re: TOP or Improve Your Poker?
 

Improve Your Poker, and it's not even close.

Re: TOP or Improve Your Poker?
 

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Improve Your Poker, and it's not even close.

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Oh, okay, we'll take your word for it.

Re: TOP or Improve Your Poker?
 

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Improve Your Poker, and it's not even close.

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Because it's a non 2+2 book?

You know Mason gave it a 9 right, so you might want to start hating that book.

Re: TOP or Improve Your Poker?
 

What the hell do I care what Mason rated it?

Re: TOP or Improve Your Poker?
 

Depends on what you are looking for. IYP is a compilation of the most excellent articles you can find. It is one of my favorite books. And it is not close. A lot of really useful tips.

But, I dont know how to put it... TOP will deeply change your perception of poker. Players who have read TOP and players who didnt do not play at the same game. And believe me, those who have read and understood it have a huge edge. Because the new way they see poker is a more efficient one.

Whereas IYP contains useful tips, TOP really explains the hidden principles on which everything in poker is built.
So do yourself a favor : buy both books. You'll have a great time reading and rereading Ciaffone. And TOP... well, you'll see.

Hope it helped.