top 5 poker books (primarily hold\'em)
 

In order, give me your list of the best 5 poker books (primarily for texas hold'em)

Re: top 5 poker books (primarily hold\'em)
 

Bad timing for a top 5 list given that we are all awaiting the NPA's book.

Re: top 5 poker books (primarily hold\'em)
 

Not counting "Small Stakes Hold'em" (which I suspect will crack the list):

Theory of Poker - David Sklansky
Hold'em Poker for Advnaced Players - Sklansky/Malmuth
Real Poker II: The Play of Hands - Roy Cooke
Improve Your Poker - Bob Ciaffone
Pot Limit and No-Limit Poker - Ciaffone/Reuben

I only included 1 "strategy" type book. There's a few other's (Middle Limit Holdem for sure) that could go on the list but, to a certain extent, 1 strategy book is enough. The good ones say a lot of the same things, albeit it in different ways. And there are some differences in approach and strategy/tactics, but not enough different to put more than one on the list. Reading the other books listed will help improve your game in different ways by broadening your perspective.

I also left out beginner type books (WLLH and ITH for example)

Poker Essays I,II,III I couldn't decide between them so left them all out. And they don't all belong in a top 5 (unless you count all 3 as 1).

The PL/NL book is there because you didn't specify limit hold'em only. If the game was restricted to limit I'd probably replace that with Inside the Poker Mind.

If you read and apply everything in the 5 books I listed you'll be fine.

Re: top 5 poker books (primarily hold\'em)
 

I'm assuming you mean fixed-limit hold'em. I'm listing all the books on hold'em I've read in order of how useful I've found them, broken down into categories.

I've put my top 5 overall in red.

For beginners:

<font color="red">1. Matt Hilger - Internet Texas Hold 'em</font>
2. Lee Jones - Winning Low-Limit Hold 'em
3. David Sklansky - Hold 'em Poker
4. Gary Carson - Complete Book of Hold 'em Poker
5. Lou Krieger - Hold 'em Excellence
6. Ken Warren - Winner's Guide to Texas Hold 'em Poker

For intermediate players:

<font color="red">1. Ciaffone &amp; Brier - Middle Limit Holdem Poker
2. Sklansky &amp; Malmuth - HPFAP</font>

Books not specific to hold 'em, but ranked for hold 'em usefulness:

<font color="red">1. David Sklansky - Theory of Poker
2. Bob Ciaffone - Improve Your Poker</font>
3. John Feeney - Inside The Poker Mind
4. David Sklansky - Getting the Best of It
5. Mason Malmuth - Poker Essays III
6. David Sklansky - Sklansky on Poker
7. Mason Malmuth - Poker Essays II
8. Alan Schooner - Psychology of Poker
9. David Sklansky - Poker, Gaming, and Life
10. Mike Caro - Funtamental Secrets of Winning Poker
11. John Vorhaus - Killer Poker
12. Brunson et al. - Super/System (better for other games)
13. Phil Hellmuth - Play Poker Like the Pros
14. Andy Nelson - Poker: A Winner's Guide

A lot of this is just personal preference. I really like looking at specific hand analyses, so the Hilger and Caffione/Brier books rate very high on my list. (I'm sure I'd love Roy Cooke's book as well.)

I know some very good players who liked the Vorhaus book a lot, but I've never been much for pep talks.

I'm looking forward to Ed Miller's book.

Re: top 5 poker books (primarily hold\'em)
 

Also see this earlier thread:

Top Ten

Re: top 5 poker books (primarily hold\'em)
 

[ QUOTE ]
10. Mike Caro - Funtamental Secrets of Winning Poker


[/ QUOTE ]

why this book in an otherwise decent list? I found this something like a Primary student book.