The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time
 

Hi Everyone:

Here's something we can have a little fun with. What do you think is the most influential poker book of all time? I'll be back later with my answer.

Best wishes,
Mason

Re: The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time
 

Ken Warren Teaches Texas Holdem

Re: The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time
 

Either the first Super System or The Theory of Poker or DS's first HE book

Re: The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time
 

Fiction: The Hustler by Walter Tevis

Non-Fiction: Super System

Re: The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time
 

Super System I

Re: The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time
 

Education of a Poker Player by Yardley

It's not much good anymore as a strategy guide but it is still a great read. As far as books that combine a strategy guide with a narrative of the author's progress it is far and away the best. The settings all have great atmosphere and many of the hands are dramatic both in the context of the game and how the hand will affect those characters outside of the game. Poker has also been used many times as a metaphor for life. I think the author finds that metaphor compelling and writes from it but does not use it in a cheesy ham-fisted kind of a way. By no means least, I think anyone who took the poker advice in the book at its time of publishing would have won money. So, why is it the most influential? Well, it is still some of the best writing on poker. It's quality demonstrated that poker is an interesting subject. The strategy he suggested worked and showed that poker can be quantified mathematically and is not just a matter of staring your opponent down.

If we're just talking about strategy then of course it would have to be Theory of Poker.

regards,

raisins

Re: The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time
 

Hold 'em Poker - Sklansky

Re: The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time
 

my opinion: S/S
what I suspect you'll say: HPFAP

edit: changed my mind, I think you'll say HPFAP

Re: The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time
 

The answer to this question will depend a lot on what you mean by influetial.

The book that influenced the most people to play poker?

The book that influenced the most people to play poker a certain way?

The book that influenced the most people to play better?

Or a combination of all 3?

I don't think you mean the best overall book, but rather what book changed the game the most. I haven't read SSI, but so many people discuss it and say that it invented aggressive poker so it would seem that it has to be up there as the most influential. It was read by many and changed how they play.

I guess it always depends on the type of game too. SSHE has to be the most for SS games and I'm sure otehrs for otehr types of games.

Re: The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time
 

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Everyone:

Here's something we can have a little fun with. What do you think is the most influential poker book of all time? I'll be back later with my answer.

Best wishes,
Mason

[/ QUOTE ]

What are the criteria for influential? If you can define that, I'll give a better shot.

Other than that, I'd have to say Super/System, Theory of Poker of Caro's Book of Tells. But, again I'm sure I'm wrong without knowing what your criteria for influential is.