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Old 06-15-2005, 02:43 AM
bolgenmod bolgenmod is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 26
Default Re: Recreational Poker Book

It depends what you want to read. I've read everything suggested except Aces and Kings (no interest) and the Professor (which I hear is excellent, but I'm trying to go a month without buying a new poker book). So quick and dirty:

Biggest Game in Town and Big Deal: Biggest Game is a classic, but outclassed, I think, by Big Deal. Alvarez and Holden are well-educated brits, authors of "serious" books, play in the same home game. Holden is younger than Alvarez (Holden was a student at Oxbridge -- can't remember which -- when Alvarez was a prof). Alvarez observes the game; Holden tries a year as a pro. (Alvarez was clearly jealous of Holden's wanderjahr, but supportive.) Holden seems to suck at tournaments but rule at ring games, which he never seems to realize. Both condescend a little to the vulgar Vegas gambler type (like Ungar), but they're both pretty good. I'd read Holden over Alvarez.

5th Street: yeah, who cares about the Binion trial. Or "Bad Jim" as McManus likes to think of his poker playing self. But McManus can write. And it's a good read most of the time. Definitely worth picking up sometime.

Moneymaker: much more interesting than you would think. I snapped through this in record time. But still, you know the ending. Wait for the paperback.

Mattros: a pretty good book. Easy to read, but frankly not as well-written as the brits for all their pretention. Has some interesting stories, but also lots of beginner strategy. I'd rather read Phil Gordon's book for a similar mix of gossip and strategy. (And Gordon does have a priceless you-are-playing-the-WSOP scenario that includes all the usual suspects, including Phil H, that is alone worth the price!)

Shut up and deal: a decent novel, but in the end not so satisfying. OK.

Not mentioned by other posters:

Double Down by the Bartheleme brothers: they are profs who were seemingly wrongfully accused of colluding at blackjack. (Seems to me they wuz totally innocent and charges were dropped in the end.) VERY good book, but not about poker but gambling and its allure. I don't really care for blackjack or any other kind of gambling besides poker, but I LOVED this book. Read it straight through and then reread it.

(Speaking of blackjack, Bringing Down the House is moderately interesting.)

Poker Faces by Katy Lederer. A memoir by the sister of Howard and Annie Duke. A really good book on its own, not to mention the obvious interest to poker players. The Lederer home life was very unusual.

Poker Nation by Andy Bellin. Very light but I found it amusing. Some interesting stuff -- some people think it's crap, but I enjoyed it. A quick read.

I think that's it. A lot of these books repeat the same old stories (poque, the riverboats, Harry Truman), but whatever.

If I had to rank them, I'd put Big Deal, Double Down, and Poker Faces (alphabetically) at the top over 5th Street, but it's close. And if you're really a voracious reader, read them all and let us know what you think!
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