[phish]

Yeah, read all those books, but you need to move way beyond them if you're going to beat this game.

In my opinion, the smallest games can be beaten if you just play properly pre-flop, which every book teaches and most do it right (except for Hellmouth's book)

Then the next level (probably up to 10/20) can be beaten with just proper mathematics. Again, you can learn this from books.

The next level then require more advanced strategic play (semi-bluffing, free card play, etc). And though the books teach this, you really need lots of practice to get the proper feel for when to use them.

But at the 1/2 level, the skills required cannot be taught in books:
hand-reading (you need to be excellent at this. People will make plays against you, you will have to decide when to play back, call down, fold, whatever).
Knowing your players (very important to hand-reading, but on top of it, this will help determine what his likely reaction will be: if I donk bet the turn, will he likely raise me? how likely is he to fold the river after calling the turn? etc. etc.
Varying your game depending on the moods of your opponents.
etc etc

As an aside, I find it amusing there is so much fear on the Net about the use of 'bots' in online poker. I say, bring em on. Anyone who can't beat a bot probably can't play worth a lick in the first place.