The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time

[morgan180]

positively 5th street -

it put poker on the map in terms of the country accepting it and other gambling as an interesting/intriguing past time and was at the "tipping point" of the boom that poker now is.

there would never be so many fish with out it.

[Voltron87]

Super System by Doyle Brunson.

It isn't close.




I know this is 2+2 and whatnot, but the question is about influence. Think about it.

[PhilipBass]

Right now, it may very well be Hellmuth's "Play Poker Like the Pros." A work friend of mine bought the book. I told him to throw it in the trash.

The book which most influenced me was Sklansky's "The Theory of Poker."

I think a better topic would be "Which poker book will best stand the test of time?"

[comic2b]

As we say in the Omaha game, "This post got a ton of action."

I really have to disagree with you on this, as have a few other people. I would want to know the information on two questions before I gave my answer. What years did TOP and SS come out in? What were sales like those first few years.

The way I came into the pokerworld was at a small "professional" home game that I was brought into by my friend. The game runner has been around a long time, used to be a pool hustler and poker player as a kid. He's in his 50's and most people with a Colorado connection know him. After I had been playing there a few weeks I asked about borrowing books, and after wearing him down he loaned my SS. I read it and I was amazed. Afterword I called it the bible of poker, he agreed.

Now after winning a few nice scores I started buying some books on Amazon. Didn't get 2+2 stuff till much later. Got cheap Andy Nelson books and some others. Didn't play holdem much so no need for target market. Eventually got HEFAP and TOP at the same time. I stayed up til 4:00 in the morning to finish. The next day I went to my old timers game to bitch at him for not telling me about this. He said, "Oh yeal, it's only the game of poker itself." That summed it up.

So the bible and TOP seem to have to be at the top. I think the winner would have to be based on what the sales were during those early years.

The definition of influential (Having or excercising influence.) I argue that SS was it for two big reasons. The concept of aggression. What I remember the most from it was I thought Caro's part was among the best because I was laughing out loud about his deameanor. I've certainly tried to adopt it in my own style. The other part was Doyle's just raw naked aggression. I think his book more than Skalansky's or TOP did more for the aggressive style. The other thing his book had was the only real book for NLHE.

I started playing in Jan of 2003. I think you stated that the poker boom started in June of 2003. At that time I think the consensus on these forums was that SS was still absolutely the best book for NLHE. The fact it was still the bible 20 years later says alot. When did the 2+2 tourney book come out?

One of the factors that you seem to mention about your choice is the fact it introduced so many concepts for the first time. Using that criteria I think the Yardley book might win on that account. I'm not a historian, but consider myself a student of the game and respectful of the traditions wasn't Yardley the first one to really put the math down. I got this from the Anthony Holden book.

My final answer. It has to be the TOP. Somebody suggested a newer edition. I'm not sure it can be any better, the theory is the theory and I think it is still the same. I pick this book because of the sheer influence it has had. I've been watching Sklansky win the Fox tourney round, he did have a lot of aces though, lol. He said and I believe him, if they had a player playing all the games, he would be in the top 5, I belive him.

I think the TOP has to be the choice. We could ask Fossilman the biggest prize purse of all time what book influenced him the most. If we asked all the people on the shows to rank the books that influenced them the most I don't see a single way that TOP would not be in the top 3. Also look at asking us on these forums, (the disciples?). The believers think this is the choice. If that is what the masses say does that overrule the pooh bah.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi comic:

Both SS and the original Sklansky on Poker Theory appeared in 1978. Hold 'em Poker was in 1976.

[ QUOTE ]
At that time I think the consensus on these forums was that SS was still absolutely the best book for NLHE. The fact it was still the bible 20 years later says alot

[/ QUOTE ]

That statement didn't come from me. Also, no limit hold 'em in cash games was essentially dead for at least 20 years. It's only when the tournament games made it to TV that people wanted to play no limit again.

The Yardley book, while probably the best old time book, didn't cover these concepts. Part of the reason was that it mainly addresses games with two rounds of betting where ideas like semi-bluffing and free cards don't come into play (very much).

Again, virtually all poker books since the publication of Hold 'em Poker are somewhat copies or extensions of this work.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Beavis68]

[ QUOTE ]
Super System by Doyle Brunson.

It isn't close.




I know this is 2+2 and whatnot, but the question is about influence. Think about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

And why isn't it close? What important topics did this book introduce?

The fact you can flop a double belly buster to Q6?

That AK is actually better than AA?

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
And why isn't it close? What important topics did this book introduce?

The fact you can flop a double belly buster to Q6?

That AK is actually better than AA?

[/ QUOTE ]

The question isn't validity. It's influence.

[betgo]

It may be the most influential from a book publishers point of view. "Holdem Poker" had the most influence on other poker books. I was not the book that had the most influence on poker players.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi betgo:

But it did have the most influence on poker players. That's the point. Virtually all books that followed were either copies or extensions of this material to some degree. So even if you never looked at it, or don't know anyone who ever looked at it, the influence is still there.

best wishes,
Mason

[RowdyZ]

betgo you poor uniformed soul, Didn't you know Sklansky invented poker, coined every poker phrase and thought up every possible theory and thought about poker. I think they he he even named the suits and designed the cards. Bet, Call, Fold, Raise... all that is Sklansky's work before that people just grunted and tossed rocks in (He also invented chips and I think thought up the idea for money as well) and actually it was silly of them to be throwing rocks because Sklansky hadn't invented poker yet.