The Most Influential Poker Book of All Time

[darvon]

The book most influential to Poker is:

TV Guide.

[LipBalmGuy]

[ QUOTE ]

Hold 'em Poker by David Sklansky which was originally published in 1976.

[snip]

Those of you who said Super/Sytem, The Theory of Poker, Hold 'em Poker for Advanced Players, Small Stakes Hold 'em,or some other book are wrong.

Best wishes,
Mason

[/ QUOTE ]

It's worth pointing out the obvious. Mason is in no position to objectively judge which poker book is most influential, because he is the publisher of the book he has declared winner.

I like the question. I'd like to see responses in a neutral forum.

[LipBalmGuy]

[ 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 ]

Let's take Mason's question and scope up. What the most influential anything for poker? Not just books. Let's say other than people.

For example, the movie Rounders, the TV series World Poker Tour, and the proliferation of internet card rooms have all had more influence on poker than Sklansky's Hold'em Poker. Ed Miller's Small Stakes Hold'em would not have been written without the hundreds of thousands of new players they generated.

[David Sklansky]

"Let's take Mason's question and scope up. What the most influential anything for poker? Not just books. Let's say other than people."

Dead heat between Internet poker and WPT. WS0P third. Asuuming you define influential as what would cost me the most money if it would go away.

[andyfox]

Do you (or does anyone) know if there are more people watching the WPT on TV weekly or playing on the internet?

[Stew]

[ QUOTE ]
"Let's take Mason's question and scope up. What the most influential anything for poker? Not just books. Let's say other than people."

Dead heat between Internet poker and WPT. WS0P third. Asuuming you define influential as what would cost me the most money if it would go away.

[/ QUOTE ]

This was actually discussed to some length when the TV Forum was first added.

I completely agree with your answer to an extent, but I don't think it was one or the other.

I think it was a combo of 3 things. These are in no relevant order, but I think the first two are clearly ahead of the third, but the third is the spark that set it on fire.

Lipstick cams (if you substitute WPT here, that's fine). These made poker watchable and what's more popular on TV right now than reality programming.

Now, you get people watching it and then you have Number 2. Internet Poker. People can now play what they are watching on TV right from their own living room in their skivvies (or nothing at all) for that matter. Unfortunately, B&M casinos aren't easily accessible for a good amount of people. For instance, the closest cardroom to me in Indianapolis is 2 (when I drive) to 2 and a half hours away. However, when I can sit here and play in my living room and not go anywhere, it makes the game way more accessible. Some people have disabilities and can't get to a casino, some people don't like the smoke in a casino, some people don't like being around other people, etc., so they don't want or can't go to a casino to play often. But, to play in your own living, awesome!

I think one and two are inter-related, if people didn't watch it on TV and enjoy it (the lipstick cams made the game watchable) then they wouldn't be as excited to go play it. However, if they couldn't play it, then they might not enjoy watching it as much.

The internet made the game accessible, TV made the game popular, but you can't have one without the other.

Now, that's all fine and dandy, but there has to be an Elvis in this equation. Someone, one particular person that sparked everyone's interest and got them believing in the American Dream. Guess who...that's right, Chris Moneymaker. I mean who could ask for a better spark...this amateur from Tenneesee wins a $40 satellite and goes on to beat the best of the best to win $2 million and his name is freaking MONEYMAKER. That capped it off and the poker boom was on.

[Blarg]

Hoyle's Rules of the Game, or whatever they call it.

That was the first exposure many people had to the more than one or two poker games they knew, and to any idea of the math involved.

[LipBalmGuy]

[ QUOTE ]
Hoyle's Rules of the Game, or whatever they call it.

That was the first exposure many people had to the more than one or two poker games they knew, and to any idea of the math involved.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you're referring to "The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle" by Stewart Wolpin, then I have to agree with you for my particular case. It made me the expert on rules and variations for our kitchen table games and got me hooked on poker forever.

(I'm surprized anyone in this forum would mention a book that promoted wildcards, even though I love poker in *any* form.)

[felson]

[ QUOTE ]
Nielson Media Research estimates that up to 5 million people watch the show (WPT) each Wednesday from 10 p.m.-midnight.

[/ QUOTE ]

source is cox news service .

I'm sure someone else can find out how many people play online poker.

[Paul2432]

[ QUOTE ]
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

[/ QUOTE ]

This reminds of what Brian Eno said about the Velvet Underground (a late '60s early 70's rock band lead by Lou Reed). That despite hardly anyone buying their first album, everyone that did formed a band.

Today VU is regarded as one of the two or three most influential bands in the history of rock music.

Paul