To read or not to read?

[deacsoft]

If you are a beginner with little table experience you shouldn't be reading and trying to apply the tactics of HPFAP. The key words being "for ADVANCED players".

[deacsoft]

I'm with you Dov, and I certainly wasn't trying to front that I know everything there is to know about poker because I read the books. I haven't read even 14 books yet. I just think that good or bad it is important to read and keep reading (even if it is the same book 14 times) for the sake of learning and staying fresh. I do love the game and it is a goal of mine to know everything there is to know about poker. I know it will never happen but chasing that goal will only send me to the table with a vast supply of information. A good edge to have if you can apply it correctly.

[LetsRock]

I don't think you can go wrong reading as much about the game as you can absorb. I'd be careful about trying to apply too much at once and be careful of what moves you try at each level.


I agree that it's to most prople's benefit to use the best of each author to their advantage. If you're a "clone" of one author, your style will be easy to read by anyone familliar with the author's style.

I also agree with the need to read all of the authors, if for no other reason than to understand an author's influence when you play against a desciple of a given author.

Most of the books do have the same basic advice, but each has their own twist on how they are able to manipulate situations the best. My synopsis on a couple of authors that I've read:

Sklansky: "good starters with solid application of odds"

Brunson: "keep em guessing, steal lots of smaller pots to pay for the possibility of getting "lucky" in big pots, play pocket pairs cautiously, low suited connectors are bread and butter"

Helmuth: "play all pocket pairs as if they were aces, ram and jam"

They all emphasize reading your opponents, the importance of position in hand selection and table selection. Each has their own style in doing so, but all share the same basic principles in these departments.

And reading books that are more related to mental aspects (as opposed to game theory) is highly reccomended. "Zen" and "Tao" are basically the same book. I prefered the approach of Tao, but both carried basically the same messages. Psycology of Poker and Inside the Poker Mind are both good thought provoking books. I'm currently reading the Essays series, which kind of jumps around from topic to topic, but can instill a lot of good habits and thought processes.

[Griswald79]

As new player to the game I can tell you that the books that I have read have saved me alot of time and money. I was hardheaded when I first started playing and I didnt think that I could get any use out of poker books. After reading HEP by Sklansky I realized I was being ignorant and I needed this information to become a better player. Because of Skansky's book I found out about this forum, which has helped alot (thanks fellas).

I am currently reading and re-reading HEP & WLLHE by Lee Jones. These books have not only taught me the basics, but they also showed me how much more information I need to know. I have alot of area to cover for years to come, and I am looking forward to every step.

[nofunatall]

I also have basically torn through every poker book I could get my hands on. The Theory of Poker and HEFAP are the two books that improved my game by leaps and bounds. I also found that when i was learning for the first time, Hold'em Excellence by Krieger was the best beginner's book I read.

However, I truly think that my game did not really come together until I read the Tao of Poker. It really set alot of things straight and as stated somewhere above, helped with the psychological part of the game. There were many tmes when I was frustrated at a losing session and could not figure out why I lost, but after reading the Tao it really helped my game alot. The best not all that tactical poker book I have ever read. Highly recommend.

Having said all that I think it is imperative that one reads all they can to gain new ideas and thoughts on poker. I was an awful awful player at first, and now I am a consistent winner. My friends who introduced me to hold'em can't seem to get over just how different a player I am. In truth that is all down to reading books, and then applying those concepts as best I can.

Anyway, enough with the long winded post,
See ya in the pit!
NoFun