What THREE books would you recommend to a brand new player....

[BarronVangorToth]

My buddy Bruce and I have been playing poker with our friends for quite a long period of time. One of our other buddies has asked Bruce and I to name three books he should read. He wants three books. Not four. Not two. Three. He watches poker on TV -- shocking! -- and has watched us all play. He only cares about Hold 'em since that's what he sees primarily on TV and what most people play at Foxwoods.

With that said, let me say the three books Bruce and I recommended. What I'd like to know is if we put him in the wrong direction.

Let me know which THREE you'd recommend, if they're different from us.

Note: we also suggested he read the books in the following order -- mistake?

The Theory of Poker
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...s&n=507846

Small Stakes Hold 'em
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...430588-1385760

Hold 'em Poker for Advanced Players
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...s&n=507846

Those three in that order for the novice player who has seen TV hold 'em but wants to play "real" hold 'em at a casino and with us...

I've read hundreds of books and most are horrid. Those three we agreed were the best in that order. Or did we completely throw him off the cliff before he began?

Thoughts?

Thanks!


Barron Vangor Toth
www.BarronVangorToth.com

[scotnt73]

winning low limit holdem
holdem poker for advanced players
theory of poker

this is what i just reccomended to my brother last month in that order. i havent read ssh yet. it may replace top in my top 3 in the future if it lives up to expectation. i would still reccomend top to anyone though.

[uaw420rook]

Read in the listed order.
Theory of Poker
ITH by Matthew Hilger
SSH

When he has proved he can play well and moves up in limits, than he should study HEAP.
Thats my two cents
P.S. The pre-flop chart, in Hilgers book is the easiest to follow. It includes the nessary limpers to play by position in regards to your pocket holdings. It was the best thing for my game development, when I was starting out. Really saved me alot of money, by having the right odds to play my pockets.

[theghost]

WLLH by Jones is a good beginner book - easy to understand, and good advice for someone who is just starting out. Incorrect application of the advanced techniques in 2+2 books can get a new player in trouble.

TOP - no explanantion necessary.

SSH - not for beginners, but hopefully by the time you get to your 3rd book you're picking something up [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]


Going beyond the 3 book limit (and into the realm of hearsay) I've heard that ITH is very good, Caffione's middle limit book is good, and finally, I'd say HEPFAP as he progresses in limits.

[maurile]

[ QUOTE ]
The Theory of Poker
Small Stakes Hold 'em
Hold 'em Poker for Advanced Players

Those three in that order for the novice player who has seen TV hold 'em but wants to play "real" hold 'em at a casino and with us...

[/ QUOTE ]
Those would be my choices only if the guy were exceptionally bright and already good at at least one other game (chess, backgammon, whatever).

Otherwise, for a person of above-average intelligence, I'd go:

1. Internet Texas Hold 'em
2. Theory of Poker
3. Small Stakes Hold 'em

For the average person:

1. Winning Low-Limit Hold 'em
2. Small Stakes Hold 'em
3. Theory of Poker

[avatar77]

I agree with this list (assuming you are mostly a fixed limit hold'em player).

You just don't need WLLH anymore. WLLH is a great book but if you can only have 3, you can't pick WLLH because you can easily out grow it.

ITH, SSH and TOP each covers so much ground that it would take you years to read and reread, apply and master the concepts in these books. If you only had these three books and read and reread them well...you would be doing better than most who have 30 books but read each only once.

[Clarkmeister]

I have many friends learning how to play. I currently have them on a 5-book rotation.

1. WLLH - Jones
2. TOP - Sklansky
3. Middle Limit Holdem - Brier and Ciaffone
4. Small Stakes Holdem - Eddie et al.
5. HPFAP - Sklansky & Malmuth

I am *very* comfortable with this progression.

[Jman28]

Hey Clark,

I'm a SnG player right now, and I've read HPFAP, and TOP (I guess out of order).. I've also read Super/System, TPFAP, and NL + PL Poker-rueben/ciaffone.

I want to switch to limit, or at least try it. How do you recommend I go about it? Thanks a lot. I enjoy your posts.

-Jman28

[Clarkmeister]

I'd skip WLLH in your case. Read MLH, SSH and add in Feeney's Inside the Poker Mind.

[maurile]

[ QUOTE ]
5-book rotation

[/ QUOTE ]
Cheater.