Good Books?

[CNoyes]

I recently got started with poker by reading "Small Stakes Hold 'em" and playing online, but I am finding that it is hard to find the loose types of games described in the book. Therefore, I'm not doing as well as I had hoped. Does anybody have suggestions for future reading that will improve specifically my online game?

Some books I've heard about and are thinking about reading are:
Hold 'em
Hold 'em for Advanced Players
The Theory of Poker
Internet Texas Hold 'em
Winning Low Limit Hold 'em

I'm thinking that a lot of the books out there will just go over what I've already read in Small Stakes Hold 'em. What will give me some new info to be a pro at the low-limit online games?

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
I recently got started with poker by reading "Small Stakes Hold 'em" and playing online, but I am finding that it is hard to find the loose types of games described in the book. Therefore, I'm not doing as well as I had hoped. Does anybody have suggestions for future reading that will improve specifically my online game?

Some books I've heard about and are thinking about reading are:
Hold 'em
Hold 'em for Advanced Players
The Theory of Poker
Internet Texas Hold 'em
Winning Low Limit Hold 'em

I'm thinking that a lot of the books out there will just go over what I've already read in Small Stakes Hold 'em. What will give me some new info to be a pro at the low-limit online games?

[/ QUOTE ]

i would read WLLH before SSHE if i were you, but with those books you mentioned, it looks like youre on the right track.

[CNoyes]

But which book should I go to next? Sounds like WLLH is too similar to SSHE for me to get that next...

[MarkL444]

[ QUOTE ]
But which book should I go to next? Sounds like WLLH is too similar to SSHE for me to get that next...

[/ QUOTE ]

what limits are you playing, how much experience do you have. tell us more.

odds are im still gonna say WLLHE

[CNoyes]

Started with Super System, glanced through the chapters on Hold 'em, and determined it was above my level, so I returned it and got SSHE. That was a couple of months ago. I've been playing online. Started with fake money, did well. Then I moved to real money where I found the games to be tighter, and I'm not doing well nearly as consistantly as I was in the fake money. I am currently playing .1/.2 on Pacific Poker and .5/1 on Party Poker. I don't have a big bankroll (college student), so I need to stick to the low/micro-limit.

From looking around on these boards now, it seems that I don't need internet specific books. Sounds like Hold 'em is where I should have started my reading, but what's done is done. Sounds like I should get that next.

WLLH: I really don't want a book that's going to just going to be review from SSHE. Is it a lot different, or just same advice?

[Ed Miller]

I recently got started with poker by reading "Small Stakes Hold 'em" and playing online, but I am finding that it is hard to find the loose types of games described in the book.

While you won't often find the 6-8 players to a flop that I mention in my "Loose Games" chart, you will find the 3-5 players for my "Tight Games" chart... and all the postflop advice (the important part of the book anyway) will apply. Microlimit online games are really terrific games, and SSH was written specifically with those games (among others) in mind.

As for a next book, I suggest Theory of Poker.

[theghost]

How much poker have you played?

You should probably read TOP and ITH next.

TOP is great for the nuts and bolts of the game.

SSH is better than ITH, but ITH is still a good read. Concepts are explained well, and it will help with your absorbtion of various factors of the game overall.

You should also be revisiting sections in SSH as you encounter situations that you were foggy on. I also like to open it up to a random page just to find a point to ponder for a while.

As you get more experienced (at least 20,000 hands or so) you might want to check out Caffione's Middle Limit HE. Personally, haven't read it yet, but have heard good things.

Different books cover different parts of your game, so you pick them up as you notice that you want to (Psychology of Poker, Inside the Poker Mind, Real Poker II - Play of Hands, etc.)

Don't bother with Sklansky's Hold'em. HEPFAP probably doesn't apply to the games you're in now as much as SSH, may as well reread that before you get into HEPFAP territory. Some would argue that a full understanding of the concepts in SSH would eclipse the need for HEPFAP.

I like to read about poker because it keeps me thinking about the game, Mason's Essays books are good for quick shots to get you thinking. Also Roy Cooke's Real Poker II (whioch I mentioned). Good for thinking about hands and hand reading.

Good luck!

[captZEEbo1]

the party .5/1 is definitely close to the looseness SSH was written for. SSH should be good. But from what I hear Winning Low Limit Hold'Em works for that level too. The thing I've heard about Winning Low Limit Hold'Em is that you can be a profitable player using their strategy, but not NEARLY as profitable as using SSH. SSH encourages the tight-aggressive mode, and WLLH encourages the weak-tight. Most users of the board will say tight-aggressives are the best type of poker players for limit.

My guess is that you'd benefit from reading Theory of Poker.

How much hold'em have you played in general? A lot of problems people have are just playing too many hands, playing them out of position, never laying down hands to raises, not value-betting, or overvaluing their hand (not reading the board correctly).

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
the party .5/1 is definitely the looseness SSH was written for. SSH should be good. But from what I hear Winning Low Limit Hold'Em works for that level too.

My guess is that you aren't fully understanding SSH, and you might benefit from reading Theory of Poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

WLLHE can work for any lower level, but it will not maximize your earnings. Folding KK just because an Ace comes on the flop when it was 4 bets with 6 callers preflop just doesn't make sense. WLLHE recognizes how bad SSHE players are, but it doesn't seem that it FULLY realizes it. I think that it makes too many assumptions and gives my opponents too much credit. My win rate increased drastically in the 15k hands after reading Majorkong's post & reading SSHE. The book is invaluable. Thanks again, Ed.

Freakin

[helpmeout]

Put SSHE down pickup WLLHE.

WLLHE is weak/tight but you are a beginner, it'll teach you the basic concepts, SSHE is likely to turn you into a LAG.

Read Internet Texas Holdem after WLLHE then Theory of poker.

Once you understand the game a bit and can beat the games read SSH again, now you'll be able to win a bit more money.

After SSH you'll be best to read Middle Limit Holdem, it'll tighten you up a bit and teach you how to avoid difficult situations.

If you are going well after that ask again.