Best Poker Book Ever
First learned poker and where I would eventually have some of my highest-earning months ever. PartyPoker is one of the best poker sites out there so check it out some time if you haven't already. One thing you should consider when picking a poker site is deciding on whether you want a site with lots of traffic or weak competition. The judges were given a list of 129 of the most popular poker books of all time and were asked to rate a maximum of 10 books: classics that cover everything from the maths to the mental side, the strategy to the psychology. 888 presents: the top 86 poker books of all time!
In this article I will take a look at the books that have shaped the current poker world. These books are divided into two distinct categories, the first of which will focus on the strategy tomes that have been released over the years that have caused a drastic shift in the way poker is played. The second category will focus on the poker books that deal with non-strategic aspects of the game like the personalities, history of the game, and stories.
The Best Poker Strategy Books
The following list does not constitute what I feel are “the best” poker strategy books (I would now substitute Jonathan Little’s Secrets of Tournament Poker for Harrington on Holdem for instance) but the books that had the biggest impact on the game at the time they were published.
Super System, by Doyle Brunson et al
Super System wasn’t the first strategy book ever written, but it was by far the most in-depth and altered the game almost instantly. Brunson and Company’s no-nonsense approach detailing why they win and you don’t must have hit readers like a slap in the face.
40 years later, Super System is likely the first book that will come to a poker player’s mind when asked about poker strategy books.
Holdem Poker for Advanced Players, by David Sklansky
Holdem Poker for Advanced Players changed the way people thought about the different strategies and concepts they were employing at the limit Holdem tables. Although the strategies and concepts are somewhat outdated in today’s poker world, if you do find yourself in a loose Limit Holdem game you can still clean-up employing the strategies laid-out in HPFAP.
Theory of Poker, by David Sklansky
Theory of Poker was the first book that tackled the universal strategies in poker, whether the game was Limit Holdem, Pot Limit Omaha, or 7-Card-Stud. Theory of Poker also conceptualized what winning players had been doing intuitively for years, allowing them to better understand the strategies and theories and perfect them further.
If you want to understand how far poker strategy has come over the past decade, Theory of poker was once considered an “advanced” book, whereas in today’s poker world the concepts outlined are considered common knowledge.
Small Stakes Holdem, By Ed Miller
Small Stakes Holdem was basically an updated version of Holdem Poker for Advanced Players combined with Theory of Poker. Miller’s first contribution to poker bookshelves was the first step in making Limit Holdem a “solved” game, and introduced new ways of looking at math while at the tables.
Caro’s Book of Poker Tells, by Mike Caro
This book is timeless thanks to human nature, and in the decades since the first printing of Caro’s Book of Poker Tells a slew of new poker players have sat down at a table and given off the very tells and body cues explained in this book.
Harrington on Holdem, by Dan Harrington
Harrington on Holdem was the first definitive tournament strategy book ever published, and remains a favorite for beginning players to this day –where most strategy books have a shelf-life of a year or two, HOH has managed to remain relevant.
Let There be Range, by Tri Nguyen and Cole South
With a $1,850 price-tag Let There be Range ushered in a new type of poker strategy book: the expensive E-Book. This book changed the way poker books were priced and how they were published based on what was offered within their pages.
The Best Non-Strategy Poker Books
Positively Fifth Street, by James McManus
The story of Ted Binion’s murder interwoven with McManus’ run to the final table of the 2000 World Series of Poker makes for a very interesting read from start to finish. Not only is this a great poker book, but Positively Fifth Street is simply a great book that anyone (poker player or not) will love.
Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker, by James McManus
This book is a must-read for any poker enthusiast, and sheds some light on the game’s history, the individuals responsible for the rise (and sometimes fall) of poker, and how the game has changed over the years. Cowboys Full is the quintessential book on poker history.
The Biggest Game in Town, by Al Alvarez
The UK author was the first to take a look behind the curtain and detail the lives of the best poker players in the world. Set with a backdrop of the WSOP the book looks at the life of poker players from an outsider’s perspective.
Big Deal, By Anthony Holden
Holden, another UK author, decided that after being the last Brit standing in the WSOP Main Event he would undertake the daunting challenge of spending a year as a professional poker player; at the same time chronicling his ups and downs (mostly downs) for a book. The result was Big Deal.
Education of a Poker Player, by Herbert O’Yardley
When you think of interesting people in history one name that should surely come to mind is Herbert O’Yardley. Intertwined with his autobiography O’Yardley reveals some of the tips that made him a top-notch poker player in his time.
Titanic Thompson: The Man Who Bet on Everything, by Kevin Cook
Cook’s biopic of Alvin Clarence Thomas, known as Titanic Thompson to most, delves into one of the biggest personalities to have ever lived. Titanic was the consummate gambler, con-man, and hustler, who Cook manages to turn into a sympathetic figure despite his exploits that included marrying teenage beauties and killing at least a handful of men.
Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People, by Greg Dinkins
Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People is yet another biography on my list, this one dealing with one of the poker world’s most colorful characters, Thomas “Amarillo Slim” Preston. Preston was the Daniel Negreanu of his day, bringing poker to the general public when poker was generally viewed in a negative light; with his larger than life personality and fondness of cameras Preston turned into poker’s #1 spokesman in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Ace on the River, by Barry Greenstein
Ace on the River is one part autobiography, two parts of a look into the world of poker professionals, and a dash of strategy. All of these things combined, the book has become one of the best-selling poker books of all-time, and is must-read material for anyone thinking about playing poker seriously.
Fast Company, by Jon Bradshaw
Fast Company details the lives of professional gamblers covering a number of genres including poker. Everyone from Minnesota Fats, to titanic Thompson, to Puggy Pearson, to Bobby Riggs is covered. Bradshaw has a flair for the dramatics, and is accused of embellishing some stories, but when you are writing about the highest-stakes gamblers in the world this is precisely what is needed.
One of a Kind, by Nolan Dalla
One of a Kind details the life and times of the most enigmatic gambler of all-time, Stu Ungar. A complete gambling savant in certain games (Ungar couldn’t even get a Gin game he was so good) but a complete degenerate in other areas. Ungar epitomized everything good and bad about gamblers, and Nolan Dalla does a magnificent job of capturing the human side of this often superhuman man.
While interacting with fellow players in discussion forums, watching a training video presented by a seasoned pro, or reading a blog on your favorite poker site are all excellent ways of improving your game, there will be times when even the most digitally integrated of us want to step away from the laptop for our poker fix.
Fortunately, there is a wealth of terrific poker material available in long-form, with some of the game’s most revered analysts having published books in traditional and electronic form.
Before we take a look at our favorite poker books, let’s consider something Daniel Negreanu stated in a post he wrote about selecting one. In poker, one should not separate the author’s achievements from their work. Unlike many other competitive pastimes, knowledge about poker has to play out as success at the tables.
While many experts on sporting technique and strategy were themselves never competitors at the highest level of their areas of expertise, this should not be the case with poker. Pay attention to who the author of a particular book is. Find out what their achievements are before putting stock in their views. This is solid advice when exploring poker literature.
1. Gus Hansen: Every Hand Revealed
There are few players to whom a “window into the mind of” would be more fascinating than Gus Hansen and with this publication, the eccentric and massively successful Dane gives us just that.
The innovative concept behind this book would surely have been enough to render it a worthy read, but, as it turns out, the content is absolutely stellar too, giving insight into the thought processes that drove a remarkable tournament performance.
Here’s some background: In 2007, Mr. Hansen won his fifth major title when he became the Aussie Millions Champion, outlasting more than 700 players to take home an astonishing $1.2M in prize money.
Every Hand Revealed is the inside story of that victory. It is an unprecedented analysis of over 300 hands in which one of the game’s most popular and enigmatic figures reveals the reasoning behind every single decision he made on his way to the final victorious hand.
About the author
Gus Hansen has reported live winnings well over $10M and was, at the height of his success, ranked 11th in the Global Poker Index (GPI)’s All Time Money List Best Rank.
2. Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier: The Raiser’s Edge
Possibly the most relevant publication in terms of unpacking the current Loose Aggressive (LAG) style of poker employed by today’s most successful players, The Raiser’s Edge has far more going for it than just a clever title.
Focusing only on tournament strategy, the book helps readers understand the stages and spots where and how to employ a LAG approach and even when to shift to hyper-LAG. The book also deals with how to defend against a player who is bossing the table with this particular strategy.
The Raiser’s Edge doesn’t compromise its value by having too narrow a focus, however, with a significant portion of the book also focusing on innovative, but extremely valuable, concepts like opponent nationality and age.
A guest-chapter, written by leading body-language expert Steve van Aspelen – a man who regularly assists the Australian police force in suspect interrogation – focuses on spotting and interpreting physical “tells”. This novel inclusion elevates The Raiser’s Edge to must-read level for players who focus on live tournament poker.
About the author
With over $13M in live winnings, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier is one of the world’s leading tournament players. His groundbreaking style of play, and his remarkable ability to explain it coherently makes him one of the most popular figures in the world of poker.
3. Mike Caro: Caro’s Book of Tells: The Body Language and Psychology of Poker
Mika Caro’s book, as you may have guessed from the title, deals entirely with the art of interpreting your opponents’ physical behavior. The ability to pick up clues about a player’s cards based on a combination of shrugs, sighs, shaky hands, eye contact, and many more is invaluable, and here Caro gives us 320 pages of information on this obscure topic.
Despite its length, the book only covers 20 basic tells but includes a significant amount of information on how each one can be interpreted based on certain conditions. It also defines how each of these tells can be exploited for maximum reward.
Critically, the book also deals with how to spot and respond to opponents who are deliberately exhibiting fake tells.
Bear in mind, though, that Caro’s Book of Tells is an influential piece of literature and is likely to have been read by a number of players at any given table.
About the author
Mike Caro is a professional poker player with seven WSOP “in the money” finishes under his belt. The 73-year old also contributed a chapter to Doyle Brunson’s seminal Super/System, one of the first ever books on poker strategy.
4. David Sklansky: The Theory of Poker
In publishing, the term “classic” is ordinarily reserved for texts that have influenced generations of readers, and, strictly speaking, this is entirely true of David Sklansky’s seminal effort.
Despite being published a mere 24 years ago, The Theory of Poker could easily be regarded as being outdated, given how quickly the game and meta-game has evolved in recent years. However, nothing could be further from the truth since the book focuses on introducing and demystifying the fundamental logical and mathematical concepts that drive a winning poker player’s decisions.
It is rightfully regarded as setting the benchmark for poker debate and is pretty much as essential as reading can get.
About the author
Best Texas Holdem Books
It may not come as much of a surprise to those familiar with his legacy to learn that David Sklansky practiced as an actuary before taking up poker as a full-time profession. A three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, Sklansky is predominantly a live player and boasts career earnings in excess of $1.3M.
5. Dan Harrington: Harrington on Hold’em Vol. 1: Strategic Play & Vol. 2 Endgame
The first volume in a series of three was without a doubt the most influential work on the topic of tournament poker and introduced the world to many strategic concepts that are nowadays taken for granted, even at the micro-stakes.
It’s almost impossible to think that there was a time, not too long ago, when most tournament players were not taking their M-ratios into consideration. This concept was introduced by Harrington and Robertie and is widely regarded as one of the most important contributions to the poker lexicon.
While the books’ significant level of influence does render some of its knowledge less valuable than more contemporary offerings, it is still packed with a wealth of essential information and considered required reading for anyone interested in tournament success.
The second volume in the series narrows its focus to the final stages of the tournament – a topic so complex, the author felt it warranted a publication of its own. This volume deals with the fragile dynamics of playing when the money is in sight and the blinds and antes are starting to overwhelm the short stacks. “Endgame” navigates these complexities expertly, providing readers with an arsenal of strategies to employ during this crucial phase of the tournament.
About the author
Dan Harrington won the 1995 WSOP main event, has ranked as high as 8th on the All Time Money List Best Rank and boasts career earnings of over $6.5M.
The 72-year old also recently expanded his bibliography by publishing two new volumes dealing with cash poker.
Bonus. Jared Tendler: The Mental Game of Poker
As an exception to the rule mentioned in our introduction, here is one book written by a non-player that has received such recognition that it is impossible not to include it in our list.
What Is The Best Poker Book
Psychology plays a bigger role in poker than most other competitive pursuits since it’s the only game in the world where a good player can continuously play well but still lose. The mental repercussions of losing a big hand or running bad for two months can ruin a tournament or, in extreme cases, a career.
This highly insightful book helps serious players overcome the challenges they will face when their emotions become involved in their decisions. It provides an actionable approach to dealing with tilt and it has been hailed by several WSOP bracelet winners, including 2012 Main Event Champion, Greg Merson, as having revolutionised their game.
Best Poker Book To Read
About the author
Best Poker Book Ever
Former mental health practitioner, and holder of a master’s degree in psychology, Jared Tendler, is a coach to over 500 professional poker players. His now defunct podcast, The Mental Game, has over 4.5M downloads and is still considered one of the most valuable resources on the psychology of poker.