Poker – the game that takes a lifetime to master. Much more than a card game of luck, poker is about harnessing skill and intelligence. In the digital age playing online poker with participants from all over the world has become as popular as playing it offline. While you can find many excellent strategies for improving gameplay from different sources online, there are only so many options to rest your eyes from the screens and learn offline. Poker books play a big role in improving the understanding of play on a deeper level and using this knowledge as a weapon in the game. These teachings can be applied to other areas of life as well. We’ve selected some of the best influential poker books to read, reread, study and take notes of to enhance your skills.
The fundamentals of Poker: The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky
The Poker Player’s Bible, that many of today’s top players refer to. This essential reading gives an insight to different theories and methods for almost any possible formations of gameplay. Great for beginners as it focuses on the basics of poker, teaches practical knowledge, strategy and poker mathematics.
„Every time you play a hand differently from the way you would have played it if you could see all your opponents’ cards, they gain; and every time you play your hand the same way you would have played it if you could see all their cards, they lose. Conversely, every time opponents play their hands differently from the way they would have if they could see all your cards, you gain; and every time they play their hands the same way they would have played if they could see all your cards, you lose.“ – Theory of Poker by David Sklansky
Psychology behind the game: The Mental Game of Poker by Jared Tendler
Poker is as much a game of people as it is a game of cards. To play it efficiently one needs to make use of the mental game. In his book Jared Tendler teaches techniques to bring back focus from emotions to logic and avoid tilt as a result of overtaking emotions like confidence, fear, anger, depression or disbelief. Furthermore, learn to predict and benefit from opponents’ emotion-driven behaviours. This book is targeted to professional players and includes sections of practical exercises.
„You can’t control the cards; you can only control how you play.“ – The Mental Game of Poker by Jared Tendler
From the mind of a professional: Harrington on Hold ’em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 1: Strategic Play by Dan Harrington, Bill Robertie
Dan Harrington, one of the world’s most successful No-Limit Hold Em players, also a master of chess and backgammon, shares his tactics to get through thousands of hands and make it to the final table. This book is all about the winning strategies that top players use again and again. Includes techniques for adapting your playing style, optimizing betting patterns, analyzing hands, responding to a re-raise, reacting to a bad card and much more. Chapters end with real-life exercises. Good introduction to basic tournament skills.
„The goal of all forms of poker is to avoid making mistakes while inducing as many mistakes as possible from your opponents. Every time you make a mistake, you lose, and your opponents gain. Every time you induce a mistake from your opponents you gain, and they lose.“ – Harrington on Hold ’em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 1: Strategic Play by Dan Harrington, Bill Robertie
