Poker is a pastime card game, which can be learned through the best poker books. Herein, players place bets with chips while maintaining a straight face. You can also enjoy poker digitally online with any expression you like.
The game can be played by 2 or more players with a deck of cards. Several rounds of gambling, dumping, and being handed fresh cards are common in some card games. A “poker face” is when you keep your face expressionless, as though you’re trying to hide the reality that you’ve got a brilliant deck of cards.
Today, there are around 500 poker books available. Whatever you want to study, read, or understand about poker, there is a book to satiate your curiosity. However, knowing which poker books are worth a read or which are overhyped can be challenging. So, join us as we run you through the 10 worth-reading books for your unique situation.
10 Best Poker Books
1. The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide
Highlight
Author: Michael Craig
Publication Year: 2007
Publisher: Grand General Publishing
Description
For several poker players, the “Full Tilt” is a bad memory. However, there was a period when Full Tilt Poker professionals were the competition’s rock stars.
This remarkable 437-page poker strategy book is authored by Michael Craig, one of Poker’s greatest writers. The book also includes guidance from several other experienced professionals of the game. If you can get beyond the names and the damage they caused to the game, almost all of the advice is worth adhering to.
You can buy this book from here.
2. Applications of No-Limit Poker
Highlight
Author: Matthew Janda
Publication Year: 2013
Publisher: Two Plus Two Pub
Description
To become a professional gambler, you must be capable of playing every hand in your spectrum flawlessly. You may enhance your game by developing appropriate variations and bet sizing to beat quality players.
To help you develop your game, Janda clarifies concepts like donk-betting, preflop, managing numerous bet-sizing ranges and overbetting in this book. Once you’ve grasped these concepts, you can apply them to your gameplay and expect better outcomes.
Even though many mathematical expressions are leveraged to describe the topics, this book is still a strong, incredibly simple, and sophisticated guide for anyone keen on improving their game. That makes it one of the leading poker books.
You can buy this book from here.
3. The Mental Game of Poker
Highlight
Author: Jared Tendler and Barry Carter
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Jared Tendler, LLC
Description
Poker is one of the few games where you can execute your gameplay perfectly and yet end up on the losing side. The psychological and emotional elements of the game may be more essential than strategies and game philosophy.
This book explains how to detect and correct problems including tilt, emotional stability, strength, fear, desire, and handling variation using straightforward, step-by-step methods.
It also explains how to enhance decision-making, concentration, and attention, as well as how to perform consistently “inside the zone.”
You can buy this book from here.
4. Moorman’s Book of Poker
Highlight
Author: Chris Moorman
Publication Year: 2014
Publisher: D&B Publishing
Description
The book stands out for its unique presentation. Moorman analyses Eighty tournament hand histories played by co-author Jacobs in this book. You can learn how to improve your own game by using a more assistant coaching-style guidebook.
This book is aimed at lower-middle to high-stakes players, and it contains more illustrations than a true game of poker concept. Readers either adore it or despise it, so it is up to you to decide. But the poker book deserves your attention.
You can buy this book from here.
5. No Limit Hold’Em for Advanced Players
Highlight
Author: Matthew Janda
Publication Year: 2017
Publisher: Two Plus Two Pub
Description
Janda outlines advanced techniques for playing against strong opponents using modern, complex software applications like PioSOLVER and PokerSnowie in this guide.
Raising first on the tab, comprehending high variance action, turn game, overbet, counter-strategies, opening frequency based on stack depth, equity, playing shorter on the tab versus huge blind circumstances, and linear, compressed, and polarised ranges are just a few of the subjects discussed.
Janda employs complex mathematical formulas, yet he explains things in a way that even novice and moderate players can comprehend.
You can buy this book from here.
6. Little Green Book
Highlight
Author: Phil Gordon
Publication Year: 2005
Publisher: Gallery Books
Description
Phil Gordon has poured everything he knows about Poker into the Little Green Book. After 15 years of keeping notes on what he’s learned from playing with some of the greatest Poker players, Gordon has defined the right amount of patience, aggression, observation, and perhaps dedication needed to become a better player.
Gordon shares key insights, educational morsels, and examples on how to develop your own distinctive style of play by taking on the roles of both students and instructors.
You can buy this book from here.
7. Caro’s Book of Poker Tells: The Psychology and Body Language of Poker
Highlight
Author: Mike Caro
Publication Year: 2003
Publisher: Cardoza
Description
Caro’s Book of Poker Tells is among the best poker books ever published, as well as one of the best-sellers. The book aims to make you capable of reading your adversaries’ leads for poker profit.
Caro explains his tricks for deciphering tells including shrugs, facial expressions, sighs, shaking palms, and other bodily responses that could indicate vulnerability or expose crucial information.
More than 160 images and real-life examples demonstrate the many tells. However, like many of the other publications on this list, it is a little out of date.
You can buy this book from here.
8. Super System: A Course in Power Poker
Highlight
Author: Doyle Brunson
Publication Year: 2002
Publisher: Cardoza
Description
It is one of the earliest books on strategies on Poker, and it is still one of the most sought-after poker books ever written.
Super System is written by Doyle Brunson, a 2-time WSOP ( World Series of Poker) titleholder and Hall of Fame member. It discusses the fundamentals of betting, raising, advancing, and folding in holding them and drawing poker.
This book is a must-have for all dedicated poker players, as it is based on data accumulated from more than 10k hours of poker game by some of the world’s best players and strategists. On the downside, it is a little out of date. However, it does give a strong foundation for the game’s essential themes.
You can buy this book from here.
9. The Theory of Poker
Highlight
Author: David Sklansky
Publication Year: 1999
Publisher: Two plus Two
Description
It’s a great way to start learning about game theory and how to play good poker. Though the book is kind of out-of-date and a little complicated, it is, nevertheless, jam-packed with important information for a variety of poker games, including stud, draws and lowball.
This book begins by exposing readers to poker philosophy, including the fundamental theory of poker, the value of trickery, bluffing, slow-play, semi-bluffing, the value of a position and poker philosophy.
This book will not instantly transform you into a good poker player. However, if you want to become a serious student of the game and build a winning attitude, this will provide a reasonable foundation. Mind you, understanding any Sklansky work on poker would be beneficial.
You can buy this book from here.
10. Harrington on Hold’em: Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Volume I Strategic Play
Highlights
Author: Dan Harrington
Publication Year: 2004
Publisher: Two plus Two
Description
In this excellent resource, Harrington delivers complex and time-tested winning techniques that emphasize reaching the final table.
This book examines hand and player evaluation, betting, altering style, reacting to re-raises, assessing pot chances, dealing with bad losses, and dealing to optimise one’s wins, among other topics.
Many publications on basic poker strategy can teach you the basics. Instead, Harrington goes well beyond by discussing real-life gaming scenarios.
Starting with a solid hand behind such an offensive defenseman with two raises behind is one of these scenarios. The reader will learn how to interpret situations effectively, position people on some hands, and make wise decisions using a combination of psychology and mathematics. This book, by the way, recently topped the sales charts.
You can buy this book from here.
Conclusion
Poker games have a lot of strategies and gaming techniques that need to be understood carefully. The above-mentioned poker books, written by the experts and winners in this game of poker, open a wide area for readers to explore and try their methods in their game.
We have gone through the list of best poker books and analyzed them in detail. You can pick the one which suits your game. Feel free to comment below on the strategy you will be adopting to win.
People are also reading: