A Poker Player's Library

284
August 5th, 2017
Back A Poker Player's Library

Stephen R. sent me an interesting email this week and I would like to share it with you.

Stephen lives in Albuquerque, N.M. where he owns a book store. He is in his 40s and wants to learn how to play poker. Here is the context of his email:

'I have never been much of a gambler, but I enjoy watching poker on television. What would you recommend that I do to become a good poker player? I don't mean world class, although playing in the World Series of Poker would certainly be a dream come true. I just want to learn to play the game well enough to be an occasional winner. Is that asking too much?'

a_poker_players_library_1

No, it isn't asking too much, Stephen.

Something has happened in the past 20 years or so that has created a great amount of interest in poker, not only in the United States but around the world. And that is the growing selection of books written by professional poker players for the public.

There are many ways to get an education. You can go to the college of hard knocks like Louis Lamour, the western author did. He wrote an autobiography called 'Education of a Wandering Man,' which tells about his early days as a laborer, gold prospector, traveler, and boxer. His wandering ways led him to many parts of America and he began writing novels based on what people told him about true stories, gunfights, outlaws and legends of the Old West.

Poker is a game where knowledge is gold. To get that knowledge, you must either play poker or read books by card experts who play poker. This is my recommendation to Stephen R.

One of the earliest strategy books on poker was written by Irwin Steig, a native of Lakewood, N.J. Steig published three books before his death at the age of 76 -- 'Poker For Fun And Profit,' 'Common Sense Poker,' and 'Play Gin To Win.'

Steig's brother, William, was a professional artist who illustrated two of his books. For more than 50 years, Steig worked as advertising and public relations director for C.B. Dodge Co. in Westport, CT. He also was an author who published articles in ESQUIRE and other major magazines.

While Steig's books came out before Texas Hold'Em became popular, they offer good common sense strategy that should benefit any beginning poker player.

Stephen should begin a poker library and absorb the strategies, insights and techniques used by the authors of people who have made a living playing poker. Here are just a few of those authors whose books have made an impression on me. Read them and learn:

PHIL HELLMUTH. Phil, given the nickname 'The Poker Brat,' has been a winner at poker for many years. He boasts about his luck and once told me in an interview, 'I am one of the luckiest people in the world.' He has written several books -- look them up on line -- and they are worth adding to your library.

TOM MCEVOY: Tom is one of the old-timers of poker. He learned the game the hard way, by playing limit poker in casinos and card rooms in California, Nevada and New Jersey. He has authored several books on poker that will provide a beginning player with a lot of information that could improve their game.

a_poker_players_library_2

ROY WEST: Roy is a columnist for CARD PLAYER Magazine. He learned the ropes of hard-ball poker and supported himself at the game before opening a real estate office in Las Vegas where he and his Hawaiian-born wife, Misty, currently live. He is also a columnist for a poker magazine and he has authored books that should be must reading for any serious poker player.

NOLAN DELLA: Nolan is a very accomplished poker player and author who covered my play in a World Poker Open tournament that I won in Tunica, MS. He wrote a book on the late Stu Ungar that is still being talked about in poker circles. Anything Della writes pertaining to poker is worth reading.

DOYLE BRUNSON: Enough said. Anything written by Doyle you can take to the bank when it deals with poker. Now in his 80s, Doyle can still take on the young whiz-kids and beat them at their own game, and that includes the ones who read his strategies in his best-selling book, 'Super System.'

There are other poker playing authors like Lou Krieger, Daniel Negreanu, Mike Sexton, Peter Alson, Dan Harrington and Anthony Holden, author of 'The Big Deal.' You can purchase their books at discount prices on-line. Read them and learn. The more time you spend on reading poker books, the more you will absorb. Yes, some of the information will be redundant and some will be useless. But you will gain the kind of knowledge you need to stay ahead of the game.

I will guarantee you this: all of the winning poker players I know have a library of poker books. The best players want to know how their opponents think and what better way to learn that than to read their books?

My personal belief is that there are few players who will tell you everything they know. But they will reveal enough to make your reading efforts pay off. Good luck. Let the games begin.

Back to articles
Limitless Casino (USA friendly)

Search

Search Results

Select language

English English

Don't show this again

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share