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The Importance of Poker Literature and Book Reviews
There was a time when learning to play poker was a very difficult and time consuming process. New players were eaten alive by the more experienced, and had to endure a very steep learning curve. Strategies were developed through trial and error, which is a very expensive way to learn. Thankfully there are now a number of good books that can make learning considerably easier. It can take years to begin to grasp some concepts that can be explained in a chapter of a book. One can learn the fundamentals before they even sit down at a poker table and have a huge leg up on other new players who do not have the benefit of a more experienced players knowledge. You do not have to read every poker book ever written to learn quite a bit about the game. As you progress you may find yourself wanting to read more and more books to soak up every bit of knowledge that you can find. You also may find that once you understand the fundamentals and have a conceptual understanding of winning play that you prefer to think about the game on your own and do not enjoy reading many books. You should however begin your poker career by reading these books that I consider “must reads”. This alone will not turn you into a great poker player but it will start you down the right path towards winning play. When you couple the knowledge you take away from books with time at the table then you will find yourself improving quickly. Learning poker is still no easy task, but thankfully for new players, it is much less difficult than it was before so many quality books were available.
Two plus Two Publishing
Mason Malmuth and David Sklansky are two of the most notable poker authors. They teamed up to start Two Plus Two publications and are the one publisher that has a library consisting of all quality works. Their books, as the name implies, always keep in mind the mathematical elements of poker. They have collaborated with some of the smartest and most respected players, like Ray Zee and Dan Harrington, to put out consistently top notch material. There is little they have published that is not worth reading, although some of the earlier material is out of touch with today’s game. Many of my “must read” books are published by Two Plus Two.
The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky
This book is a classic. Most serious players consider it the best book ever written on poker. Sklansky discusses the theories and concepts that are important during the play of a hand and teaches players what they need to consider to make the right decision. It is not a simple, how to type of book. It is not the kind of book that has starting hand charts and a X = Y approach to poker. It teaches the many variables involved with the play of a hand and what you need to consider to reach a correct decision. It discusses the underlying concepts of poker, not just Hold ‘em, that all players should understand.
There are too many topics covered in this book to list them all. Some of the most important are bluffing, the semi-bluff, playing position, the free card, raising, and how to read hands. The chapter entitled "Heads up on the End" is also extremely good and important to understand. In it Sklansky dissects river play and breaks down how to know when to fold, call , or raise. He spends a lot of time discussing the math behind certain concepts and how to use it to reach the right decision.
This is not a book you can skim through and understand fully. This is the sort of book that you need to read and spend time thinking about. Try to apply certain concepts at the table and when you think you fully grasp it then read the book again and work on fully understanding another concept. Many players have reread this book countless times. When a player has a practical understanding of all the concepts included in the book then he is well on the way to expert status. Even though The Theory of Poker covers many complex subjects it is a book that should be read fairly early in one’s poker career. It is important to lay a good foundation for solid play and this is the book that will teach you these very important theories and concepts.
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