Professional Poker Tools - Part Six - Poker Books

By Author: Tom Kearns
Total Articles: 10
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Text books are used for leaning new skills from grade school all the way through grad school. And there is a reason for this. Its because books are a great way to learn. So why should poker be any different? Like anything else, poker is something that you can learn and improve at. The easiest and fastest way to get on the right track is good high quality poker books. But there is a problem when you're just starting out. There are so many bad poker books out there and its tough to know which ones will help you, and which ones will actually hurt you. So how do you know what books are the right books?

There are an incredible number of bad poker books out there. For some reason people keep writing them, and other people keep buying them. A bad poker book can actually do more harm than good if you are just learning the game and don't know right from wrong. For that reason I will mention just a few really good poker books. This list is not meant to be all inclusive, as there are many good books out there as well, but should get you started.

Limit Holdem:

Small Stakes Holdem by Ed Miller, David ...
... Sklansky, and Mason Malmuth: This books should be read and reread by every serious limit holdem player. It is a must for every poker library.

Weighing the Odds in Limit Holdem by King Yao : Another great poker book. The section on short handed play is especially good.

Holdem Poker for Advanced Players by David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth: This book goes more in depth and deals with playing against higher quality players. Should be read if you want to move up to the bigger games.

Stud Poker:

Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players by Ray Zee: This is the bible for stud players and is absolutely required reading.

General Poker Knowledge:

The Theory of Poker by David Sklanksy: This is hands down the best poker book ever written. It will probably need to be read several times to fully digest all the information presented.

The Psychology of Poker by Dr. Alan Shoonmaker: This book will help you to learn not only what you and your opponents are doin, but why? A very good read.

Poker Essays I, II, and III by Mason Malmuth: These three volumes are collections of essays written by Malmuth on various poker games and poker related subjects. Very insightful.

These are just a few books to get you started. If you plan to play poker professionally it is a good idea to read everything you can on the subject. You're never done learning. Poker is a game that you can always learn a little more about and once you get your feet wet you'll start to recognize good advice from bad. When choosing your next poker book remember, being a good poker player and being on TV does not make you a good poker book author.

Professional poker tools is a series of articles. This is part Six. The author is not affiliated with nor does he sell any of the software, programs, or books discussed in any of these articles. Please view the authors other articles to find more information on professional poker tools and software.

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online, recieves Rakeback at Absolute Poker, and participates in the monthly Races and Rolls Rake Races offered at http://www.rakebacksolution.com .