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Poker Strategy Books Are Big Business
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There was a time when the only way to read poker strategy books was to order them direct from specialty small publishers like 2+2 and Cardoza Publishing. But now every bookstore has a "Games" section overflowing with poker guides. It seems as though every poker pro (from Doyle Brunson to Annie Duke) now feels entitled to jot down poker wisdom, and writing about poker is now big business.
Grey-area individuals who are neither great poker players nor great writers, but okay at both disciplines are having a field day writing "killer" books about how to play poker. But which books are really worth your time? Are any of these professionals really giving away their "secrets of success", or are they simply rehashing basic poker strategy, slapping a celebrity name on the cover, and laughing all the way to the bank?
Super / System II is an overrated book that offers a few interesting insights but does little to help advanced players. Novice poker players are probably better off wrestling with the more theoretical texts by Sklansky and Malmuth in any case. Certain players / authors like Mike Caro and Tom McEvoy have written books of dubious value, and these can also be ignored. The best poker books published in the last five years are Volumes 1 and 2 of Harrington On Hold'em, but the title is somewhat misleading. The books are brilliant on the specific subject of no-limit hold'em tournaments, and only on that subject. Nevertheless, every serious poker player should own copies.
The Barry Greenstein book, Ace On The River, is the most thoughtful and meditative book yet published on poker, but in a more general sense, namely how playing poker relates to living life, and how to integrate poker into your life. It is not really a poker guidebook, or a poker strategy book, but far more reflective and personal. A very interesting read.
The other books published about poker in the last year all seek to cash in on the poker craze. You're probably better off avoiding the books by Phil Hellmuth, Jr. and Annie Duke, as well as other celebrity poker efforts of that ilk.
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