Which book to start

[luked]

Hi

I currently play poker with friends for fun so know the rules but not much else!!

I am looking to start playing for money but wanted to learn a lot more about the game before by reading. Will reading books such as Miller's Small stakes poker or Lee Jones' Low limit poker make it difficult for me to convert to no limit games in the future. If so how would you recommend starting?

Thanks

[smbruin22]

start with SSHE for sure... and no it won't ruin you later for no-limit although you'll have to adjust your style (other books or the internet is pretty good for no-limit articles)

[As Zehn]

SSHE will be too advanced. Start with either Getting Started in Hold Em or Winning Low Limit Hold Em 3rd edition.

[phydaux]

Start with Winning Low Limit Hold Em 3rd ed. and then read Small Stakes Hold'em.

WLLH tells you what to do.
SSH tells you why you are doing it (plus a TON of other stuff). /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[orange]

If you are playing NL, try cloutier's championship NL holdem, then move on to harrington on holdem I&II. Even though HoH I&II are tournament books, HoH I is still aplicable to cash games IMO.

As you advance and get better, Phil Gordon's little green book is good, and so is Ciaffone/reuban's Pot limit/no limit poker.

good luck.

[deacsoft]

The search function (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/search.php?Cat=0) will become your new best friend.

[RustyCJ]

THIS THREAD (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=4284288&an=0&page=3#Post 4284288) is in the beginners forum and discussed starting with limit or NL, you might check it out.

you can make mistakes, even big mistakes at limit and you don't lose money nearly as quickly as you might at NL.

getting started in holdem and SSH are both great books. you'll add more to those in time as you begin to crave more knowledge about poker.

for a while, read some books, practice on some play money tables so you can see how often playable hands come around and start to see how the online players will react.

you can start out at .10/.20 limit tables with a $60 bankroll. or .05/.10 with $30. those games are very soft and before long you'll be at .25/.50

and there's nothing that says you can't play some microlimit NL or SNGs as well.

I play mostly limit but I also play in a home game tourney once a month so I frequently mix in some NL and SNGs myself.

[Thundercat32]

Phil Gordon's The real deal is the perfect starter's book. His DVD Final Table is freaking awesome (two modes beginner and advanced mode) I loved little green book. I love his articles on ESPN.com.

I recommend to start there and you'll be doing good. As always you learn alot by playing, the more you play the sharper your feel for "situational" play is. And that just rarely comes from reading a book, knowing what to do

[luked]

Thanks for the replys. If im correct, from what I have read it seems if I learn to play Limit poker properly now, I wont have any trouble adapting my style of play to No-Limit at a later date (when my bank balance and ability are higher!!), especially with the help of this site and the books recommended.

Thanks