Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

Every once in a while, I start writing this post, but quit halfway through, so I don't think I've actually posted.

Anyways, the question is, who is the best writer who has written a poker strategy book, considering writing ability independent of actual poker knowledge?

I'll put the question this way. You are given the ability to imbue any one author with a previously published poker book the most poker knowledge and theoretical understanding of any person on the Earth. This person will be tasked with writing a poker book for your eyes only on the poker subjects of your choosing. This person will be shunted into an alternative dimension where time runs much faster so that the book will be finished in a month or less according to how times runs in this universe. (The Mike Caro rule.) Afterwards, this poker knowledge will be removed from the author so that you can only gain knowledge from the text that is produced. However, you must choose someone who has already written a poker strategy or theory book.

Who would you choose?

Basically, if you could hold understanding of poker constant across all poker authors, who would be the best communicator of those ideas? If all poker authors had the sum of all poker knowledge, who would best organize those ideas into a book for your personal consumption? For example, you could think that Ken Warren has crap ideas, but communicates crap better than more knowledgeable authors communicate better ideas, so you might pick him even if you think his current books are worthless.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

best for clear ideas and good writing: tie between ciaffone and miller....

best poker knowledge: sklansky for limit hold-em.... no-limit hard to say.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

I read your query in a different way than the last poster. I think I know what you mean, but just to be sure, here's the question I'm trying to answer:

Of all the authors who have written poker strategy books, who would I evaluate as the most skilled writer (irrespective of the strength of that author's poker ideas)?

My answer is John Vorhaus. He's the only poker strategy author whose books I enjoy reading even if they don't help my game. His writing is clear, well executed, and entertaining. I expect that most folks who have written significantly will appreciate my choice, even if they would choose someone else.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

Vorhaus will probably be the most popular choice, but his writing style doesn't suit me personally.

Miller and Ciaffone are the two I thought of even before seeing smbruin22's post.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

Does Matt Matros's book count as a strategy book?
If not, probably Phil Gordon. I've never read anything by Vorhaus, who has been mentioned by a few people.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

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If not, probably Phil Gordon.

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I found his tone too cutesy and too familiar for my liking. It reads like a self-help book or weight loss method, lol.

Probably the worst writer AFAIK (stylistically) is Barry Greenstein in "Ace on the River".

Also check Jeniffer Harman's chapter in SS2 for various ridic grammar and spelling errors.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

I agree John Vohaus is a very good writer and Angel Largay has a very nice style to go along with alot of knowledge. I think either one of them would be a good choice.

R

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I read your query in a different way than the last poster. I think I know what you mean, but just to be sure, here's the question I'm trying to answer:

Of all the authors who have written poker strategy books, who would I evaluate as the most skilled writer (irrespective of the strength of that author's poker ideas)?


[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, that's what I mean.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

John Feeney

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

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Vorhaus will probably be the most popular choice...

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In terms of pure literary style, though it gets a little wearing, Vorhaus has to be acknowledged. An honorable mention should be made of Herbert Osborn Yardley, author of The Education Of A Poker Player, a how to win manual with lots of great true stories. It has strategy chapters on 5 card draw, 5 card stud, 5 card lowball, 7 card stud and others (no hold'em). It is a big selling book first published in 1957 though the stories are from his youth around the turn of the twentieth century. In fact, give me Yardley's book over anything Vorhaus has written...

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

*****major flame alert****

even though i voted for a tie between ciaffone/miller, i also think gary carson is a good writer (content is pretty loose/aggressive specific though)

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

My first thought was Ciaffone. I like Ed as well, but I prefer Bob. I also like Largay, but I find Vohaus is just trying to hard to be funny. Kind of like McManus.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

SSH and HOH V1&2 were great reads.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

I would just add King Yao.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

I've had the pleasure of reading many of the books by the famous players. Harrington, Brunson, Miller and Jones all score high marks for teaching poker strategy.

But, the question is.... who is the best writer?

Considering the fact that most poker pro's use ghost writers, we are left with only a few obvious choices. Vorhaus and Yardley have to rank at the top of the list. But, there's a new kid on the block.

Sam O'Connor's How to Dominate $1 and $2 No Limit Hold'Em is educational and entertaining! I've had the pleasure of reading this book as a work in progress on Sam's old site NothingWild.

He has a definitive narrative style and the sprinkling of short stories are great. If you haven't read The Death of a Shuffle Machine, buy the book just for that story alone! O'Connor is a writer who happens to be a poker player, not a poker poker player who happened to write a book.

O'Connor obviously knows his poker. The book covers a lot of territory and certainly has content suitable for any level of player from novice players to semi pro. In my humble opinion, this book is a must for any serious poker player.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

Roy Cooke is by far the best allround poker writer I've read, and it's not very close. Well, ok, Vorhaus is pretty entertaining but really has nothing very much to say.

Most of the others mentioned so far are solid, interesting but unspectacular writers - haven't read Sam O'Connor or Yardley's books though.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

ray zee

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

I haven't read any poker book from cover to cover yet. But from the skimming through the books that were shipped to me this week, I like King Yao's writing style.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

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John Feeney

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what a great author

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

Andrew Brokos (Foucault)

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

Anthony Holden FTW, though his strategy book sucks.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

Tony Holden writing a strategy book would certainly move him to the top of my list, but I wasn't aware that he did. What's it called?

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

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Tony Holden writing a strategy book would certainly move him to the top of my list, but I wasn't aware that he did. What's it called?

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Don't trouble yourself: it is some kind of basic thing.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

Harrington. I say this because his style of writing really kept my attention.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

It's a basic book that I read years ago, but Caro's Fundamental Secrets of Winning Poker is very elegantly written. It's the sort of thing that expresses ideas so well they seem simple and obvious.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

I have over 50 poker books and I would have to say my vote would be for 3 authors that really stand out: Roy Cooke, King Yao and James McManus... James has the advantage of already being a professional writer and although he has not written a strategy book per se, I think his writing style would be perfect for such a book.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

Cooke
Holden
Bellin
Alvarez

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

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It's a basic book that I read years ago, but Caro's Fundamental Secrets of Winning Poker is very elegantly written. It's the sort of thing that expresses ideas so well they seem simple and obvious.

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This is a very profound book anything but basic. The elegance of the prose makes everything clear and makes it sound 'obvious'.

Yes, you are quite right. Caro is a fine writer, with a jocular style.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

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ray zee

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I especially like his articles on 2+2 Magazine.

Re: Who Is the Best Writer Who Has Written a Poker Strategy Book?
 

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ray zee

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the hi/lo book is 2+2's best IMO

I also like Carson's Hold'em book.