Which Book Should I Write Next?

[David Sklansky]

I'm torn between four choices:

WHAT POKER TEACHES US

The idea would be to relate poker concepts to real world situations. Don't go on tilt, put yourself in other's heads, evaluate risk vs reward etc. etc. Besides being a good self help book for poker players and non players alike, the book could be used as a means to demonstrate some reasons why playing and learning poker should not be discouraged by the government.

ALGEBRA FOR TEN YEAR OLDS (And those who think like them).

I am close to being the best Algebra teacher in the world. Trust me on this. The reason probably stems from the fact that my father taught me the subject when I was seven. So even though I turned out to be talented at math, my brain remembers what it was like to struggle with the subject as well as the techniques my father used to overcome hurdles. All Algebra books that I have seen, after an initial easy portion, go on to teach later portions with the assumption that the begining stuff was mastered. Both the techniques and the nomenclature. My book wouldn't do that even though it is "undignified". But it would get mathematically untalented people through their first year algebra class, in a way that nothing else ever has. (The book would probably also contain some basic probability.)

50 POKER HANDS THAT REALLY TEACH YOU SOMETHING

When poker authors throw out sample hands to evaluate, they often pick hands that they have seen or played or hands that have tricky answers as to the best play. Answers that usually are debatable. While it is always helpful to analyze the pros and cons of playing a hand a certain way, I believe it is not in the best interest of the student to be studying hands where the answer is debatable. Of course it is not easy to come up with situations where the best play is not self evident while at the same time a full analysis pretty much leads to one answer. But I can do that.

A SIMPLE GUIDE TO "THE THEORY OF POKER"

Just as I can teach Algebra to beginners in a simple manner, so too can I teach the somewhat complex principles of the Theory of Poker. In the past there would have been little demand for a simplified version of my book because it was rare that beginning players would have had an interest. Nowadays that isn't true given poker's emergence on the world stage. Thus there would be a far greater audience for a "cliff notes" version of TOP. Throw in also those many NON beginners whose academic credentials are such that they would appreciate an easier version before tackling the real thing.

So which book should I write? Put on your unselfish hat and don't necessarily think about what would be best for you. Rather think about what would be best for the world. And what would make me and Mason the most money.