Non-Strategy Poker books

[BlueSmurf]

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except for the McManus book, there is something about him I just don't like

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He does appear slightly insane. I don't know if it rubs off on his writings. The reason you don't notice right away is probably because he's always surrounded by other poker players.

[beaver]

One should read (in this order):

1. The Biggest Game in Town
2. Positively Fifth Street
3. The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King

I also enjoyed Barry Greenstein's book.

Make sure to read this thread.


S.B.T.C [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[dave88]

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He does appear slightly insane.

The reason you don't notice right away is probably because he's always surrounded by other poker players.

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LOL [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

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'Big Deal' by British journalist Anthony Holden? It chronicles his year as a professional poker player somewhere in '91 IIRC. The sequel ('Bigger Deal' is debuting somewhere this or next week).

It's an amusing tale of the 'old poker', peopled with legendary poker players like Amarillo Slim, Eric Drache and the likes.

(I sound like a blurb writer but I'm not, I promise)

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I just picked up Bigger Deal today at Barnes and Noble(they had just gotten it in). This is going to be a great read. His first book was excellent.

[bozzer]

Yeah, Bigger Deal got a good review in the Daily Telegraph (lol I know).

[raze]

Killer Poker Online

Also, Amarillo Slim's memoirs (world of fat people etc) is awesome.

[Gelford]

Just for the record, Shut up and deal by Jesse May is a fun read (halfway thru it) [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[robispo]

I will warn in advance about VVP's Picasso Flop. I'm sure you can assume it's not work reading, but I read it over the course of a weekend in a bookstore and cannot recommend it. Too many WPT name-drops (Mike Sexton is a central character!) and a disappointing ending. The lead character is intriging, and the storyline actually does a good job of drawing the reader in, but it has too many flaws to be a worthwhile read.

Recommended--EXCELLENT poker reads:
-One of a Kind (A Must-Read--great book!!!)
-The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King
-Ace on the River

[NickMPK]

My favorite non-strategy books:

- The Biggest Game in Town by Alvarez
- Positively Fifth Street by McManus
- The Making of a Poker Player by Matros (has some strategy discussion, but you won't be getting much out of this book if you only read it for strategy advice)
- The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King by Craig

I wouldn't recommend "Cards" by Maxwell...I found it poorly written and pretty repetitive...although it did often capture the boredom and desperation of trying to play poker professionally.

I also have very mixed feelings about "Big Deal" by Holden.
Holden is a very good writer, but has a somewhat overly-literary and pedantic style, and takes himself to seriously. Also, his dreadful tournament strategy is really frustrating to the reader...he seems to think that playing really tight and finishing just short of the bubble is some kind of achievement. Finally, the book chronicles a rather bleak period in poker history, which is both interesting and depressing.

[driller]

I read Big Deal a few years ago and thought it was just "ok". Bigger Deal is not as good. I thought Andy Bellin's Poker Nation Was better than either.