The order in which I should read the following books

[TimmyMagic]

Hey guys,

All in the title really, started playing a year or so ago with friends and started to get 'addicted' trying to read/watch everything about poker that I could get my hands on. Cut a long story short I then stopped to concentrate on my work experience placement (didn't get around to reading much at all), I'm now coming towards the end and want to spend my month off really reading and studying the books I've purchased over the last year (all bar one recommended here, see if you can guess which one). I play mainly NHLE tournaments and SNG's but would also be very interested in learning cash games.

They are as follows:

Play Poker Like The Pros (miiiistake)
Harrington on Hold 'Em Vol. 1
Harrington on Hold 'Em Vol. 2
The Theory of Poker
No Limit Hold 'Em: Theory and Practice
Phil Gordon's Little Green Book
Tournament Poker for Advanced Players

I have another cash limit hold 'em book that my father bought, I will post the name of this up later and see if you recommend said book. Also appreciate any additions you believe I should make to my current library, I still have a few ££ to spend before going back to uni!

Thanks in advance for any help

[NDPDuke]

I would do it like this:

Theory of Poker
Phil Gordon's Little Green Book
HOH 1
HOH 2
No Limit Theory and Practice
Tournament Poker for Advanced


Make sure you really understand Theory of Poker and then especially No-Limit Theory and Practice.

[Lanzalot]

FWIW:

Theory of Poker
NLH: Theory and Practice
HOH 1 & 2
Theory of Poker (again)
Tournament Poker 4Adv
Gordon's book

Recommendation: Ciaffone and Reuben's book

[phydaux]

[ QUOTE ]
I would do it like this:

Theory of Poker
Phil Gordon's Little Green Book
HOH 1
HOH 2
No Limit Theory and Practice
Tournament Poker for Advanced


Make sure you really understand Theory of Poker and then especially No-Limit Theory and Practice.

[/ QUOTE ]

See, I'd recommend it this way:

No Limit Hold 'Em: Theory and Practice
Phil Gordon's Little Green Book
Harrington on Hold 'Em Vol. 1
Harrington on Hold 'Em Vol. 2
The Theory of Poker
Tournament Poker for Advanced Players

NLH:T&P will give you the thoeretical understanding of what you need to consider at various stages of a hand. Little Green Book will show you how Phil Gordon puts those things into practice, while HOH will show you how Action Dan puts those things into practice. TOP is a much more broad poker theory book, and you will want to mull over the various points Dave makes and decide in your own mind how they interact in your chosen game of Tournament NL Hold'em. TPFAP will then expand & reitterate various tournament Hold'em comcepts that you were introduced to in HOH II.

And by the time you finish HOH I you will be well on your way to being a killer cash game player.

[Lawman]

Just for a different perspective I'm reading HOHII (second time round), LGB and NLHTP at the same time. I find it helpful to identify areas where different authors are in agreement and to think about where they appear not to be.

[NDPDuke]

I feel that Theory of Poker should be first for the general knowledge. It will obviously require multiple reads at a later time, but I feel it is good to work your way through it once.

Little Green Book is a quick read that gives a good beginner's understanding to the game.

I then recommended the Harrington books because after reading those, your game will improve significantly. Those books alone can make a beginner a break-even/small-win player.

Theory and Practice on other hand takes a lot of work, but I feel that it can take your no-limit game to another level. I feel that you need some sort of prior knowledge/experience to fully grasp this book.


Just the way I see it.

[steamboatin]

[ QUOTE ]
I would do it like this:

Theory of Poker
Phil Gordon's Little Green Book
HOH 1
HOH 2
No Limit Theory and Practice
Tournament Poker for Advanced


Make sure you really understand Theory of Poker and then especially No-Limit Theory and Practice.

[/ QUOTE ]

This list is good but I would bump TOP down to the bottom. The first time I read it, it might have well been written in Greek. If you do read it it first, just read through it, read and study the others, then comeback and study TOP in depth.

I read it at least twice and over the last couple of years have read and reread a bunch of poker books. I think it is time for me to revisit TOP and see if I understand it a little more.

[Grumbo]

[ QUOTE ]
I feel that Theory of Poker should be first for the general knowledge. It will obviously require multiple reads at a later time, but I feel it is good to work your way through it once.

Little Green Book is a quick read that gives a good beginner's understanding to the game.

I then recommended the Harrington books because after reading those, your game will improve significantly. Those books alone can make a beginner a break-even/small-win player.

Theory and Practice on other hand takes a lot of work, but I feel that it can take your no-limit game to another level. I feel that you need some sort of prior knowledge/experience to fully grasp this book.


Just the way I see it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree.

[Rob-L]

I think that is good, solid advice and reasoning. Although I think TOP should be read first or second. With the idea that it is good to go from broad, general knowledge then into specifics.

[phydaux]

[ QUOTE ]
it is good to go from broad, general knowledge then into specifics

[/ QUOTE ]

And that's why I recommend NLH:T&P first, then LGB, then HOH I&II.

TOP is so broad, and takes indivudual topics into such depth, that many first time readers get little to nothing out of it the first time through. Much like a previous poster said, to a total poker newbie it might as well be written in Greek.

And since the Hold'em examples in the book are all limit Hold'em, a new NL player just might end up playing worse after reading it.

NLH:T&P touches on the topics covered in depth in TOP, but covers them as they pertain to NL. With that theoretical underpinning, even a new player can go on to LGB & HOH and get a lot more out of them than if they hadn't read T&P first.

Plus, after NLH:T&P, LGB and HOH I a player can expect to sit down as a MTT, SnG or a cash table and expect to do well.