In what order should I read these books? Any must-reads missing?

[deacsoft]

[ QUOTE ]
dont read Zen and the Art of Poker: Larry Phillips
it's a waste of time....

[/ QUOTE ]

Posts like these are a waste of time when they don't include your reasoning for making such a statement.

[amulet]

1. 3 Times read: Small Stakes Hold'em: Ed Miller, David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth
2. 2 Times read: The Theory of Poker: David Sklansky
3. Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players: David Sklansky, Mason Malmut
4. Harrington on Hold'em Volume 1, 2 and 3: Dan Harrington
5. Books that you are missing (see below).

the rest:
Professional No-Limit Hold'em Volume One: Matt Flynn, Sunny Mehta, Ed Miller
No Limit Hold'em Theory and Practice: David Sklansky, Ed Miller
Tournament Poker for Advanced Players: David Sklansky
Caro's Book of Poker Tells: Mike Caro
The Psychology of Poker: Alan Schoonmaker
Caro's Book of Poker Tells: Mike Caro
Zen and the Art of Poker: Larry Phillips
The Tao of Poker: Larry Phillips


below is a list of the poker books that i consider to be the most important for my development. there is no order.

The Theory of Poker
Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players
Small Stakes Hold 'em
Harrington on Hold 'em Volume I
Harrington on Hold'em Volume II
Harrington on Hold'em Volume III
Seven Card Stud for Advanced Player
High-Low Split Poker, Seven Card Stud and Omaha Eight or Better for Advanced Players
Sklansky on Poker
Gambling Theory and Other Topics
Getting the Best of It
Inside the Poker Mind
Poker Esasys I
Poker Esasys II
Poker Eassys III
Poker, Gaming, & Life



also good:

Weighing the Odds
Middle Limit Hold 'Em
No Limit Hold 'em theory & Practice
Professional No Limit Hold 'em
How Good is your Limit Poker
Tournament Poker for Advanced Players

[br.bm]

@OP
If you play cashgames:
"No Limit Hold'em Theory and Practice" and "Professional No-Limit Hold'em Volume One" are jewels. Anyway ... where is Theory of Poker (sklansky)?

I'd recommend reading in this order:
ToP
NLT&P
PNL

Just skip through the books and read whatever you like.

Caro's Book of Poker Tells is great too ... but not as usefull as the others.

[ChuckyB]

I will forever recommend "Hold'em On The Come" to anyone who asks. And if you want to get into PLO "Professional Pot Limit Omaha" is a must-buy.

[Recliner]

Zen and the Art of Poker is a horrible horrible book. It contains a very low amount of poker content and the content it does contain SUCKS HARD.

The advice in that book in blatantly and insultingly wrong. Much of the advice goes against statistics and the other advice is useless. I mistakenly purchased a copy and couldn't fight my way through more than 10 pages. This book will make you worse at poker and is likely the worst poker book I've ever read. (I own about 25)

Just thinking about it is making me angry. NEVER READ Zen and the Art of Poker.

[dave88]

If tilt is an issue for you, I believe there is some value in reading "Zen and the art of Poker" obviously you don't read it for strategy advice, but it does have good advice to get your head in the right place. It seemed to work pretty good for Steve Dannenmann.

[Gonso]

OP,

I'll tell you right now you're being unrealistic and going to overwhelm yourself if you try to set up a plan to read and absorb all of that. Pick a game you want to develop and start there, put the rest of them on that shelf for another time. My easy recommendations:

LHE: Small Stakes Hold'em, Hold'em for Advanced Players

NLHE cash: Harrington 1, Professional No Limit 1

NLHE tourneys/SNGs: Harrington 1 & 2

and in all cases, follow up with Theory of Poker (some say read this first, but I personally don't like it as a first book because some people lose interest).

As far as poker Zen, Tao, Psychology... these are better for a rainy day when you have nothing to do.

[SuperUberBob]

Skip over Farha on Omaha. I posted a review of it on this B&P board.

Pick up the Full Tilt Tournament Book and the Poker Tournament Formula

[jcl]

Read Phil Gordon's books they're actually good reads even though everyone hates him. Mathematics of Poker is also good to broaden your understanding.

Does anyone really read Caro? I did but I found the tells only added up to about $73.4332454564/hr.