Question about Texas Hold'Em

[Doughboy]

Wondering ehat a good first book is to read. I know the rules and some basic strategy, but don't know odds, hands to stay in for flop, and strategy beyond that. Like when I have a pair of 9's, what are my odd's against say a queen/jack. I'm sure Nolaqn or anyone that plays and is good, can refer me to a god book.

Thanks

 

[TheShrimp]

Winning Low Limit Hold 'Em by Lee Jones.

He gives a lot of real general rules that won't get you too far, but provide a good start about thinking why certain hands don't play well.

Don't worry, for starters, about odds on events like an overcard coming if you have a pair of nines. Much more important to get is how those nines play against several people vs. heads up or early position vs. late position.

 

[Doughboy]

Thanks Shrimp for the answer. What book after that one should I progress to?

 

[taoist]

...in addition to the Jones book mentioned by Shrimp, you might want to check out these books....

Hold 'em Excellence by Lou Krieger
More Hold 'em Excellence by Lou Krieger


...later on you'll want to devour anything you can get your hands on by Malmuth or Sklansky.

 

[taoist]

...another book you might want to check out is "A Winner's Guide to Texas Hold 'em Poker" by Ken Warren....

Maybe Nolan will see this...he's listed a ton of good books to read, but I don't know where the post is with the list.... You might try a search in this forum for that post. Try to do a search on Nolan or Poker and see what you come up with....

 

[TheShrimp]

I think an essential early book is "Theory of Poker." It's not filled with lots of tactics, but it really lays down the foundation for what the game of poker is all about. What pot odds are all about. What raising does. What calling does. What folding does. Some of the real basics explained in depth. It has some important concepts like "not betting when you could only get called by a better hand." Essential stuff for playing in tougher games. Stuff that applies to POKER, not just hold 'em or stud or something.

"Hold 'Em Poker for Advance Players" is the "bible" in some opinions (and a lot of people play similarly to what this book advocates) but there are other good books too.

 

[Blitz]

I have read "Hold 'Em Poker" By David Sklansky 3 or 4 times and will probably read it again, everytime I read it I pick up a little more.

I need to get his other book "Hold 'Em Poker for Advanced Players"

 

[Nolan Dalla]

I have a list of books on holdem at this link (here at the site):

http://www.madjacksports.com/nolan/questionsfeb19.shtml

I'm not as strong proponent of Sklansky and Malmuth style of play as I once was, but I stand by most of what was written there in that review a few years ago. Since then, an outstanding book has come onto the poker market called MIDDLE LIMIT TEXAS HOLDEM by Jim Brier and Bob Ciaffone. Brier is a regular at the Wednesday afternoon poker group I attend here in Las Vegas (we meet to talk poker and discuss strategy). His thoughts on poker are right on the mark. Barry Tanenbuam edited the book and I find his methodology to be flawless (that's an unheard of term in poker strategy -- because every decision calls for interpretation). That book is a staggering read which must be digested several times before you can really pick up all the nuances. You don't read a masterpiece like this and take it all in one setting. That's what makes this such a great book -- certainly the best thing to come on the market in the last 15 years.

As others have mentioned, the books by Lee Jones and Lou Kreiger are excellent for begininers.

Good luck,

Nolan Dalla

 

[Doughboy]

Thanks guys for taking the time to reply. I will be on Amazon here quickly buying a few.

 

[taoist]

...thanks for the heads up, Nolan. I found the book you were talking about on ebay and am looking forward to getting it in the next week or so.