Winning Online Poker

Poker Book Reviews

One thing I’ve learned throughout my poker readings is that the best-known tournament players tend to not write instructional books very well. This is partially because they are well known from their successes in poker tournaments, which are very different from side games, and also because they are out of touch with what a beginning player needs to learn. This is not to say that the great authors are not also great players, but they tend to make their mark without parading themselves around and talking about their tournament successes all the time, the way T.J. Cloutier and Phil Hellmuth do.
I also recommend you learn at least two or three poker forms well. For one thing, variety helps your continued interest in poker, and also you can shun a less profitable hold ‘em table if all the idiots are playing Omaha.

The Five Best Authors	Five Authors to Avoid
David Sklansky	Ken Warren
Mason Malmuth	Andy Nelson
Bob Ciaffone	Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
Stewart Reuben	Mike Cappelletti
Ray Zee	T.J. Cloutier

The format of these reviews is as follows: Title (Author) (Rating out of 10) [Book’s target skill level out of 5, 5 being most advanced]: Review (Retail Price - click to buy at amazon.com)

Books for Beginners

Starting Out in Poker (Stewart Reuben) (9) [0-2]: A very good book by a poker player who is also a talented writer. Includes basic concepts and useful sections on many different forms of poker, including some basic advice on big-bet hold ‘em. Though pricey for a beginner’s book, it’s a great read. ($12.95)

Fundamentals of Poker (Mason Malmuth) (9) [0]: A good book for the ultra-beginner. Teaches the basic rules of the most popular forms of poker, including stud, hold ‘em and Omaha, and offers correct basic strategy for each. Affordable, and a good read if you want to start at the very bottom. ($5.95 )

7-Card Stud: The Complete Course In Winning (Roy West) (8) [1]: This is a good beginner’s guide to the game. Geared towards medium and low-limit games, this book recommends tighter play than one might expect, because it assumes most of the opponents are playing fairly obviously. It includes advice on how to play varying ranks of pairs, how to evaluate the quality of flush and straight draws, how to conduct the betting with certain hands, the danger of two small pair, and more. West also writes in a down-to-earth and friendly style, which may make the book a nicer read for you. ($24.95)

Winning Low Limit Hold ‘em (Lee Jones) (7) [1]: This is a similar text to Sklansky’s Hold ‘em Poker, but it is aimed at a different audience: those who are playing in very loose games with flop percentages over 50%. Although most games are tighter online than in a casino or cardroom, it is still not difficult to find these types of games online. Jones gives a good introduction to strategic concepts (although his starting hand tables are flawed) and how to use the odds to your advantage in a loose game. A good read for a beginner in a loose hold ‘em game, but you must find better books to beat tougher games where the real money is. ($19.96)

Play Poker Like the Pros (Phil Hellmuth) (3) [0]: This book is grossly mistitled. While it does show you some of the strategies the pros use, the book is designed for someone who has never played poker before. Also, though Hellmuth is an awesome tournament player, he tends to be a moderate player at best in ring-games, and his advice for beginning hold ‘em players is particularly bad. Although the sections on other forms of poker provide decent introductions to those games, Hellmuth offers bits of advice that directly contradict authors like Sklansky and Malmuth that obviously know more about what they are doing. I advise all of my opponents to read his strategy on limit and no-limit hold ‘em, as it will cause them to go broke very quickly. ($11.17)

General Poker Books:

The Theory of Poker (David Sklansky) (10) [2-5]: This is easily the best book ever written on poker. Before this classic, poker books were all of the ‘how-to’ variety, and most were ineffective even at that task. Instead of telling you how to play a given hand in a given situation, Sklansky instead highlights the theoretical concepts that apply to all forms of poker in all situations at the table. It includes extensive chapters on such vital ideas as position, free cards, semi-bluffing, bluffing, check-raising, raising, heads-up play on the last betting round, and much more. Don’t try to beat any difficult poker game without reading this thoroughly. If you intend to play poker seriously, you really need to own a copy and reread it many times. The varying skill rating indicates that it can help players at all levels. ($20.96)

Improve Your Poker (Bob Ciaffone) (9) [3]: An excellent book on poker, focusing on limit and no-limit hold 'em, and pot-limit Omaha. It’s geared towards someone with experience at poker who is looking for extra edges in his game. This is written as a collection of articles, with a large section of general thoughts about poker, and short sections of specific concepts of hold ‘em, stud and Omaha. Ciaffone discusses a lot of ideas, such as the number of players in the pot, how to evaluate opponents, and avoiding basic problems with your game, which are not discussed in most other poker literature. A must read for the advancing player. ($20.00)

Sklansky on Poker (David Sklansky) (9) [3-4]: Another great book by Sklansky. Half of the book is devoted to essays on strategic concepts in poker, and half of it is a strategy guide to the game of Razz (seven card stud played for low). Because Razz is not played much anymore, the excellent Razz section is not as useful as it could be. The essays are somewhat in the theoretical mold of The Theory of Poker, but deal with more specific situations and ideas. Unfortunately, the book lacks the depth and length of Sklansky’s other works, so it is not quite as valuable. ($29.95)

Poker Essays I, II, III (Mason Malmuth) (9, 8, 9) [3-4]: There are three volumes of essays, but I have grouped them into one review. Malmuth clearly states that the primary goal of these books is to get the reader to do a lot of thinking about the game. In that respect, he succeeds triumphantly. Unfortunately, there is not too much direct poker advice in these for $24.95 apiece. Each book also includes a section on cardroom management, which is not of a whole lot of use to a beginning poker player. However, the hand analysis essays lead the player on a good road towards analyzing his own play, which is an important step towards improving poker skills. I definitely recommend these books, but only for the player who already knows all the basics. (For those interested primarily in tournament play, Malmuth has some excellent tournament essays in the first book.) ($19.96 (I), $24.95 (II), $19.96 (III))

Caro’s Fundamental Secrets of Winning Poker (Mike Caro) (7) [2]: This is a fairly short book, but it contains a lot of helpful advice. Caro writes in a unique ‘seminar’ style that helps readers better understand some vital poker skills. It contains general concepts as well as sections specific to draw, stud and hold ‘em. Caro also includes some basic advice on tells, the focus of the next book. (You can read some of Mike Caro's writing at Poker1.com .) ($10.36)

Caro’s Book of Poker Tells (Mike Caro) (7) [1-3]: This is the definitive work on the science of tells, which allow you to use a player’s mannerisms to read the quality of his hand. Of course, this is of very little use to the online player. Tells are also more useful in draw or stud games than hold ‘em. The dollar values given for the tells in this book are ridiculously inflated, so it is best to just ignore them. At higher limits, many players are aware of the tells in this book and are capable of reversing them, so this is generally only of use to the low-stakes player. ($17.47)

Hold ‘em Books

Hold ‘em Poker for Advanced Players (David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth) (10) [4-5]: This is the best overall book on hold ‘em on the market. It covers advanced plays with a strong focus on semi-bluffing and free card strategy. It is designed to be used by players in $10/$20 and higher games, although it is also useful reading for looser games. It also includes a very good section on short-handed strategy. Must reading if you are planning to move up to higher stakes. This book is also useful for tournament players, especially the shorthanded advice. ($20.96)

Small-Stakes Hold 'em (Ed Miller, David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth) (10) [2-4]: The best available guide for beating low-limit hold 'em games. Focuses on the ideas of pot equity, money and odds, and knocking players out. Although it is geared to small-stakes players, even mid-stakes regulars can pick up useful tips from it, and add to their win rate. One big advantage of this book is that Miller is more forthright than most authors about describing the magnitude of certain errors many players make at the hold 'em table, which encourages the advice to stick in the reader's head. Must reading for all hold 'em players. ($24.95)

Hold ‘em Poker (David Sklansky) (9) [1]: Geared towards the beginning player, this takes you all the way from learning how the game is played to somewhat advanced strategy. Unfortunately, it has become a bit outdated, as the two-blind structure is making games looser and creating more action. However, it still includes excellent sections on what flops your hand is looking for, hand rankings, and strategic considerations. ($15.96)

Middle Limit Holdem Poker (Bob Ciaffone, Jim Brier) (8) [4]: This book is geared at $10/$20 or higher games, but the advice can be very useful for lower limits as well. It is divided into chapters based on situation (betting round, action to you) and each chapter includes a short strategy section before launching into a series of questions where they describe your hand and how the betting has proceeded, and ask you to make a decision to check, bet, fold, call or raise in that situation. The book does not rate higher because while it usually gives the best play against unknown opponents, you must take other factors into consideration when facing familiar players, who may not play typically. ($25.00)

Inside the Poker Mind (John Feeney) (8) [3-4]: This is a fairly good book for the advancing hold ‘em player. It is not concerned with strategy so much as getting the player to analyze and improve upon his plays. The book is arranged as a collection of essays, whose usefulness ranges from excellent (“Do you pass the AQ test”) to marginal (“A poker player in therapy”). Designed to be read alongside other 2+2 books by Sklansky and Malmuth. It’s a good read for someone who is winning consistently but looking to fix leaks in his game. ($19.96 )

Real Poker II: The Play of Hands (Roy Cooke) (8) [3]: This book is a collection of Roy Cooke's Card Player articles that deal with his thought processes during hold 'em hands. Cooke analyzes his own plays as well as the plays of others, both winning and losing players, and gives you an idea of what you should be thinking about when you play. Cooke is also not afraid to write about mistakes he's made at the table, hoping you do not do the same. This is a good read for the novice but advancing player who needs to know what he should be thinking about during a hand, although his analysis is not as thorough as Mason Malmuth's in his Poker Essays books. ($19.95)

The Complete Book of Hold ‘em Poker (Gary Carson) (8 and 4) [3]: Let me explain the book's two different ratings. It is the best available guide for how to play in loose games, which are the expert field of the author. The book includes extensive and useful sections on starting hands, betting odds, drawing hands and made hands, outs, and how to adjust to the composition of your game. However, the book is not nearly as “complete” as the title would make it seem; it includes little advice for turn or river play, and it does not include much useful advice for playing in a tight game. It also tries to include sections on pot-limit and no-limit games and tournament play, but these are much too brief to be of any real use to the player. Thus, if you find yourself in loose games and are looking for advice, this is a great read, but don't try to beat a tough hold 'em game using this book as your only guide. ($10.47 )

Other Poker Books

Pot-Limit and No-Limit Poker (Stewart Reuben, Bob Ciaffone) (9) [4]: The ultimate guide for how to play in these games. It requires a lot of prior poker knowledge, as much of the book is structured in terms of what adjustments the advanced player should make from his limit game strategies. The sections on big-bet hold ‘em and pot-limit Omaha are particularly excellent, but the entire book is well worth reading even if you do not expect to play a game like no-limit lowball, as key big-bet poker concepts are scattered throughout. There is also a tournament section and an appendix with odds. Aside from this, there is no other work on big-bet poker worth buying, which helps contribute to its high rating. ($25.00)

Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players (David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth, Ray Zee) (9) [4]: The best book available on 7-card stud. Its structure is somewhat similar to the hold ‘em book, although it is divided by betting rounds, with extensive sections on third through fifth streets, including ante stealing, the danger of a paired door card, semi-bluffs, buying free cards, and plenty more. Though it is geared at $15/$30 and higher limits, the advice will be very useful at $3/$6 too. ($23.96)

Tournament Poker for Advanced Players (David Sklansky) (9) [3]: In my opinion, the only tournament poker book worth reading. Just as The Theory of Poker taught theoretical concepts instead of how-to advice, this book does the same for tournaments. It’s geared towards teaching the reader how to adjust his normal ring-game strategy in a tournament, so a working knowledge of how to play your poker form of choice is required. The book evolves from basic to advanced strategies, and includes a section of hand quizzes where you can put your newfound knowledge to work. A must-read for serious tournament players. ($23.96)

Omaha Holdem Poker (Bob Ciaffone) (9) [2]: The definitive work on Omaha. Provides the player with a working knowledge of how to play the game, based on a “what are you trying to build?” approach. Ciaffone warns of danger Omaha hands such as bottom set and queen-high flush draws, and shows how to properly evaluate starting hands. All of these can be danger points for the beginning Omaha player. It also includes a good section on pot-limit Omaha, which is augmented very nicely by the Omaha section in the above book co-authored with Reuben. I rate it only a 9, however, because the section on Omaha high-low is very brief and contains only very basic strategy. ($20.00)

High-Low Split Poker for Advanced Players (Ray Zee) (9 and 8) [3]: Split into two sections for 7-Stud hi-lo and Omaha hi-lo (rated respectively), this is the best work currently available for either game, mainly because no other books have been written by good authors on either of them. Zee is no slouch, however: he knows the aim of high-low poker (winning the whole pot) and builds around that focus. He discusses important ideas about starting hands in 7-stud, how to recognize folding situations, when to jam the pot, how to adjust your play in Omaha/8 based on the looseness of the game, drawing to the nuts, when to raise and when to call with powerful hands, and how to recognize when you’re beaten on the river. His Omaha/8 section is of more help to the advancing player, as he correctly recognizes that the game does not require very much advice when 60% are seeing the flop. ($27.96)

Super/System: A Course in Power Poker (Many Authors) (8) [2-4]: This book is divided into six sections, which are reviewed individually. The book was billed as the tell-all poker book when it was initially printed many years ago, but has become outdated, although it still contains a wealth of poker knowledge. ($20.97)

5-card Draw (Mike Caro) (9) [2-4]: Caro is the ultimate authority on draw poker, and this book is a great read on the subject. Since draw is not played in most cardrooms anymore, the advice is of limited use, but this is as complete a guide to winning at the game as you will find.
7-card Stud (Chip Reese) (9) [2-3]: Aside from the Sklansky/Malmuth/Zee book, this is the best work on 7-card stud out there. With the sections on draw and hi-lo split with no qualifier becoming outdated, this is probably the most useful section in the book.
Lowball (Joey Hawthorne) (8) [2]: Provides a good basic winning strategy for a game that is now completely extinct in public cardrooms. Since there is not much literature on lowball, this is probably good enough for your home game.
Hi-Lo Split, No Qualifier (David Sklansky) (9) [2-3]: This is an excellent guide for how to play the game, but hi-lo games without qualifiers are almost never played with the exception of hi-lo declare, and Sklansky’s section on the declare variation of the game is good but brief.
Limit Texas Hold ‘em (Bobby Baldwin) (7) [1]: A decent guide to the game, although it is not as good as most other hold ‘em literature. It also suffers because it was written for the old one-blind structure and has not been updated to meet the times, as correct strategy for the two-blind game is often different.
No-Limit Hold ‘em (Doyle Brunson) (7) [1-2]: A pretty good, but not great guide to the game. Other than Pot-Limit and No-Limit Poker, this is the best available guide to no-limit. Doyle’s advice is questionable in some cases, however. He prefers A-K to A-A, for example. Still, well worth reading for serious players.

The Psychology of Poker (Alan Schoonmaker) (7) [2]: An interesting and very different book on poker. It focuses not on strategic concepts of the game, but on how different players approach and think about poker. Contains extensive descriptions of four groups of players: loose-aggressive, loose-passive, tight-passive, and tight-aggressive (the winning style that all the professionals use), and tells you how to adjust your strategies when facing different players. Also contains advice for players who do not fit the tight-aggressive mold to help them get there. It’s a useful book, but it contains a lot of filler. ($19.96)

Championship No-Limit and Pot-Limit Hold ‘em (T.J. Cloutier, Tom McEvoy) (5) [2]: This book has been widely praised as the bible of how to play these games, but it is frankly not all that useful. It does contain good advice to play tightly at all times, especially in the middle stages of tournaments, but Cloutier and McEvoy are horrible writers, and their advice often seems counterintuitive. They advise you to do very little bluffing on the flop lest you get caught, and talk more about how to play specific hands than any general concepts. If you learn better by being told what to do than what to think about when making a decision, this is the book for you. ($29.95)

Championship Omaha (T.J. Cloutier, Tom McEvoy) (3) [2]: This book reinforced my notion that these authors are just not very good at writing poker books. Although some of the advice in this book is useful, Championship Omaha is inferior to Ciaffone’s Omaha book in every way, and offers nothing new over it except that the strategy sections are constantly interrupted by irrelevant discussions about hands that Cloutier and McEvoy played in Texas hold ‘em tournaments. It does contain some decent advice on selecting starting hands, but the advice on flop play and beyond is not very useful. If this were the only Omaha book on the market, it might receive a higher rating, but readers of the Ciaffone book have no reason to buy this. ($29.95)