Good poker books

[Mr Beer]

Hi,

I want to learn how to play poker, specifically Taxas Hold-em NL online cash games. What are some good books on this subject? I have a couple of beginner works and I suppose I'm looking for information that covers intermediate level play (something I can practice if not actually play yet) and especially I need to get my head around calculating pot odds.

Specifically I was looking at the two volumes of Harrington on Cash Games, if you have read this, how would you rate it?

[BluffYou123]

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

I too want to start reading poker books but not for cash games.

I don't have any advice for you but I have heard good things about Harringtons books.

I'm sure some of the other members will be able to help you out.

[Dan Abnormal]

TALK to POKER ORIFICE THAT GUY knows the books

[readchomsky]

I'm reading Harrington's 6th book now, the one on online shorthanded play, and it works with the others, though it's a bit different than I expected. I recommend all of his books, and he has enough of them that if you're looking to learn tourney or cash game there's one for you.

[Mr Beer]

OK, thanks all.

[Poker Orifice]

If you can get ahold of 'Ryan Fees - 6maxNL Strategy Guide', it's a very good read.

Professional No-Limit Hold'em: Volume1 by Matt Flynn, Sunny Mehta, & Ed Miller
This ^ is a good read & is highly recommended by many cash game players.

You could also check out Harrington on Cash Games (as mentioned by others). I read them & didn't find them all that great to be honest (not bad but not quite what I had expectations for. I believe this was in part due to all the hype & build up I'd heard about them, AND, because when I first got going with nlhe Tournament play I read his Tournament Play books and found them to be very good (at the time,... and for sure a great base for anyone getting started in tournament play).

I'm not a cash game specialist at all (have had a go at playing it for awhile online but it's not my preference)... so my recommendations might not be the greatest but are pretty much what I've read myself & what i've heard many others suggesting.

Another book to consider is No Limit Hold'em: Theory and Practice.

Might be an idea to check your local library for any of the books mentioned above. The library in the town I live in will get most books for me via an inter-library book loan.

There's also some excellent articles/strategy guides to be found online if you hunt around for them.

[Poker Orifice]

Try Google searching --> you want to become a winning cash game player
Try some other stuff similiar to that & you might happen upon some decent guides.

[pirates831]

Books are a waste of money. Just go throw all your money in preflop with ATC and hope you get lucky. Seriously.

The game is 90 percent luck no matter what anyone tells you. You can make the right play every time, whatever the book recommends and wind up losing. Why? Because you have no control over anything but your two cards. You make the right play your opponent makes the wrong play and hits a miracle river card. It happens online, it happens live. You can play two hands in 5 hours and still get no respect.

Seriously, though, I read HOH Tournament books and they were good. If you are looking to play tourneys, I recommend them. If you are looking to play cash games, go with NL Holdem by Miller as suggested above. I'm about to get it. I will let you know if it is any good.

[Arjonius]

Miller et al's newer book that focuses on small stakes is probably more applicable to this forum's members who play cash games. I've only read the sample excerpt since I'm basically into MTTs.

[Peteyweestro]

You know alot of truths are said in jest, but i'm thinking Pirates post has hit the nail pretty close to the head.Thats why we see people go on tilt because they got sucked out and etc, because according to all the books and the great learning methods their is a certain way to play and certain times to do things and all but it really comes down to luck, like will the next 5 cards laid down help me more or the other guy more and no book in the world can answer that