[Eldog]

My brother recently has been talking about picking up a poker book or 2 to try and work on his game. His birthday is coming up so I figured getting him a couple of books would make a easy present Ive personally never read any poker books so im not sure whats worth getting and if theres anything I should avoid. Im looking for recommendations ??



Thanks
-Eldog

[ddollevoet]

What does he play? Limit? No limit? Tourneys? Stakes?

[gmunny]

Assuming he's a beginner, I would recommend one of the following.

Hold Em books (these are geared toward limit but are helpful for either Limit or No Limit):
- Small Stakes Poker, Ed Miller. I loved this book. I have not read Miller's other book, Getting Started in Hold 'em, but I heard it's pretty good.
- Internet Texas Hold Em, Matt Hilger. This book suprised me. It was pretty well written and easy to read and covered a lot of the basics everyone should know. This book can be helpful for folks that may have trouble understanding certain poker concepts.

Hold Em book geared to no-limit tourneys:
- Harrington on Hold em vol. 1, Dan Harrington

No-limit or pot limit poker:
- Pot Limit and No Limit Poker, Stewart Ruenen and Bob Ciaffone. Though this book assumes you know how to play hold 'em already. Geared on NL/PL only concepts like controlling pot sizes, 5 & 10 rule, etc.

Good theory book, but not the easiest read:
-Theory of Poker - Skalansky

Check out Amazon. They have the best selection, good prices and even some reviews. Good luck.
G$

[jojobinks]

if he's never read anything, i agree:

NL: harrington V.1
limit: ed miller.

but ed miller's book is much harder than harringtons. some say you should read lee jones' book before miller's for limit, just b/c it's easier. others say the habits you'll form playing jones will be hard to break when you start doing the miller thing.

i'm now going to recommend what books he should not read, as a beginner:
super system: covers too many different games, and doesn't have enough about NLHE. more of a sampler platter
cloutier: just not a good book.
theory of poker: will do him much better later
ace on the river: greenstein's book has some interesting stuff, but just not enough poker teaching
Caro's book of tells: very very interesting, but too niched, if you're trying to get better at playing cards.
tournament poker for advanced players: if he's interested in tourny poker, i'd recommend this one after harrington.

other books i like:
phil gordon: both of his books.
larry phillips: both zen and tao of poker.
positively fifth street: sort of an NPR memoir of the wsop of 2000.
"how good is your" series: both pot limit and limit. although i think limit is much better book.

[Eldog]

Thanks for the quick replys, i wouldnt consider him a beginner playing since 98' hes a fairly decent player mostly playing tourneys now. he plays very tight and conservative and usually when he comes into a pot during our home games everyone folds. we played in some WPT satalites afew weeks back and i thinks he now wants to try and bring his game to a new level. Personally i dont think any books will help him, but it makes for a easy gift and when hes done i can borrow them

[yeltzen]

If he plays too tight, Super System's NL section would be perfect.

[ddollevoet]

If he's playing tourneys, then I would definitely recommend Harrington 1 & 2.

[dad604]

For cash limit holdem, the first book someone should read would be either/or "winning low limit holdem" by Lee Jones or "Holdem Poker" by Sklansky. If he si past that point then next one would be "Small Stakes Hold'em" by Miller, Sklansky, Malmuth.

For NL tournaments, like everybody has said, "Harrington on Hold'em" Vol 1 and Vol II.

If he is as tight player as you said he is, HOH should help him, also SSHE will help also.

[Eldog]

Thanks for the replys guys you've been a big help.

[Knish]

I agree Harrington's book is great then move onto the Sklansky books and another great read is Winning Low Limit Poker by Lee Jones...