best book for just a casual poker player?

[uahphysics 0]

Alright, so, my dad is in Afghanistan and before he left he told me he wanted to learn how to play/ be decent at hold 'em when he gets back. I figured I could do him one better by sending him a book if not a few books so that when he gets back he'll already be able to play and we can have family poker nights or whatnot. I want him to not only understand the rules, but also understand fundamental concepts and to be a decent player also. He by no means is an aspiring pro or semi-pro or whatever, just someone who wants to learn the game and have fun. So are there any suggestions as to what books I could send him? He already knows the basic rules of texas hold 'em, but may need a bit of a refresher, but as to starting hands, position, pot odds, all that stuff that any decent hold em(and poker player in general) needs to know, he isn't really knowledgable. I am having trouble because all the books I have read/are reading are very technical and I'm not sure he'd be interested in anything like that.

[Vade 0]

Although it is primarily focused on tournaments: I would have to go with Harrington on Holdem for a great beginners' book.

[Ebonwoulfe 0]

You might want to try 52 Tips for Texas Hold 'emAlthough I have never personally read it, you might investigate it yourself

[gcirons 0]

Helmuth's book Play Poker like the Pros is a decent and afordable starter book for limit Hold'em...if You can stand all the stories about how great he is...

[Vade 0]

Helmuth's book Play Poker like the Pros is a decent and afordable starter book for limit Hold'em...if You can stand all the stories about how great he is...

Except for the problem that Phil is a NL player almost entirely.Why would you want to hear from him on a game that he doesn't even play often?

[gcirons 0]

It is still technically sound. He pretty much has the same advice as Harman in Super System except for some difference in best starting hands. It's a a decent afordable book

[posoo 0]

I would recommend Lee Jones's classic, "Winning Low Limit Hold'Em." Limit hold'em is likely more in line with your father's game, and Jones offers an excellent and clear analysis of several key concepts that any hold'em player must know.The ideas of odds, implied odds, protecting hands, and maximizing EV are all neatly tucked into Jones's lucid prose. This provides the basic understanding that any player must achieve before he moves on to the more complex texts, and eventually, perhaps into the more subtle and difficult (in my opinion) no limit forum.You have to learn to walk before you can run...Lee Jones is by no means providing a guide to longterm success...playing this way will only allow you to grind out $10 per hour at the 2/4 tables, if you can beat the rake. However, his bedrock principles are universal, and applicable to every good player's concept of strategy. To quote a phrase: "You have to know the rules before you can correctly break them."Best of luck to you and your father in your poker careers, and in life. Wish your father well, from all of us at FCP. We appreciate the work he is doing in Afghanistan, and wish him a safe return.All the best,Posoo

[uahphysics 0]

Helmuth's book Play Poker like the Pros is a decent and afordable starter book for limit Hold'em...if You can stand all the stories about how great he is...

Haha, I actually liked Play Poker like the Pros. It was the first poker book I ever read but I may be a little bias on how good it is because I'm an avid Phil Hellmuth fan.

[uahphysics 0]

I would recommend Lee Jones's classic, "Winning Low Limit Hold'Em."  Limit hold'em is likely more in line with your father's game, and Jones offers an excellent and clear analysis of several key concepts that any hold'em player must know.The ideas of odds, implied odds, protecting hands, and maximizing EV are all neatly tucked into Jones's lucid prose.  This provides the basic understanding that any player must achieve before he moves on to the more complex texts, and eventually, perhaps into the more subtle and difficult (in my opinion) no limit forum.You have to learn to walk before you can run...Lee Jones is by no means providing a guide to longterm success...playing this way will only allow you to grind out $10 per hour at the 2/4 tables, if you can beat the rake.  However, his bedrock principles are universal, and applicable to every good player's concept of strategy.  To quote a phrase: "You have to know the rules before you can correctly break them."Best of luck to you and your father in your poker careers, and in life.  Wish your father well, from all of us at FCP.  We appreciate the work he is doing in Afghanistan, and wish him a safe return.All the best,Posoo

Thanks for the post. I'm definately going to look into this book, I had not actually heard of it previously, but I'll definately look into it, thanks for the recommendation.

[scweeber 0]

Helmuth's book Play Poker like the Pros is a decent and afordable starter book for limit Hold'em...if You can stand all the stories about how great he is...

Except for the problem that Phil is a NL player almost entirely.Why would you want to hear from him on a game that he doesn't even play often?

what, 4 limit WSOP braclets don't get your respect????

[Fourhead 0]

Lou Krieger's and Gary Carson's are good beginning books. Not having read Lee Jones' book (which i've heard is very good), i'd recommend Gary Carson's book as a first.Super system is a great allround poker book.After reading those and digesting everything in them, i'd say you're ready for Sklansky's books, which are very good, but written in a more theroretical/mathematical form.When it comes to tournament poker books, nothing comes even close to Dan Harrington's book. I can't wait to see part two.

[ddudley 0]

How about "Hold 'Em Poker" by David Sklansky? I think it's the absolute best book for a beginning poker player. But, if you are planning to play no-limit in your home game then it's probably not completely applicable.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

I had read all TOP and HFEP and Tj and McVoy's books, and the Ray Zee Omaha book, and the SS 1.. and yet none of these books helped me in the games I was playing.. well, I shouldn't say didn't help. But the low limit, multiway pot games I was playing, these books are too... tight. and somewhat too agressive... The higher level books put alot of preium in Off Suit big cards, to be aggressive with them.. but raising with ace jack off in a 6 way pot is often foolish... I'd rather have a small suited connector or small pocket pair against AJ off 'casue they play better against a big field.. Big off suit cards don't... they play well heads up or three handed. In large field small stakes hold 'em, you have to make hands that beat two pair... You want hands that make the nuts, or a really strong hand.. it's hard to make the nuts with AJ off.. Lee Jone's book helped me loosen up in just the right ways, and tighten up in other ways for the typical low limit book... I used to think it was the best low level book, but then Sklansky came out with Small stakes hold 'em, which is the most applical book to the game I play that I've ever read. Sklansky isn't always a easy read, but this book is phomenal. It teaches you how to play properly in large pots, something that was a critical error that people often make, My self included in huge puts. When the pots get titainic, which can happen at the right small stakes game, when there are one two or three raises in 6 7 8 way action pre flop.. you have to loosen up, 'cause you're getting such insane pot odds.. and you have to do what ever it takes to protect your hand, which isn't always the obvious thing. Anyway, I'm stoned and ramblin' so I'll wrap it up with Small stakes hold 'em is the BOMB.. get that one...

[Guest]

Helmuth's book Play Poker like the Pros is a decent and afordable starter book for limit Hold'em...if You can stand all the stories about how great he is...

I agree. Hellmuth's book is a great read.......If you want someone to have to unlearn everything they've just read when they try to apply it and realize it has little to no practical application.I have great issue with this book. For a general read? Holdem Poker by Sklansky is a good idea. Honestly, I don't really know any good "beginner" books. Hellmuth's book isn't it though.

[TimmyOne 0]

I'd like to second whomever recommended Hellmuth's book ... If you've never played before and want an interesting read, I think it's the best ... It keeps it simple and interesting ...I'd also think about sending him Super System's 1 ... The bio on Brunson is interesting, and I think the LHE section by Bobby Baldwin is one of the most under-rated books on Limit ever written ... It's also pretty interesting ...

[HoosierAlum 0]

I'd like to second whomever recommended Hellmuth's book ... If you've never played before and want an interesting read, I think it's the best ... It keeps it simple and interesting ...I'd also think about sending him Super System's 1 ... The bio on Brunson is interesting, and I think the LHE section by Bobby Baldwin is one of the most under-rated books on Limit ever written ... It's also pretty interesting ...

Instead, just get SS2. Harman's section is more up to date, and better overall IMO. The limit HE section and Triple draw section are worth the price alone. O/8 section is superb as well.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Not the worst I ever read, but the worst I own... he totally skips over all kinds of concepts, simplifies things way too much, has a terrible grasp of games not hold 'em, his advice on other games is literally worthless, and his limit advice is pretty terrible too, IMO...

[mbreon 0]

Ken Warren Teaches Texas Hold'em might be a pretty good start. It's an easy read, never gets too complicated, and does a good job of explaining the basic principles of the game.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Hellmuth's second book, which is a collection of his cardplayer articles, is the worst poker book I own.. that book is less than worthless..

[Guest]

Not the worst I ever read, but the worst I own... he totally skips over all kinds of concepts, simplifies things way too much, has a terrible grasp of games not hold 'em, his advice on other games is literally worthless, and his limit advice is pretty terrible too, IMO...

Exacly, what this guy said!Seriously, its bad. He goes into tremendous detail on Limit Hold'em. Which is fine. If didn't completely tard it up. Good lord Hellmuth bastardized limit hold'em. Want the Cliff Note's version of Hellmuth on limit hold'em?"If your new to the game, play only the top 10 starting hands (not horrible advice by the way). Once your more experienced? Bet with any two cards. Raise with any two cards. By this point you should be able to read people; and once you've bet and raised and spewed off tons of chips, if you know your beaten, fold"I mean, he doesn't tell you to open fold if the flop doesn't hit you, but its still bad.Hellmuth could at least recoup my cost of purchasing his god awful book.

[Guest]

Hellmuth's second book, which is a collection of his cardplayer articles, is the worst poker book I own.. that book is less than worthless..

You know, I hate that I'm contributing to the "I hate Hellmuth" thread of the day.You know, thats not even true though. I don't hate Hellmuth. His book, however, is kindling.His second book? If it included a video of "Phil's greatest tantrums", I would be on that like nobodys business

[BigMike 0]

Helmuth's book Play Poker like the Pros is a decent and afordable starter book for limit Hold'em...if You can stand all the stories about how great he is...

I agree. Hellmuth's book is a great read.......If you want someone to have to unlearn everything they've just read when they try to apply it and realize it has little to no practical application.I have great issue with this book. For a general read? Holdem Poker by Sklansky is a good idea. Honestly, I don't really know any good "beginner" books. Hellmuth's book isn't it though.

This is 100% correctPlay poker like the pros was the first book I ever bought, primarily because it was "affordable" and by a recognized pro. You absolutely will have to unlearn everything it teaches in terms of Limit Hold'em advice. Any book by Sklansky is a better starter, and Hold'em poker is the most basic. If your Dad is in the military, I'm sure he's sharp enough to read any of Sklansky's books before Hellmuth's. Limit Hold'em is not rocket science.Hellmuth's book can't be all bad though, didn't a guy make the final table last year in Razz having read PPLTP on the way to the WSOP?

[gcirons 0]

Remember the original poster asked for a good starter book for someone who has never played before so that they might learn to play in home games. Hellmuth's book is more then enough for this. I don't believe that his father intended to play in a casino ring game right away, and it was in this spirit with which I recomended the book. I did not say it was the most comprehensive and exhustive investigation in to limit hold em. I said it is an afordable starting book that should teach him the basics. Not having read Sklansky, but going on what I have heard, it is very math heavy and that would scare most newbie out of ever wanting to play the game.

[Guest]

Remember the original poster asked for a good starter book for someone who has never played before so that they might learn to play in home games. Hellmuth's book is more then enough for this. I don't believe that his father intended to play in a casino ring game right away, and it was in this spirit with which I recomended the book. I did not say it was the most comprehensive and exhustive investigation in to limit hold em. I said it is an afordable starting book that should teach him the basics. Not having read Sklansky, but going on what I have heard, it is very math heavy and that would scare most newbie out of ever wanting to play the game.

I do agree with you in the respect that most Sklansky is math heavy. The particulary Sklansky book in question is as basic as Sklansky gets though; and his dad is in the military and I would think smart enough to get it. Your right though, beginners probably shouldnt generally start with Sklansky. I didn't LEARN by reading; I learned by trial and error. Refined by reading. The first poker book I read was Hellmuth's book. I bled for a few months as I slowly realized that the lessons your given in that book are garbage. I know because I was there. He'll have to unlearn everything he read in that book. Well, his "animal types" portions arent bad (again, REALLY basic though). And the list of top ten starting hands for an absolute beginner isn't a horrible idea either though. After that? Stop reading. Proceed to Sklansky. Proceed to Harman, Harrington, McEvoy, Cloutier; anything else but the rest of that book

[Randy Reed 0]

I would agree with the Ken Warren book as well. It has all the basics, and it's easy to read. It's exactly the book you describe. Lou or Gary's basic books are fine as well. Skip Lee Jones, it has some terrible concepts. See if he likes the basic enough before moving on. Many people think it's like reading a textbook, (which it kinda is), and don't like it. So don't force nothing.