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best book for just a casual poker player?


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To me, the best "basic" poker book is Phil Gordon's "The Real Deal." Nothing too technical in there. Some good stories too. Very good read.

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It'd depend on what type of person he is. Sklansky books to me are usually dry reads and sometimes poor writing can make his ideas seem obfuscated. Lee Jones book is a good beginner book, style seemed a little passive to me, but it's an easy read with quizzes that should help any starter.

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I would NOT recommend any of the following as a first book for a recreational player:Hellmuth's "Play poker like the pros"Lee Jones "Winning Low Limit Hold'em"SS1Hellmuth's book is entirely too simplistic. It makes entirely too many generalizations and misrepresents a lot of things, in my opinion. 88 may very well be a top ten hand, but it shouldn't be the ironclad 10th best hand and your minimum preflop raising requirements.Lee Jones is outdated. He talks about limit poker before the internet poker revolution, and offers advice that would be considered today to be weak/passive play. He advocates NOT raising AK preflop in any position because it's an unmade hand, where the generally accepted mathematically correct play for low limit is to cap with AK.SS1 is also outdated. The limit section by Bobby Baldwin (though insightful at the time) is more or less useless to learning how to play limit effectively at low limits now in 2005. Brunson's section on no limit, though it was watershed at the time, basically advocates playing draws aggressively and gambling on your outs entirely too much. Brunson learned poker by being a big money Texas gambler, and 1000 dollar cash plays raises just don't happen at low limits or in friendly games. -----------------------------------------I highly recommend Sklansky's Small Stakes Hold'em. While people criticize it for being dry and technical, the information is the very best out there for beating weak players, winning friendly games, and cashing big at loose/weak tables. That is exactly the first thing a recreational player should learn. More than that, it will show how poker really is an objective mathematical game and how there is almost always a mathematically correct decision, especially at limit.For fun I also highly recommend Caro's Book of Tells, but maybe not as a first book. It has almost nothing about theory at all, but it's all psychology and reads. That book has personally made me more money than any of the 17 other poker books I have read, because of how I've learned when to raise to push people out and when to get the hell out of the way. But it shouldn't be a first book, because a solid foundation of the fundamentals of betting is infinitely more important than trying to make stellar reads and laydowns. Reads are far more prevalent in betting patterns than eye twitches.

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Based on what the OP said. Poker for Dummies. Comes with a DVD too. If he wants to play tournaments (which is more likely I think) get Harrington's book next.Otherwise, Lee Jones is not so good. SSHE is better for limit.

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Phil's last book was called "play poker like the pros"...his next book should be called "ccry like a baby"(thats one of only maybe 2 things norman chad said that was actually funny....EVER)
Much improved avatar, sir!
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When I started out I first picked up Super System, which I can't recommend because it didn't really focus on holdem, not to mention I thought it didn't apply to the small games I was going to be playing. My first book that I actually read all the way through is SSHE by Sklansky. It's not filled with great anecdotes or anything but if you want good advice on the how to approach the game it can't be beat. I still flip through it on a regular basis.

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Based on the original request I would get either Lee Jones or SSHE. I'll agree Jones might be a little out of date but if your dad is just looking to play in a home game now and then Jones will get him the basics and is an easier read.

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Based on what the OP said. Poker for Dummies. Comes with a DVD too. If he wants to play tournaments (which is more likely I think) get Harrington's book next.Otherwise, Lee Jones is not so good. SSHE is better for limit.
you stole the words out of my mouth.poker for dummies was the first poker book i bought, and it taught me the basics and the book (tight) strategy well.i have major problems with the following being the first books:1. ss1 - far too advanced.2. sshe - far too advanced. requires you know something about poker, and can easily understand pot/implied odds, equity and other things that beginning poker players will NEVER understand.3. wllhe - too specific.4. ppltp - too detailed for beginners. shockingly, too advanced (beginners shouldn't be concerned about player reads and whatnot... learn to play your cards first).aseem
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First of all...I imagine this will get flamed.....But for what you are looking for I think it is pretty good. Plus, it is very entertaining, hopefully it can put a smile on your Dad's face.Good refresher, plus pot odds, ring games and tournaments...Give it a chance, I think he will enjoy it.Huskers20

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First of all...I imagine this will get flamed.....But for what you are looking for I think it is pretty good.  Plus, it is very entertaining, hopefully it can put a smile on your Dad's face.Good refresher, plus pot odds, ring games and tournaments...Give it a chance, I think he will enjoy it.Huskers20
actually i second this next to poker for dummies. i've skimmed it before at a bookstore, it was at least entertaining.aseem
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First of all...I imagine this will get flamed.....But for what you are looking for I think it is pretty good.  Plus, it is very entertaining, hopefully it can put a smile on your Dad's face.Good refresher, plus pot odds, ring games and tournaments...Give it a chance, I think he will enjoy it.Huskers20
actually i second this next to poker for dummies. i've skimmed it before at a bookstore, it was at least entertaining.aseem
Excellent use for Phil Gordon's Poker The Real Deal.
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