can you be successful without books?

[MDawg198 0]

It's less than a month before I can legally make my first deposit, and I want to know if anyone has been successful without reading poker books. I learned from watching it on television, watching online, and from various forums (which is somewhat like reading books I suppose,) but I haven't read the Hellmuth book, the Sklansky books, or the Doyle books. Do you think of it as a necessity to read them?

[allinbluff35 0]

why wouldn't you want to read them

[SuM827 0]

No, it's not a necessity at all. You can learn how to play poker well by just playing alot (and losing alot of money). Or you can spend $20 on a poker book, and learn those same lessons the cheap way.

[aginamist 0]

Books contain some concepts that most people wouldn't know or think about for a long time if they don't have any other way to aquire them (through education mostly), so I would say it isn't that smart at all to not read books.But you don't have to read every book on the subject

[Guest XXEddie]

you can be successful w/o themits just easier to be successful with them

[rjb09 0]

I started playing without reading any kind of books, but it really does help. You can also read online forums and visit some websites to read about good playing strategies. It will easily make you a better player. But you have to play sometime, and you learn the most from playing.

[zimmer4141 0]

I won $2500 before I read SS2, and I have been about equally as successful with and without the book. I do not think it is a necessity to read poker books, but it will help, as it has helped me with all games other than holdem.

[Sushiman 0]

I think Phil Hellmuth said that he has never read an instructional book on poker. So I guess that's one. NL is probably the least "bookish" game, but I think reading up on limit play would save you LOTS of experience and money at the table. Learning on tv is the worst thing ever. All the televised poker you see is tournament poker, and the strategies are totally different than those from cash games, which coincidentally is what 95% of people who watch ESPN play.

[LewFather 0]

I have 1 book and its by Ken Warren its the most useless book on the earth... I usually read poker articles and ask people questions and just learn from experience.. However I have decided on buying Theory of Poker whenever I take my lazy censored to boarders next...

[jayboogie 0]

I haven't read many books, but most of them are pretty much the same. Knowing the right plays and applying them are 2 totally different things which is why some players can teach the game better than someone, but not neccessarily play better. The best tool for learning the game is experience, the more you play the better you get and there's really no way around that.It doesn't hurt to read a book, but just don't rely on doing just that, because it won't be close to enough if you want to become a good player. Most players after reading a book or 2 think they have the game figured out and end up losing a lotta money, because they're not applying the new knowledge they've learned properly.

[MDawg198 0]

I'm really considering reading the books. I just haven't gone out and purchased them yet. I didn't mean that I was against reading them, just that I hadn't yet. I'm setting aside my poker budget, and I figure I'll include books into that as well.I think this forum has helped me the most thus far. All the posts address a lot of questions, but I guess a book might be even better.

[Sushiman 0]

Just go into a Borders or Barnes and Noble and flip through some of them, see which one applies to you. I was originally going to buy SS but I figured out pretty quick it didn't apply to my game.

[econ_tim 0]

I would strongly recommend you read some book as you are starting to play. Notice that I didn't say before. If you read a book, but don't play, you probably won't understand what the book is saying very well. And if you play a lot before you start reading, you will probably lose a lot of money that you could have saved.Which book you read first depends on your game choice and also on how much time you plan on devoting to poker. A lot of people don't like Hellmuth's book, although it is probably fine for a casual player, as it gives basic advice without a lot of difficult theory. On the other hand, many people think Theory of Poker is one of the best books, but to get your money's worth, you really need to study it.I think the "Poker Books" forum on this site has some pretty good reviews of all the popular books, and I would trust it over the user reviews on Amazon. Anyway, good luck.

[pokernoobie 0]

you learned from watching poker on tv? Good Luck.

[aginamist 0]

What can you learn from TV, trash talk, some nice hands played and ofcourse clothing suggestions from the pros. Just because they are aggressive on TV and play every hand doesn't mean they play every hand. If you would see a whole event on TV you would probably get bored, especially if it was a non trash talking table.

[TS Clark 0]

I'm really considering reading the books. I just haven't gone out and purchased them yet. I didn't mean that I was against reading them, just that I hadn't yet. I'm setting aside my poker budget, and I figure I'll include books into that as well.I think this forum has helped me the most thus far. All the posts address a lot of questions, but I guess a book might be even better.

You really don't need to read a lot of books. You just need to really understand the ones you read. The core of advice is similar for most of them, so you really don't need to waste your time and money reading 15 books about how to play hold 'em.The ones that I think are most helpful for limit poker are probably (not in order)...1) Theory of Poker (Sklansky)2) Small Stakes Hold 'Em (Miller, Sklansky, Malmuth)3) Winning Low-Limit Hold 'Em (Jones) [much more conservative limit play than #2 above, which is much more aggressive]4) Hold 'Em for Advanced Players (Sklansky) [this definitely has more application to higher limit or very tough games, though -- it's not a starter text]I'd really only read SS if you plan to play games other than HE (or plan to play a lot of NLHE -- Brunson's section is fascinating if you play this game). The limit HE section is good, but not as good as some of the stuff above -- so unless you want to learn draw poker or 7CS (Chip Reese's section is excellent), you're probably fine with the above.If you're a NLHE tourney guy, add Harrington's new books to your list -- I understand they are simply outstanding.As I said, better to know a few things very deeply, than a host of things shallowly. If you really absorb and study the stuff above (especially Theory of Poker), you'll have a good foundation to grow as a player.Shane

[MDawg198 0]

I didn't mean that I learned from television. I apologize if I didn't make that clear. However, I became interested through television. I learned by watching online and reading forums. Television just sparked my interest. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[angler 0]

Do you have an aversion to books? I think there are some books on tape if literacy is an issue. But seriously, the more information the better, articles forums, books, television would not be something I would count heavily on.

[MDawg198 0]

Do you have an aversion to books? I think there are some books on tape if literacy is an issue. But seriously, the more information the better, articles forums, books, television would not be something I would count heavily on.

Yup, literacy is definitely an issue. "Me no read no good." The question I was getting at was whether books could potentially stifle the effect that playing firsthand would provide. However, through what I've read on here, I see that reading books will only help.

[SapphireTiger 0]

www.pokerpages.comgood stuff that you can find in books but it's free!

[aginamist 0]

I'm pretty sure the cost of books like Small stakes hold'em and Theory of poker will cover the losses you would have had if you didn't read them.That ofcourse means if you are able to read and understand them.

[*Lone*Trout* 0]

Just go into a Borders or Barnes and Noble and flip through some of them, see which one applies to you. I was originally going to buy SS but I figured out pretty quick it didn't apply to my game.

Or you could do what I did and check them out of your local library for free. I just returned Hellmuth's "Play Poker Like the Pros", Gary Carsons "How to play Hold "Em", John Vorhaus's "Poker Night". Hellmuth and Carsons book helped me stem the bloodletting I was experiencing in my game just a few month's ago. I made my last deposit at Pacific Poker early April and have been playing on it since with no new deposits. Before I read these books, I (at $25-30 a pop) deposited almost $500 and lost it. Tightened my starting hand requirements considerably, and learned to pick up on weaknesses in other peoples play. I ain't setting the world on fire, but I am using my last deposit to get the education I need to make the move up and on the road to profitability. Hope this helps.*L*T*

[TheIceman05 0]

Willful ignorance is stupid. There are a few compilations of meticulously gathered information that will teach you how to play correctly, and build you a knowledge base from which to extrapolate when faced with new decisions. But Theory of Poker, Hold'em for advanced players, and Small Stakes Hold'em. You'll regret it otherwise. Ice

[Pokerghost2 0]

Out in the cash game world, ur out there stumbling along learning slowly, taking a lot of lumps getting in too deep with marginal hands, not betting ur strong hands aggressively enough, getting them cracked alot. Ur learning curve will be faster with good books. That is a fact. Later on u may disagree with some of the finer points by each author, but by that time u can form ur own opinions. Nobody is gonna just step out there and start playing with no poker experience and win consistently. Simply put, books will help u get good....faster.

[MDawg198 0]

Now that I've decided that getting books would be in my best interest. What's the best book for all the games? And what is the best book for just limit/no limit hold em? Perhaps this is the wrong place to ask this, and if so, I apologize.