Book Worm – Dave Tarbet

Students who go to school or college to learn various subjects do so, in part, by reading book on their particular subjects. So why should learning poker be any different?

The answer is it shouldn’t, but yet there are lots of players who have never picked up a poker strategy book in their lives. They convince themselves that they are good players who don’t need any help because they know it all. While this may be true in a few instances of very talented individuals, for the most part it is plain stupid.

Okay, so you think you know more than the author of the latest poker book?  Maybe, but it doesn’t hurt to read it anyway to see what someone else thinks about the game. You can then compare with your own knowledge and thought process and make a more informed conclusion.

The key to getting the most out of poker books is to evaluate what the author is saying and how it relates to your playing style and experience. Don’t just do something because the author says so, think about why he’s saying it and then decide if it will help your game or not.

At the end of the day there is no real right or wrong in poker. Poker is a game of infinite complexity and there are many different ways to play. But by reading these books it will help you think about the game and by thinking and analyzing you will become a better player.

The following books have been written by some of the best players and foremost thinkers in the game today. You might want to think about picking some of them up:

• Ace on the River – Barry Greenstein
  
• The Championship Series – T.J. Cloutier and Tom McEvoy 
• Harrington on Hold’em Series – Dan Harrington
• Hold’em Poker for Advanced Players – David Sklansky
• Making the Final Table – Erick Lindgren
• Poker Essays Series – Mason Malmuth
• Super System 2 – Doyle Brunson
• The Theory of Poker – David Sklansky
• Tournament Poker – Tom McEvoy