Will the conflicting knowledge mean that I will have less chance of being the best player I could be?


Currently reading in this order

Building a bankroll by veneer
Beat the donks by steve selbrede
Donkey poker by steve selbrede
The math of holdem by collin moshman
Poker math that matters by owen gaines
Hole card confessions by owen gaines
Professional no limi holdem vol1
Small stakes no limit holdem
Crushing the microstakes by blackrain
Modern small stakes by blackrain
Moormans book of poker
Easy game by andrew seidman


I am a cash game player but I thought I could gain a perspective on poker played with different dynamics by also reading tourney books.

I fear that I am just limiting how good I can be to what the authors think is a good play - Id like your input on this?

One hole I see in your reading list is the lack of any books specifically geared toward poker psychology.

I have the mental game of poker I and II in my christmas shopping list

Could you answer my questions??

As I have read over a hundred poker books, I am probably not the best to answer.

Yes you are!

Any input is welcomed - I think this is your expertise, do you believe all of the books you have read has made you a great player or have they caused you to level and have a narrow view?

I think a new player needs to 1) read books that will give him a solid foundation, 2) find his own voice, and 3) read books that will help sharpen his voice. Then he can read books that will show him how the other half lives.

I have read so many books that I am lucky I don't have sensory overload.

Because you have read so many, can you tell me which books are good to sharpen your voice, and what are good for fundamentals?

Thank you!

Some of the best fundamental books have 2plus2 on the spine. Two that leap to mind are Theory of Poker and Psychology of Poker.

I am a tournament specialist so I decline to answer the first half of your question.

Sorry.

Why?

You are a cash game player and I am not qualified to tell you what cash game books will help you find your voice (meaning playing style) and sharpen it. Also, I don't even know what you think your voice is although if you are new, I think tight is right.

Do you play .01/.02 online or 50/100 live? How much experience do you have? You can't just say "I play cash which book" and expect to get a good answer.

IMO reading all those books will be pointless. Pick one and study it. Learn the concepts and try and implement them into your game. One of the most important things a good poker book will do is teach you how to think. You need to know why you are doing things and because the book told me so isn't a good answer.

Sage advice from a 2+2 vet.

Numberonedonk also makes a good point. We need to know those types of things before we can really recommend a book that fits you.

Also, before I recommend any book to you, (although Doc did list 2 good ones already) I want to say that I don't support anyone switching to/studying another game or another type of their game, who isn't just obliterating the game they have already been playing (or getting obliterated). I would never go from only cash to tourneys or only tourneys to cash unless I was just crushing my competition at a decent stake or getting crushed. On top of that I would also say maybe only stick to online or only stick to live play. Seriously, I say pick only one to get better at; only cash or only tourneys. Then decide if you only want to play online or only play live. Try switching when you become more skilled.

Of course you don't have to take my advice.

All my physical poker books are in storage and OP might find it instructive that in addition to the two I mentioned, I will be going to get Zach Elwoods two books on tells and Jonathan Little's series on tournaments out of storage.

i am a mtt player and i wonder if u can reccomend a good tournament book for someone who knows most/all the fundamentals and has been playing poker for many years? as a first mtt book.... im playing mid-high stakes online. would really appreciate it.

very hard question.

I have benefitted from reading sklansky and malmuth books .. Lots of basic info .. I would go that way rather than quick and dirty starting hand charts and basic strategy.

starting hand charts are fine but one should really understand what they are based on. blind faith will IMHO lead to stagnation as one advances levels and opponents are more challenging to beat.

Tournament is a very different beast from cash games..

Any recommends regarding deep stack play/stragegy in plo?

Pot-Limit Omaha Poker by Jeff Hwang is a great PLO book to grasp a lot of different techniques and approaches to the game. You might find it very beneficial for your basic inquiry on PLO.