title pretty much says it all. are books like HOH and supersystem still relevant today? i figure basic principles will never fade but players will need to make adjustments to what the book teaches overtime. im asking for all books too not just SS and HOH, it could be rizen,apes, pearls book, kill everyone etc.

It depends. Oswald Jacoby's book from the 40's is still quite relavent.

Patty

I think books like super system are still useful for beginning players, but not worth it if you are already advanced, imo.

If the book was any good in the first place, then it's still likely to have at least some value, if only to beginners. This is assuming the game in question still exists the the same format/structure now as it did when written.

I'm pretty sure the above answers aren't what OP is looking for.

But there is no answer like that. Sure, no-limit theory has come a long way since most famous books were written, but you can't predict when the game will change, even if it will somebday.

It really depends on the book. There are some books which will always be relevant. The good poker psychology books like 'Your Best Poker Friend" and "Inside the Poker Mind" will always be applicable.

Theory of Poker is just pure fundamentals and will always be applicable.

Other books that really focuses on game theory, ranges and how to think through hands like: NLHETP, HOH, Winning Poker Tournaments One Hand at a Time... will be around for a long time.

i agree...many say sklanskys hold em poker is outdated, but aside from updating from the single blind structure...i use this book still in my limit game..so the fundamentals are always there ..its just tweeking the game around them which a good player will do in nay game as some games are tight, otheres loose

It depends on the book. Sklansky on Poker Theory, which you know it it's latest form as The Theory of Poker was first published in 1978. Even The Theory of Poker version that we sell today was last updated in 1994.

So you see a poker book can last a long time, and I could make similar comments on many of our other books. Even Harrington on Hold 'em: Volume I will hit the age of five years in December, and it is still the best selling book in poker.

On the other hand, many poker books have no life. They arrive with essentially zero sales and they stay that way. To see this, all you need to do is go to Amazon.com and look at sales ranks. Once they get well over 100,000, there are essentially no sales.

Best wishes,
mason

Very true. But then as you know, that's the case for almost ALL books in ALL areas, not just poker books. IIRC, there's around 200,000 books published every year. For those relying on conventional bookstore distribution via conventional publishers, very few outside of those that are heavily marketed, with a well know author have any decent sales at all.

Of course you know this, since you're in the publishing industry, but I felt it worthwhile to point out that it's only a very small percentage of books that make it as commercial successes....especially for those who think writing a poker book is the easy road to a quick fortune. It's not likely to be unless you are a media celebrity AND have one heck of a marketing and PR campaign.

Fortunately, this is completely inaccurate. If it was accurate, Two Plus Two would not exist.

MM

You misquoted me, Mason. You need to include what I said before the part you quoted, or you don't have the meaning. What I'm saying is "not likely" is to make a quick fortune -- with the emphasis on quick -- from writing a poker book unless you have something that will result in a lot of sales quickly, during the life span most new books stay on bookshore shelves before they get sent back to the publisher.

The prospect for any new twoplustwo title is drastically different than that of a new book/title from an unknown new author on the shelf in a bookstore. I suspect your model is not to make a quick fortune, but to make one over time...a very long period of time. I did not say it wasn't possible to make money from publishing poker books. Obviously it is.

Having studied the book and publishing business a bit, I thought it worthwhile to dissuade or at least give pause to folks who might think writing a poker book (and selling via conventional bookstore distrubution channels) is some quick and easy road to a quick fortune; especially if they were not already a poker celebrity or had the means to launch a very good marketing and PR campaign to market the book. That's all.

As you no doubt know as much if not more than anybody, it's a lot harder and takes a lot more work than most people realize to make a fortune in the book business -- in any area of the book business. Anybody who thinks otherwise needs to consider the statistics on the number of titles published each year, how skewed sales are towards a small percentage of titles, and exactly how the book publishing and distribution business works -- complete with the joys of bookstore return "policies". Marketing and PR is so important, for bettor or for worse, when you consider what sells.

I don't care to get into a discussion here, and I think I've bought every poker book you've ever published. Thanks for publishing so many good books over the years. Please keep up the good work.