I recently got to thinking about my poker game as a whole and where I am lacking. While browsing through the poker theory forum I ran into a very complicated thread and I got to thinking: there is no way this can be beneficial material for an NL5 player.

Is it true that certain advanced poker concepts can be more harmful than beneficial depending on the stakes you play? I'm just looking to progress through the stakes as fast as possible and become the best poker player I can. Would I find it beneficial as an NL5 player to read books geared at SSNL? To learn the math equations included in these books?

Basically I'm looking to compile a list of the most important concepts to learn, understand, and apply to NL5. For example, pre-flop selection, ranges, pot odds, implied odds... etc. The problem is I'm not sure where to stop as the concepts get more advanced. Should I ever stop?

For the most part the SSNL books won't be much help to you. Most of the info in it you will read and then misapply at your current stake.

Your examples however are all fine things to look at assuming you understand them and apply them correctly.

ABC poker will be the best method of playing. Search for that and master that before moving up and looking at SSNL stuff.

If you know why a play can be profitable it can't hurt your game if you learn it. If you just want to blindly do something because you saw someone at a higher stake do it then you will just spew $.

they definitely can't be more harmful than helpful.

one of the vital skills of progressing as a poker player is to learn how to learn, so to speak. no one's going to tell you exactly what to do, and if you're looking to be spoonfed you won't get very far. it's up to you when you read something to decide whether it is right or if it is beneficial, or how you can use it to your benefit. e.g, if you think something doesn't apply to the stakes you're playing, ask yourself why it doesn't apply, and what situations it would apply, and how you can change the strategy so it does apply.

They can't harm your game if you actually understand the concept and don't misapply it, if you're trying to progress through stakes as quickly as possible then there's obviously no limit in stopping as they "get more advanced". Gl!

Just FWIW, books aimed at SSNL written like three or more years ago are now pretty much microstakes books or terrible.