I've been playing poker for a long time now but it was more for fun than for actual reward. Now I'm trying to turn a profit but I'm uncertain of how I should be doing this. I would say that I have more knowledge than most other beginners but I would still consider myself a beginner. I understand that there are a vast number of resources that are offered and of these resources, books tend to be very helpful. I found some books, however, most of them are about online micro stakes. I can't play online since its illegal in Texas so when I usually play poker, I play in Oklahoma casinos and I usually play 1/2. I've played poker at casinos 3 times now and have lost about 200 but I'm sure I can turn a profit with some more knowledge. I'm looking for some good books on Live NL Holdem mainly for stakes like 1/2 and any additional tips and tricks that anyone has to offer. Thank you!

Welcome to 2+2.

Others may step in here and help. My contribution will be to give you THIS link to the 2+2 forum that deals with live play - low stakes NL.

GL

Harrington on Cash Games vol 1

Harrington on Cash Games vol 2

Read, study, and apply those two books and you will crush 1/2 at the local casino.

I don't see them listed in Book Offers, so just buy them off Amazon.

Good luck.

I love reading poker books because I love reading in general, but, I've grown weary of some of the advice and strategies in some of the books I've found.
Besides, by the time you read it, it will probably be outdated anyway.
But, you've got the right attitude,
Look for stuff focused on low stakes.
Forget about trying to learn the moves a Tom Dwan makes, you'll go broke.
The best thing to do is watch all those poker vlogs that have come out.
One that I highly recommend is a new vlogger called, Detroit poker.
It's rather dry, there's no lifestyle footage but he plays 1/2 and the hand analysis is pretty good. Gl

I'm not a big fan of calling any poker advice "outdated". An extreme example - suppose someone writes a book about beating calling stations in 1998, and someone else writes a book about GTO in 2017. If you read the book about GTO, learn it cold, go sit at a high-stakes table, and the other 8 villains are all calling stations, you will leave TONS of money on the table if you play GTO. The so-called "outdated" book was spot-on given the particular table conditions.

I've always felt that no matter which book you read, you have to learn how to discren *against what type of players* the advice is valid (or if it's even valid at all). When you're at the table, you have to learn to figure out what player types you're up against - are they all stations? are they all nits? What if they're half stations and half nits but all the nits have folded? What if you're in a hand against a station, a nit and a maniac? Does the advice you just read apply?

Sorry to partially derail the thread.

OP, here are a few pieces of advice from me:

1. Try Global Poker. It's totally legal in Texas, and if you're not too lazy to fill out envelopes, they give you $30 per month of free money - you don't have to risk penny one of your own.
2. My two-year-old four-year-anniversary post is geared toward making sure beginners are approaching the game from the right perspective - I get mocked for pimping it so much but I don't care because I believe in it:

https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/3...32/?highlight=

3. You've gotten several good book suggestions. IMHO you can't really go wrong with any of them.
4. I'm guessing you play at Winstar. I love Winstar. Great casino and love the new poker room.

I Think your opinion is perfectly valid.
I've read a bunch of poker books actually. Including some of Harringtons stuff, which I'm a fan of him, by the way.
I didn't want to elaborate and risk making my post too long.
You've forced my hand!
The biggest problem with books is that, in my opinion, new players especially, don't know to digest the info properly.
Thus, causing them a lot of bad play and frustration.
Most of these poker books, especially the older ones, as we all know, stressed tight raising, and even tighter calling ranges.
Subsequently, when a new player raises after an hour of folding, every observant player knows what he has! AA BB AK AQs. and possibly JJ.
So, if I'm sitting at that table, you know I'm calling with my 5 3.
If I hit the flop hard, I'm gonna win a big pot, if I miss, I can easily get away from the hand.well, ok. Maybe I'm not that loose.
But, you know what I mean.
Listen, the truth is, there's all types of bad poker advise in these books.
we could go on forever.
Worst is, again, beginners don't understand to apply, even the best advise, properly.
Books are meaningless until after you get tons of experience.
Do you know a surgeon who learned how to operate on a patient by simply reading a book?

Your local library may have the Harrington books, even Doyle's book .. maybe more. Those are 'free' so start there. Some may even have J Little's books by now.

I agree that you need to be able to recognize how, when and against whom to apply different basic strategies. 1/2 Live is more unique since I think the differences between players are greater than at the higher stakes. I initially class players as 'card' players, 'poker' players or 'gamblers'. Then I class them as passive or aggressive. So that's six different types of players that 'require' different approaches ... and then you need to consider your position in the hand AND how you think they view you as a player!

That may look/sound scary. Not sure how you been playing 'a long time' and 'usually' play 1/2 and yet have only been to the casino three times? Regardless, new players typically need to play ABC poker, which is essentially 'card' playing using the simplest of poker math to help them make decisions. This approach will help you get more comfortable in live casino play and may even get you some profits initially. Depending on how long your sessions are the good players will pick up on your play and try to set you up for some big losses.

It's very important that you pay attention at the table even when you aren't in a hand. This may tax your brain if you want to play for 'a long' time so make sure you get up and walk a bit to reset. One thing I think is important for a newbie is that if you feel outclassed or that the table has figured out your style then simply change tables! One of the hardest disciplines in poker is resisting the urge to chase after someone else's style and/or just 'back off' of your own play for an orbit or two when you start to feel pressed/anxious.

Welcome and make sure you are still having fun ... Look at your 'play' when the chips went in, not your results. There are always going to be suckouts and you need to be able to recognize that you 'got it in good'. GL

Get a fundamental strategy to rely on. Your going to realize quickly there is a ton of room for adjustments and exploitation in live games, but you need that solid base to fall back on. Especially as a beginner, just knowing what hands to open where, what hands to 3bet, what hands to cbet, etc, is going to do miles more for your game than anything else. I'd personally recommend subscribing to a training site like CLP or Upswing, it'll do far more than any book will imo.