Looking for non strat poker books, more focused on the 'legends' of the game and the folklore.

Recently just re-read The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King and wanting some more like that. I have read Stu Ungar book but that's about it, so looking for anything else similar.

Stuff about prop bets and other gambling also of interest too

Check Raising the Devil was an interesting read.

Thanks man, looks good will check that out. Also considering devilfish book too

I just bought Stu Ungar, book is that a good one?

Check Raising the Devil, what is this about?

From amazon's description:


Hang on tight as Mike “The Mouth” Matusow, poker player extraordinaire, takes you with him on a breathtaking, true-life roller coaster ride from his humble beginnings in a trailer park to a rock and roll lifestyle full of hot women, sex, wild drug-filled parties and million-dollar wins and losses. Yet behind the glamour and glory of his high-stakes poker career lurked the flip side: a person torn between two debilitating mental illnesses?—?bipolar disorder and ADHD. To dig himself out of depression and suicidal despair, Matusow turned to dangerous street drugs to self-medicate a problem he didn’t understand, and spiraled deeper into the darker world of addiction, police narcotic stings, and jail time.

In this revealing and tumultuous autobiography, the combustible Matusow holds nothing back. You’ll get a mouthful of the man behind the infamous Matusow Meltdowns seen on national TV.

Riveting, exhilarating, sexy, sometimes shocking and always fascinating, this voyeur’s look into the world of high-stakes poker, mental illness, and ultimately, Matusow’s inspiring redemption, will keep you glued to your seat until the very last page!

+1 for Mike Matusow's book. It was a great read.

Other books that I really enjoyed in this genre are:
- Positively Fifth Street by James McManus - good read from a journalist's perspective on the early days of the poker boom during the WSOP
- Molly's Game by Molly Bloom - great book on the big underground cash game played with the top pros and celebrities.
- Poker Tilt by Dutch Boyd - I know not everyone will agree with me on this one because it is by Dutch However, I liked the book and had some good insights on the beginning of online poker

I also recently read King Krab's book and both 'Once a gambler' books and really enjoyed them as well.

It sounds good, I will read it soon

The Biggest Game In Town.

Poker Nation, by Andy Bellin

Famous Gamblers, Poker History, and Texas Stories by Johnny Hughes

One of my favorites. The professor , the banker and suicide king is a good read as well.

Shut Up and Deal by Jesse May

Legends? - You want legends? - OK, Here you have Stu Ungar at his best in action:

WSOP 1997 final table

hand #36
sb RS - RS and SU limp and check the As 9h 6s flop. RS bets 25,000, SU raises 60,000 and RS calls after the 8c turn card. SU bets 220,000 and RS folds after the Kd on the river. Ron shows a 9 and SU shows QT.
After Ron Stanley stole the blinds a few times, he moved within $200,000 of Stu. A few hands later, the two chip leaders fought another heads-up duel in the blinds. With Stu Ungar in the big blind, Stanley limped in and Stu checked. The flop came A-9-6 with two spades. Previously, each time Stu had flopped top pair with an ace, he had checked on the flop and bet on the turn. This time he checked behind Stanley, suggesting that he might have an ace again. An eight fell on fourth street. Stanley, holding a nine, bet $25,000 with second pair. Stu raised $60,000 and Stanley called. The river card was a king. Stanley checked and folded when Stu bet $225,000 and brashly turned up his cards, showing Q-10 for queen high and no pair! As Stanley acknowledged after the tournament ended, he was hampered throughout the day by his table position -- immediately to Stu's right. Only once each round (when Stu was in the small blind and Stanley was on the button) was Stanley in position to act after Stu. With Stu playing very aggressively immediately behind him, it made it difficult for Stanley to take the initiative when he did not have a strong hand.
===========
hand #42
sb RS - RS raises 50,000 and SU calls. Both check the Qh 8c 8d flop. SU bets 60,000 and RS calls after the 5d on the turn. RS bets 120,000 and SU calls after the Kd river card. RS shows 77 and SU wins with KQ.
The next time they were in the blinds, Stu raised $50,000 from the big blind, holding KQ. Stanley called with pocket sevens. The flop came Q-8-8 (rainbow). Both players checked. Stanley checked again when the 5d fell on the turn. Stu bet $60,000 and Stanley called. When the 6d came on fifth street, Stanley bet $120,000 representing a flush. Stu called with two pair, and raked in another large pot, expanding his lead over Stanley and Strzemp.

Legend!! I would start reading "One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey ',The Kid', Ungar, " pretty soon, I've heard its a good read

anthony holden's 2 poker books are good, especially the 1st.. very literate writer. more used to writing biographies of very famous people but got obsessed with poker.

moneymaker's book is surprisingly really good...... and that opinion has been 2nd'ed by many.

gus hansen book about playing aussie milliions was really good...... it is poker content only but it's as much stream of consciousness as strategy.

yes, . that book is great. All about Stuey life from the very beginning all the way to the tragic end.

Really like Positively 5th St. and was pleasantly surprised by Poker Tilt.

Dutch provides lots of humility and "lessons learned" about life as a poker pro and someone with mental health issues. He addresses bankroll management as well as the reality that many if not most poker pros are confirmed busto.

I love these types of books. Some great ones not mentioned yet...

The Godfather of poker by doyle brunson. Amazing book, a lot of which is probably due to the fact that Doyle told the stories to a writer, who wrote it.

Lifes a gamble by mike sexton. Awesome story teller.

Ghosts at the table. I loved this book. He goes through four different eras of poker and tells stories from them. He takes a bit of a different twist in trying to find proof that famous stories are true.

All in - the (almost) entirely true story of the world series of poker. Again, some awesome stories from the old days.

And in a pinch, victoria corens book was surprisingly good.

The Education of A Poker Player (1957) by Herbert O. Yardley - a James Bondesque figure but a Yank!!!


The stories are great and all true and the advice (not that you are looking for such) is good enough for its time (though has to be said the 5 stud section is a must read for anyone playing that game).