I'm torn between four choices:

WHAT POKER TEACHES US

The idea would be to relate poker concepts to real world situations. Don't go on tilt, put yourself in other's heads, evaluate risk vs reward etc. etc. Besides being a good self help book for poker players and non players alike, the book could be used as a means to demonstrate some reasons why playing and learning poker should not be discouraged by the government.

ALGEBRA FOR TEN YEAR OLDS (And those who think like them).

I am close to being the best Algebra teacher in the world. Trust me on this. The reason probably stems from the fact that my father taught me the subject when I was seven. So even though I turned out to be talented at math, my brain remembers what it was like to struggle with the subject as well as the techniques my father used to overcome hurdles. All Algebra books that I have seen, after an initial easy portion, go on to teach later portions with the assumption that the begining stuff was mastered. Both the techniques and the nomenclature. My book wouldn't do that even though it is "undignified". But it would get mathematically untalented people through their first year algebra class, in a way that nothing else ever has. (The book would probably also contain some basic probability.)

50 POKER HANDS THAT REALLY TEACH YOU SOMETHING

When poker authors throw out sample hands to evaluate, they often pick hands that they have seen or played or hands that have tricky answers as to the best play. Answers that usually are debatable. While it is always helpful to analyze the pros and cons of playing a hand a certain way, I believe it is not in the best interest of the student to be studying hands where the answer is debatable. Of course it is not easy to come up with situations where the best play is not self evident while at the same time a full analysis pretty much leads to one answer. But I can do that.

A SIMPLE GUIDE TO "THE THEORY OF POKER"

Just as I can teach Algebra to beginners in a simple manner, so too can I teach the somewhat complex principles of the Theory of Poker. In the past there would have been little demand for a simplified version of my book because it was rare that beginning players would have had an interest. Nowadays that isn't true given poker's emergence on the world stage. Thus there would be a far greater audience for a "cliff notes" version of TOP. Throw in also those many NON beginners whose academic credentials are such that they would appreciate an easier version before tackling the real thing.

So which book should I write? Put on your unselfish hat and don't necessarily think about what would be best for you. Rather think about what would be best for the world. And what would make me and Mason the most money.

First thought:

"Poker, a teacher for the real life"

I'll think a little about it and analyze later

How about writing them all and in this exact order?

A revolutionary algebra book would be best for the world and would make you the most money, but whether you could pull it off is higher variance than the others. The What Poker Teaches Us book could have some social value and crossover potential, but it's still probably a long shot to be really successful.

Obviously I and other serious poker players would be most interested in the 50 Hands book, but that's a fairly small market. The ToP guide could be a good project, but why not just repackage it as "Poker Theory Made Easy" or something instead of appealing to the incredibly small market of people who are really interested in ToP but don't understand it.

I think the first one would reach a wider audience.

For maximizing profit: 50 hands is a guaranteed good sell, and probably maximizes profit. Both the algebra book and the what poker teaches us are risky, but potentially extremely lucrative. Especially the algebra book. Cliff notes of TOP strike me as a poor seller. My sense is that you are overestimating your market; most people interested in reading TOP-style poker theory would just read TOP, in my opinion.

Best for the world: seems hard to argue with algebra and poker for life being far ahead of 50 hands and Cliff TOP.

The 50 poker hands book sounds perfect. People like books with many chapters, and the individual standalone chunk nature of this makes it a pleasant read for whenever. Seems like this would have the most mass appeal.

The poker life lessons one sounds like something I'd enjoy, but I think the target audience is small (probably just poker players), and even then I doubt most of them would buy it.

I'm not going to debate you being the best algebra teacher in the world - but I would say for this book to be a big seller you'd need to be picked up by some school system(s), and your gambler nature might make it a hard sell to the conservative decision makers. I just don't think parents will care enough to buy it for their kids unless a school mandates it, and that sounds like a tall order.

ToP Cliff Notes - Meh, maybe, but it just doesn't sound flashy at all. I don't have good logic, it just doesn't strike me as hot.

For me it's the 50 hands in a LANDSLIDE.

Algebra for 10 years old! Bright idea and extremely commercial!!! Wearing on my unselfish hat, I have to forget about all those poker books. This will bestsell. The rest is delicious, but could be only the next dish pour quelques connaiseurs.

I think i would say a simple guide to the theory of poker. The book can be demanding if you dont have an understanding of poker. A new one might attract more players and help them to beat 90% of the players you see at the middle limits in the casino. It wont put you in that top level, but as long as you pick your tables well, you can still make money even if you arent at the very top

Definitely my vote.

WHAT POKER TEACHES US

I am skeptical that this will be interesting. We already have Greenstein's book. If it is a vehicle for old Vegas stories, and original takes on many topics, it might be more interesting but if you explain how to get the young girls etc you probably won't be able to legalize poker with it.

ALGEBRA FOR TEN YEAR OLDS (And those who think like them)

Elementary school math doesn't depend much on the text book, it would have to be a radical movement to change the way teachers teach the subject. If the book is just for older math challenged folks, I can't imagine a big market. There might be something here but I'd get an advance from a textbook company first ( you don't even have to share with Mason ).


50 POKER HANDS THAT REALLY TEACH YOU SOMETHING

Sounds good, should sell as well as any of the other 2+2 strategy books.

A SIMPLE GUIDE TO "THE THEORY OF POKER"
It already is pretty simple and well written.

D.

do the algebra book, its the one you really want to write and so will be the best.

chez

The Definitive Guide to That's What She Said Jokes

Algebra for 10-year olds

David,

The world could use a great algebra book, more than any book on poker. Whether it would make a lot of money, I can't say.

___1___

Algebra. And it's not even close.

PairTheBoard

Yeah I agree completely. Not that you even care about your critics opinions on you but this would seriously prove to them that you truly are brilliant in other fields.

Aren't you tired of writing about poker anyways?

Algebra, I'd buy it.

I stopped paying attention in school when my dad died, and Algebra was one of the things I missed.
Even though I have tried several times, the beyond the basics stuff just does not stick easily in my head.

In this order:

1. A SIMPLE GUIDE TO "THE THEORY OF POKER" (unselfish answer)

2. ALGEBRA FOR TEN YEAR OLDS (And those who think like them). - the poker version.
(very selfish answer)

3. 50 POKER HANDS THAT REALLY TEACH YOU SOMETHING (will most probably make the most money - may I have 1% royalities for this advice; especially if you write it first.)

Most poker players I've met don't read books. In fact they continue to tell me that reading poker books will rot my brain and game. I don't believe them...thank goodness. The non-readers most probably would buy this one...they love to compare.

4. WHAT POKER TEACHES US (show me a poker player that is teachable and you'll find a good player.) My experience at the Southern California casinos/card rooms is most of the players that talk to me think they know everything - or at least talk like they know everything about poker and no one else does.

Thank you for reading this - hope I have contributed something - and okay - I know I won't get a percentage. Maybe soon I'll be good enough to play you.

How about this one?


But seriously I'd be interested in seeing the algebra book.

ALGEBRA FOR TEN YEAR OLDS: #1 priority, however I would encourage you to do a co-publishing deal for this title with a company that specializes in educational books. If 2+2 were to publish it under its own masthead it would not reach the audience it would deserve.

A SIMPLE GUIDE TO "THE THEORY OF POKER": I suggested this to Ed Miller once, I actually think he should rewrite this book with you. His easily approachable style would make this title a huge hit.

50 POKER HANDS THAT REALLY TEACH YOU SOMETHING: This has been done by Jacobs and Cooke, but there is tons of room for another title like it. I don't expect it to be the huge seller that your other titles have been however, its not a breakthrough subject unfortunately (it should be, but it isn't). Food for thought, not of the existing hand sample books have sold that well except Harington's (and we should point out that Harington's 3rd book did not sell as well as the first two).

Whatever your decision, I look forward to your next book!

TT

If they were already written, I would pre-order "50 Hands..." and I would probably end up buying "What Poker Teaches Us."

Algebra book by at least a parsec.

Massive potential market. Massive potential nation-wide improvement in basic critical thinking skills. A chance to escape from the poker ghetto. Exposure of 2+2 to vast fields of new customers. Tremendous potential for the calculus sequel. Or the Probability for Teens follow-up (personally I think probability is grossly under-served by the education establishment. Too often it's an elective course whereas obviously an important grasp of several probability concepts is vital to making correct choices all the day long).

While personally they sound very interesting, as far as I'm concerned them other books can wait.

Oh, and please tell Mason to figure out a way to market it on myspace, or maybe offer a free chapter on youtube. That's where the young'uns do stuff nowadays.

This is a good and important point. If the condition of making Mason money means that the book would have to be released by 2+2, then this one is a bad idea. 2+2 just isn't a good enough or big enough publisher to do a mass-appeal Algebra book justice. It needs to be all pretty and stuff, and there are all kinds of back-door deals that need to be made with education resellers/bookstores/etc.