lets see, how about you write a book with no math whatsover in it. take it its your biggest challenge david.

I'd buy the algebra book (and share it with my kids). Many of your adult 2+2 audience is now of the age where investing in our own kids is a top consideration.

It is unclear how someone too lazy to read TOP would benefit from a truncated or dumbed down version. From a sales standpoint I assume the Malmuth/Loomis "Fundamentals" series isn't a huge success and it is easy to imagine that "TOP Lite" may face the same fate.

David,

"Perhaps I confused the issue by asking "what is best for the world". I really meant what makes most sense for me."

OK, so in algebra terms:
x = what is best for the world
y = what makes most sense for DS
x = y

hahaha

OK, seriously, even with your clarification, absolutely the algebra book. If you think there's a reasonable chance of this book being as good as you think it could be, then for many factors (importance of the book, amount it will help people, satisfaction for you, and money for 2+2) it is definitely the right answer.

Also, I think that book is much more challenging to do well. I bet I could write a "TOP for beginners" or "50 poker hands" book that would be more or less at the same level as your books. Not so with the algebra book (assuming you are correct about your abilities there).

50 POKER HANDS THAT REALLY TEACH YOU SOMETHING

Clearly, the best potential for combining value with sales volume. Lose that title.

A SIMPLE GUIDE TO "THE THEORY OF POKER"

Clearly, the best potential for sales volume alone - and it's not close. "Renown poker guru finally explains in easy terms the game that is taking the world by storm!" etc. Lose that title, again.

WHAT POKER TEACHES US

Good summer book idea, about poker concepts applied to everyday life - but also in social affairs. As I recall, Mason Malmuth has already written a few worthy essays on the subject, with the term "self-correcting" liberally employed therein. The idea is to have (a) humor in most of it, and (b) one very controversial idea in there (but a correct one!) on which the mainstream media picks up. Whooosh. BTW, I hope this is only a working title.

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

Tons of books already out with this idea. Do your research and read the best selling crop, before you decide if you truly have something different and original to offer. And you're not too good at coming up with titles, are you?

Mickey Brausch

I know you gave your choices but what I would really like is a good book on short handed games.

Call It

How To Play Short Handed Poker Games Like You Are Ten Feet Tall And Bullet Proof

Should you set up a poll for this question?

50 Hands is the one i see as having the most commercial appeal.

Why waste your (our) time with all that other stuff? We should have paid attention in math class if we wanted to learn algebra; instead we cut class to go play five card flip stud.

"How to Pick Up Young Women" is what we really want. Why do you think we try so hard to make all that easy poker money? To impress other poker players?

The algebra book may certainly have the biggest audience in theory, but who knows David Sklansky outside the poker world?

For most people it's just another algebra book to chose from and maybe parents don't want it for their kids after reading about the authors other ventures on the backpage. It could get them hooked on gambling.

Still, I am quite curious how the world's best algebra teacher intends to tackle the subject.

Last but not least, since David is asking the readers of this board to do a consulting job for him to make some money for 2+2, I am asking myself what's in for me in this deal. Could it be the information from the books and if so, why do I have to pay twice for it then?

A SIMPLE GUIDE TO "THE THEORY OF POKER"

This will make surely the most in terms of money, which you will spend generously so it will be the best solution over all.

If I was 10 year old and you buy me a math book I will hate you forever.

The first one, although interesting, will be constrained to a very limited crowd.

50 hands etc: it might be really good, but it won't offer any new angle.


Some suggestions: write a book on SNGs.

What would a "simple" guide to "Theory of Poker" look like? I mean the book is already written about as simple as it gets. If you doubt this statement, then check out "Mathematics of Poker".

I assume that some concepts will be skipped, some others simplyfied and some more rewritten.

Clearly yourself and I wont buy that book but a huge amount of people will.

I have tons of friends who are simply interested int he game but not willing to invest much time in it and certainly they will never buy a book with, although well explained, complex concepts.

David, just to be outside the box, and capitalize on your Stock Prowess.... I'd Suggest as your next book:

THEORY OF TRADING FOR POKER PLAYERS

Go for a book which proves poker is a game of skill not chance.

Perhaps it could be called "Sklansky on Poker Theory"

From the poet Philip Larkin:

To put one brick upon another,
Add a third and then a fourth,
Leaves no time to wonder whether
What you do has any worth.

But to sit with bricks around you
While the winds of heaven bawl
Weighing what you should or can do
Leaves no doubt of it at all.

What is the purpose in writing the book? Are you driven by sales/money, self-fulfillment, world improvement, increasing name awareness? If you can explore why you want to do it, it may very well lead you to what to do next.

Expanding on the Algebra how about…

"All the Math you should know but don’t (A layman’s guide to not being an idiot)"

(I’m sure we can improve upon the idiot tag, possibly “A layman’s guide to all the functional math you’ll ever need”)

Investing?

“Life is a gamble, the investors guide to staying ahead of the blinds!” (yes I know its too poker specific but that concept)

We could replace “blinds!” with “cost of living” , “rising cost”, “the shifting global economies” or some what not.



50 POKER HANDS THAT REALLY TEACH YOU SOMETHING

I like the concept but not the title, you put 50 in the title it’s a stake in the ground that’s finite and some folks will not buy it because they think “Oh only 50”
Yes a stupid reason but you want to maximize the customers, or if you prefer keep it and help eliminate the stupid.

How about the same book but with the title…

“The Art of Discerning the Unknown a Master’s Guide to Reading Poker Hands”



A SIMPLE GUIDE TO "THE THEORY OF POKER"

I think this is a good choice too, but here I’d change the focus, while TOP is a brilliant book and what I’d really like to see is a hardbound limited autographed edition (at about any price, hint..hint..).

I think the simple guide is a good concept but you could make the book more accessible to the masses by limiting all examples to Texas Hold’em. Everyone now knows Hold’em, we are almost to the point where the average housewife knows it. By making it Hold’em focused it would truly simplify it by definition. Anything beyond that would be gravy…


OK Regis, my final answer…

David, you should do what ever will give you the most personal satisfaction.


You’ve got a team of folks here that would be willing to help in any way.
Just let us know what you need. If its marketing catchy stuff, give me a shout, I’ll put my marketing team to brainstorming.

Hi David,

no1 has yet proposed you write a NLHE book, do you see why?

Enough with the books already, I have 4 letters for you.

D V D' S

A high level workshop on dvd and make it like a class room setting with skill tests and a workbook manual.

Why dont you do a NL Hand reading book, And the mathematics of poker, like more coplex theory of unexploitable stregedies, and math problems based on opponent general tendencies.

-J

I have zero interest in that choice, although I believe it would probably be the most profitable. For the audience here, I suspect "50 hands" would be the best-seller, but world-wide, "TOP for beginners" is going to be more popular. But why would I want you to write it? I spent a long time reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading the original TOP and understanding its concepts. I don't want any Joe on the street to be able to get a Cliff's Notes version. OTOH, as another poster pointed out, a lot of the 2+2ers are now thinking about their future and their children, and the algebra book would be a boon there. If, in fact, you are the world's greatest algebra teacher, that is. You've said it enough times on these boards that I mostly want to see the book out of shere curiosity.

write an autobiography man...

u should write a book about how your a pervert.

As many have pointed out, the Algebra book would be the best choice.
I don't know if 2+2 could get into the market of selling something like that (since 2+2 is about poker), but if you really have that ability, the algebra book would be excellent.

I tutor for calculus classes in a university, and what stops people is algebra. Differentiating is easy, but they can't do the algebra and it is really hard to explain. It is interesting that tutoring calculus transforms into being an algebra coach. A good book would be helpful all around.