Nowadays, many people get all their knowledge from the Internet, through articles or videos. Nevertheless, I am sure that many of you, like me, like to read a good book. On the other hand, finding the best poker books for beginners and intermediate players can be difficult.

Even internet searches are not always helpful. Many of the lists I’ve seen seem to be based on reading the latest reviews on Amazon, not actually reading the book! Since I have read dozens of poker books, including all of the ones on my list, I am here to help you.

Buying the latest “hot” book may not be the best option, as poker books have become much more sophisticated over time and tailored to certain tactics that may or may not be applicable next year, or even next month. What is needed is clarification on which books are the best long-term investment for both cash games and MTTs.

To that end, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite Texas Hold’em poker books that offer the most advantages when it comes to learning the game. Keep in mind that my recommendations are aimed at advanced players rather than absolute novices. When it comes to rules and tactics, you will need a basic knowledge of poker. Note that for your convenience, I have included links to all the books on Amazon.

First, because I understand that some people are very busy, I will give you the short version. I would start with Professional NL-Hold’em and digest it in its entirety before reading anything else, assuming you have already read many of the basic books, such as Harrington On Hold’em (click on the Amazon listing). It should become your textbook in the future, especially for cash games. PNLH is a must-read no matter what game you play. Cash games, tournaments and sit and go’s become child’s play if you can beat cash games, as I often say.

Also, since most players will be playing in tournaments, I recommend reading Poker Tournament Formula, Volume 1 and Poker Tournament Formula, Volume 2 first, followed by Kill Phil and Kill Everyone. With a similar rational and formulaic approach to poker, the concepts in these books nicely complement Professional No’Limit Hold’em, while allowing for creativity within a viable theory. Overall, both book series will provide you with a lesson on the types of strategies you’ll need to succeed in modern poker tournaments.

The best book on cash games

Professional No-Limit Hold’em was revolutionary when it was first published. At the time, there was relatively little good literature on cash games. If you wanted to play cash games well, you had two options: Super System or The Theory Of Poker. While both were fairly important poker books at the time, by 2007 they had become somewhat dated.

Professional No-Limit Hold’em is the game for you. What I like most about this book is that it takes a complicated subject like no-limit hold ’em cash games and turns it into a step-by-step guide on how to navigate the games using the REM (Range Equity Maximize) process. The authors, Matt Flynn, Sunny Mehta and Ed Miller, use a concept known as a “commitment threshold” that can be used to build an entire poker strategy. You can get through post-flop planning more easily and be sure you are committing your stack correctly if you plan your hand and create a profitable stack-to-pot ratio. Are you confused by what I am saying now? If so, this is a must-read for you. Don’t play another hand of poker until you’ve read this book! Many of the concepts in PNLH will appeal to automatic players, as many of them work well for players who routinely play with stacks of 50 big blinds or less. Even tournament players can benefit greatly, as most tournaments will put you in low-SPR conditions. Doesn’t everyone get short-stacked at some point in every tournament? Bottom line: if you’ve never looked at how people think, now is the time to do it.

The best books on tournaments

Arnold Snyder, a well-known blackjack player, wrote the Poker Tournament Formula books from his perspective. His goal in writing these books was to discover the true technique for winning poker tournaments. His main concept was that the “tight is right” approach doesn’t work in a tournament format if you want to maximize your earnings, because most of the prize pool is usually at the top. In other words, min-cashing is rarely as fun as busting most of the time, but occasionally winning one of the top prizes.

The most significant contribution of these publications is to emphasize the need not to sit around and wait for “good” hands to play, since there are very few opportunities to win chips in a multi-table game. To build the utility of chips, the basic concept is to engage in the game early and regularly. Snyder argues that the more chips you have, the more valuable each chip becomes. This contradicts most players’ perception of the value of chips, which is based on the mathematical concept of ICM, which says that the fewer chips you have, the more valuable each chip becomes. I agree with Snyder on this point.

In what order is it best to read these books?
I wish I had someone like me to advise me exactly how to continue if I were starting over and wanted to make progress from the novice stage. If I could talk to myself, I would tell myself to read the following poker books after Harrington On Hold’em:

• Professional No’Limit Hold’em
• Poker Tournament Formula 1
• Kill Phil
• Poker Tournament Formula 2
• Kill Everyone

As a bonus, if you want to drastically improve your skills at the 50bb level and below, have read my book, and want to take your game to the next level, you’ll find that the poker books I recommend offer the least resistance in crushing both short-stack cash games and the middle and late stages of tournaments. I have chosen titles that I believe are more evergreen and have stood the test of time. The themes of each book are applicable now and in the future.

Additional resources

If you’ve made it this far, here are some books I would suggest if you want to learn more about advanced poker topics. These books are also timeless and would be a welcome addition to any poker collection.

Elements of Poker by Tommy Angelo

If you’ve ever watched one of my videos or read one of my texts, you’ll notice that I often emphasize reciprocity. Tommy Angelo is the one who came up with that phrase! Elements of Poker is a great read that is both entertaining and educational. When it comes to poker, Mr. Angelo has a unique perspective and his views are as profound as they are practical. Enjoy!

David Sklansky’s The Theory of Poker

While it lacks pure entertainment, this book goes to the heart of the matter, what kind of mentality is required to be a good poker player. Many good poker books are based on the framework presented in The Theory Of Poker. This is a book I strongly recommend, but only if you are a really advanced player.

Uniquely, Nolan Dalla contributed to this article.

Thus, it is not a guide to strategy. Nevertheless, I think it is essential reading for poker players. Rather as a look at the most brilliant poker mind who ever lived, than as a cautionary tale. Learn more about Stu Ungar’s life and his approach to poker. Even if it will only be “osmosis,” I’m sure it will make you a much better player. Besides, it is a very enjoyable read. Are you not familiar with Stu Ungar? What do you think is a good tournament record? Is it a 20% cash rate? Stu finished in the top three in 21 of the 34 tournaments he entered during his career, and won 10 of the 30 major tournaments. Let that get to you.

I hope you enjoyed reading this essay. If you are interested in learning more about me, go to my website. I have published a book on how to play poker with a small stack under 50 big blinds, which is great for beginners! My book will follow the content in the books I recommend. Thanks for reading and please tell me your favorite novels and why you like them in the comments section below!