What’s on your poker reading list? If it’s devoid of anything particularly scintillating at the moment, we’re here to change that!
Poker reading list
From hardcore strategy to gripping reads, these are the books you really need to put on your poker reading list.
1. Super/System
With his big cowboy hat and a personality that can hardly be matched, Doyle Brunson is a pillar of the poker community. You could definitely say the same about his book Super/System.
When it was released first in 1979, the title was How I Made Over $1,000,000 Playing Poker. We’re betting that raised a few eyebrows both inside and outside of poker circles. And famously, the Texas Dolly claimed that since sharing his insights, he’s lost far more over the years on the table from people who’ve read the book compared to what he made from book sales.
The great thing about this book is that each chapter is written by a different professional player. This is a who’s who of poker of that era. You’ve got Joey Hawthorne on lowball, draw poker according to Mike Caro and, none other than Brunson himself talking about Texas Hold’em.
2. The Theory of Poker
David Sklansky wasn’t messing around when he wrote this book. Over the course of 25 chapters, he discusses pretty much everything you need to know about poker strategy. In depth. In detail.
You need The Theory of Poker on your reading list if you’re serious about getting better at poker. It’s considered a masterpiece in the world of poker strategy. But it’s not exactly an easy ride. This is a serious book for people who are seriously into poker.
Published in 1994, it still speaks volumes to players today. For those who are a little more casual about their poker, it might be best left off the poker reading list.
3. Super/System 2
The 1970s was arguably the first golden age of poker of the modern age, when Texas Hold’em was rising to the top and the World Series of Poker was getting started. But the second was beyond doubt during the late 1990s and early 2000s. And that’s when Doyle Brunson decided it was time to embark on Super/System 2.
During this time in poker, live events were beginning to be televised and online poker was becoming more accessible to more people. Heck, you even had Matt Damon and Ben Affleck starring in a poker flick.
Suddenly poker players were becoming more famous than ever and the game itself was changing too. Super/System 2 reflects all of that. And here we’ve got Jennifer Harman, Johnny Chan and Daniel Negreanu, along with many others, providing their insights into the evolving game.
4. The Professor, The Banker and The Suicide King
This is also the era when the Michael Craig romp was published. This is totally different from the other books on your poker reading list. In fact, it isn’t really about strategy at all. Instead, it’s just a fascinating story that you don’t need to know a whole lot about poker to enjoy.
An amateur player, albeit a billionaire, started getting into poker. And he aspired to play against the best. Fast forward to the Bellagio in Las Vegas, where he goes toe-to-toe against the likes of Phil Ivey, Ted Forrest, Doyle Brunson and Jennifer Harman.
The Professor, the Banker and the Suicide King is a gripping read from start to finish and is well worth seeking out.
Want a place to play online to go with your poker reading list?
It’s all well and good playing poker, but of course you need to play some poker too! If you’re looking for a new online poker room that ticks all the boxes, we recommend bet365. As well as having a great range of tables to suit all budgets, classic game types and a few really fun formats, new players can use this bet365 bonus code to make their sign up extra sweet.
