Dad made me do it, but it paid off.

I’ve often said that Dad had the largest poker library, I’ve ever seen outside of a bookstore.

One of the things he made me do, before he allowed me, (Yeah, right. He thought I was virgin when I graduated High School too.) to play poker online was to read several of his books. For this page I’ve put together and made comments on each of the books I have finished. I’ve only finished about half the list. So I’ll list the books I haven’t finished yet and add comments as I finish each book.

I had watched Dad play for years, fetching beers from the frig and cleaning ash trays, for the tips the players would give me. (I could always earn $15-20 and could make $50 on a good night.) So, I thought I understood the game but Dad insisted that I read a Beginner’s book first. He actually gave me two choices either “Poker for Dummies,” or the “Everything Poker.” I told him I was no Dummy and read the “Everything” book. “Everything Poker” is a beginner’s book that includes:

A general introduction to poker
Rules to the most popular variations
How to play
A simple strategy
Introduction to online poker
Introduction to play at a live poker room
Description of poker etiquette

Dad actually used this book as the recommended text for Poker 101. If you are a complete poker beginner, “Everything Poker” will give you the basis you need to learn how to play. You must walk before you can run. Even players with home game experience or online experience making your first trip to a live poker room might find this book quite useful. It will easily pay for itself in one session.

The second book was “Seven Card Stud the Waiting Game” by xxxxx. I complained that I wanted to play Hold’em not Stud but Dad said this book would help instill the idea of patience in to my poker psyche. Well first it was real short. Should probably be called a pamphlet instead of a book, and like Dad said, it does stress waiting and patience. I read it in the student union between classes one day.

The third book, Phil Helmuth’s “Play Poker Like the Pros,” actually provides the basis for my starting hand standards. It also stresses aggression. (According to Dad, all good poker players are as patient as Job and aggressive as a pit bull.) When I read it I hand the benefit of notes in the margin which stressed that Phil’s post flop style requires expert reads of your opponents that are probably beyond a beginner and unavailable online. He suggests a slightly more reserved style, after the flop. I loved the chapter on Omaha Hi/Lo and have made it my game of choice. Dad even agrees that it might be the best place to start for any beginning Omaha Hi/Lo player. One last comment on Phil: We have a copy of every poker game that has ever been televised. He is an Total Ass Hat. If you don’t believe me or you don’t want to read his book, his video will convince you and you can get a good grasp of his starting hands. Of course, you will have to put up with that whiney ass voice.

Book four was “No Limit and Pot Limit Poker” by Ciafonne. This book is really for the serious players that are into smoky rooms and big money. It does a good job of explaining the importance of pot odds, implied odds and the manipulation of them in your favor but I thought it was BORING.

After book five, “Winning Low Limit Hold’em,” by Lee Jones, Dad declared me ready to play poker and gave me a $200 deposit at Empire Poker. (I chose Empire, because I had been playing on Party Poker for the last two years, and Empire had a great bonus.) Dad thought this book would prepare me for the no fold ‘em games of Southern California and Online. I don’t think he’s ever played Party’s $.25/.50 Hold’em games. I admit it does a good job of showing some of the modifications needed to play when a lot of people call every bet.

The sixth book “A Gambler’s Guide to Taxes,” by xxxxx isn’t really about it poker, but I it will probably save me more money than any of one of the other books. Did you know that; If you find $100 on the side walk, you are supposed to report it as income tax on your tax return? You can read the book but a friend has posted a good, “short,” guide at www.TotalBluff.com Taxes.

The seventh book “The Phsychology of Poker” by xxxxx was pretty good I even did a paper on it for a Psych course, and the Professor loved it. It really helps you develop a method of evaluating the other players and understand why and how they play. The most important thing though was a statement by the author at the start. “I’m that good of a player but I consistently make money by choosing games where the other players are worse.” I think that is something to live by.

The eighth book is “Seven Card Stud Poker,” by Othmer I was about half way through this book when Dad finished “Harrington on Hold’em, Book 1,” and demanded that I stop and read it instead. Since then I’ve had to wait 6 weeks for him to finis Book 2. For us, women, tournament play is probably best. I really like Free Rolls and these books might be the key. They have a lot of great information for the tournament player. I guess I’ll have to Seven Card stud later.

Ninth Book is “Harrington on Hold’em, Book 2,” I guess.

“Seven Card Stud Poker has become the tenth book.

Eleventh Book, Hold’em Excellence by Lou Krieger

The last book on his list was Tournament Poker for Advanced players by Sklansky, but Dad said the Harrington books were better and he hasn’t given me a replacement for this one.

See you at the tables.

Jill