Top 6 Most Informative Poker Strategy Book Review

Many of those people choose to distribute their knowledge about the game in a book form. Thus, we have lots of books available in the market on Poker strategy and playing techniques. Our job today is to select 6 best books on Poker and give a brief review of the speciality of each book. 

Every Hand Revealed Written by Gus Hansen

This book, from established publishing house Kensington, has been one of the best Poker books for over a decade. And, who would know more about Poker than the three-time champion of World Poker Tour Gus Hansen? Being an unorthodox player himself, Mr Hansen explained his thought process before any tournament in this book.

Chip Reese, the foreword writer of the book, told TOC, “He’s brought original thought to an age-old game. Many of his ideas on how to play Poker have made me take a second look at some conventional strategies I thought to be true.”

The Body Language of Poker Written by Mike Caro

Mike Caro undoubtedly was among the early pioneers of Poker. If you are a Poker enthusiast, you might know him as an extremely engaging speaker. He has written numerous articles and reports in the last three decades. His book, The Body Language of Poker, was initially released in 1984. 

As the name suggests, this book is all about maintaining confident body language during a game. Body language includes correct posture, facial movements, vocal tone, and so on. The original book is only relevant to small stakes games. So, If you want to read some excellent advice, buy the 1994 edition. 

The Theory of Poker Written by Dan Sklansky

This one is regarded as Poker’s strategic dictionary by many serious Poker players. Poker has transformed a lot in the latter part of its history. A more combative approach and deceiving bluffing made the game more of a viewer sport. Despite all the changes, this 21 years old book holds its place as a relevant source of knowledge of the game. 

The Theory of Poker is one such book that can be helpful to all levels of players. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner; if you know the rules, you will find this book amusing. This book contains all fundamental strategies that can help you evolve your skillset. So, if you are going to buy only one Poker book, go with this one.

Harrington on Hold ’em Written by Dan Harrington

Harrington on Hold ’em is the best selling Poker book ever with more than 300,000 copies sold all over the world. What made it an overnight success is Mr Harrington’s perfect timing of releasing the book that coincided with his World Poker Championship win in 1995.

Bill Roberty, a chess professional, turned game theorist, co-authored it with Harrington. Till now, three different volumes have come out while the fourth one is in process. This book gives you such insights about Poker that are not much discussed yet. 

Poker for Dummies Written by Richard D. Harroch and Lou Kreiger

This one is for all the Poker aspirants who are just beginning their journey. This famous series of books is known for its simple explanations and large layouts of beginners’ strategy. If you’re a beginner and want to learn a thing or two about Poker in simple language, then this book is a must-read for you.

The Dummies series includes a lite version of this book along with Texas Hold ’em for Dummies and Internet Poker for Dummies. Keeping the sales history in my mind, we must say the Dummies series is doing a great job of attracting newer players every day.

Poker Essay by Malcom Malmuth

This is one of the best Poker books in two plus two catalogue. Unlike most of the books, Poker Essay is not all about strategies and planning. It is a collection of writing that discusses the game’s future, card room management tips, among others. 

Malcom Malmuth is a genius and regarded as one of Poker’s great minds. He is a well-wisher of the game. In the book, You can see many of his predictions, made over two decades ago, have come true. If you really love the game and want to know more about it in general, then you should go buy this book. 

Final Words

It’s worth noting that you can improve your skills in other ways also. I would suggest you listen to the podcasts of Red Chief Poker Series in addition to reading books. You can also see live matches on the internet. 

However, there is no replacement for books. In books, you will find some super rare information about the game which cannot be found from any other source. Also, there is no need to buy all the books at once. Buy something manageable and work your way up to more advanced ones.