Before Doyle Brunson’s Super System book came out in the late 70’s, little was written on the concept of poker strategy. Most players were still in the dark in regards to strategy so the game was still a gamble to them. Today is a much different story though since a person can find poker strategy books just about everywhere they turn. And due to the fact that players of all skill levels can read these books, people need to be careful as to how they apply this knowledge to their own game.
Practice what you preach
While poker books will definitely teach you the skills you need to become a better player, it should be noted that books alone won’t help you rake in the cash. So the first thing you should realize is that you’re actually going to have to put the tips you learn into practice before anything comes to fruition. Even then, it will take quite a bit of practice before you really reap the benefits of the books you read.
Your Skills
If you’re not a professional poker player then it goes without saying that you should avoid reading books that deal with advanced strategy. Unfortunately, many beginners pick up poker books without first assessing their own skill level and what type of book they should be reading. The best thing to do is do your research and find a book that is appropriate for your skill level.
Your Game
One more thing to keep in mind with poker books is that you need to find ones that apply specifically to the games which you play. For instance, a book by a great pro tournament player can certainly be beneficial for fundamentals, but it’s not going to help you much if you’re specifically a cash game player. So make sure to read poker books that will teach you the skills that are specific to your game.
This is a dangerous blog entry, I think. Most of us have picked up a book on poker strategy but too many of us have not bothered to read past the first chapter. 90% of today’s online players have absolutely NO post flop game.
It would be nice to see an in depth entry on the difference between aggression and maniacal death wishes. The days of playing TAG are long gone I’m afraid, only to be replaced by players on suicide missions. Give us an entry on playing the same hand from different table positions and maybe it will wake some of us up.