Full Version: i need a good tournament poker book
I need help with my tournament play. Anyone have suggestions?
"Tournament Poker for Advanced Players" by David Sklansky.
Pay special attention to the sections on the "Gap Concept" and "Expected Value (EV). Actually, both these concepts are explained in the first chapter. Sklanksy would probably kill me for saying this, but you can probably get through the entire book in one sitting at a Barnes N Noble and never have to buy it. I finished it by the time I was done with a venti vanilla latte.
Pay special attention to the sections on the "Gap Concept" and "Expected Value (EV). Actually, both these concepts are explained in the first chapter. Sklanksy would probably kill me for saying this, but you can probably get through the entire book in one sitting at a Barnes N Noble and never have to buy it. I finished it by the time I was done with a venti vanilla latte.
I've been leaning towards that book. Since I don't have a bookstore (good) nearby I haven't had a chance to page through some of the poker books. It seems people either love Sklansky or they hate him.
rkard wrote:
The people who hate Sklansky or are ignorant of his books are the people who will pay you for playing poker. i just loved this post from rkard too much to not put it in this thread.
QUOTE
Yup, I read his book called Hero Of poker or something and it had lots of stuff about Fungimentals n stuff. who cares about mushrooms im trying to LEARN POKER HERE.
The people who hate Sklansky or are ignorant of his books are the people who will pay you for playing poker. i just loved this post from rkard too much to not put it in this thread.
Harrington On Holdem seems to be pretty good from what I've read so far.
Sweet72, is it strictly Hold 'Em advice? If thats all you're looking for and you've been playing for A while I'd recomend TJ Cloutier and Tom McEvoy named Championship No-Limit and Pot-Limit Hold 'em.
The sections on cash and tournament play with No-Limit are wonderful, although if its Large tournaments... MTT with the slower blind structure... I wouldn't use his strategy.
TJ Cloutier's book works well for the tournaments I have at local casino's where the blinds move rapidly, its more of a protect your stack, move fast when you have it type of thing.
So let me know what type of tournaments you're talking about.
P.S. I haven't read Harrington's book yet, But I think his is going to be close to Cloutier's I'm picking it up this weekend and its close to the front of the line for books I'll be reading.
The sections on cash and tournament play with No-Limit are wonderful, although if its Large tournaments... MTT with the slower blind structure... I wouldn't use his strategy.
TJ Cloutier's book works well for the tournaments I have at local casino's where the blinds move rapidly, its more of a protect your stack, move fast when you have it type of thing.
So let me know what type of tournaments you're talking about.
P.S. I haven't read Harrington's book yet, But I think his is going to be close to Cloutier's I'm picking it up this weekend and its close to the front of the line for books I'll be reading.
I wasn't that impressed with TJs book, frankly. Sklansky's Tourney book is great - very helpful, especially understanding the Gap concept. I'm reading Harrington's book now and it's really what I'm looking for.
I'm a limit player who wants to play tourneys and continue playing limit. I've done pretty well in tourneys, but I know my game is not nearly where I want it to be. Harrington's book gives you a lot about the thought process of what to consider - cards, position, stack size, board texture, your opponents' style, etc.
I'm a limit player who wants to play tourneys and continue playing limit. I've done pretty well in tourneys, but I know my game is not nearly where I want it to be. Harrington's book gives you a lot about the thought process of what to consider - cards, position, stack size, board texture, your opponents' style, etc.
I am really impressed by Harrington's book. I think that the sections where he explains the thoguht process that you need to employ is brilliant. I had also read the TJ& McEvoy's book. I wasn't inpressed at all. It was full of generalizations which are useless in specific situation I come across everyday.
QUOTE (FrankB)
"Tournament Poker for Advanced Players" by David Sklansky.
Pay special attention to the sections on the "Gap Concept" and "Expected Value (EV). Actually, both these concepts are explained in the first chapter. Sklanksy would probably kill me for saying this, but you can probably get through the entire book in one sitting at a Barnes N Noble and never have to buy it. I finished it by the time I was done with a venti vanilla latte.
Pay special attention to the sections on the "Gap Concept" and "Expected Value (EV). Actually, both these concepts are explained in the first chapter. Sklanksy would probably kill me for saying this, but you can probably get through the entire book in one sitting at a Barnes N Noble and never have to buy it. I finished it by the time I was done with a venti vanilla latte.
That's how I've read almost all the books I've read, lol.
I currently have6 books that deal largely w tourn poker. "Harrington on holdem", Championship nl and pl He, Poker tourn tip s from the pros, Poker tourn startegies, Tourn poker...by Mcevoy, andTourn poker for advanced players. A word on each . Harringtons book is the best by far to me. He puts u in specific tourns in specific situations, goes thru the risk reward scenario of each, and u draw ur own conclusion whether u agree or not. I cannot imagine a tourn book being more thorough than this one.
Tourn Poker for adv players by Sklansky is a close second to me, some powerful concepts i learned from that book like chips changing value, gap concept, special two table situation, its a must read.
Championship nl and pl he and tourn poker ill lump together, very enjoyable reads very similar stuff. Not so much meat and potatos information like the other 2 but a good start for solid conservative tourn play. I get a kick out of it when Tj and Tom disagree. But usually its just splitting hairs when they do. a neat idea having two world class players both give their ideas on a hand.
Poker tourn strategies gives some neat ideas on tourns that the smaller fish are likely to play in like rebuy tourns shootout tourns and the ways ur strategy should be altered in these for optimum success. also covers deal making and taxes a little. Good book.
Finally Poker tourn tips from the pros. by Shane Smith. deals mostly with low limit tourns and is primarily a book for the rank beginner. Introduces u to the world of tourn poker gently and hits on some important concepts like survival, stack awareness, and changing gears. A hodgeodge of quotes from some great players included.
Harringtons book, to me, towers over these other books in every respect. It just hits on more questions more specifically from more angles.
Tourn Poker for adv players by Sklansky is a close second to me, some powerful concepts i learned from that book like chips changing value, gap concept, special two table situation, its a must read.
Championship nl and pl he and tourn poker ill lump together, very enjoyable reads very similar stuff. Not so much meat and potatos information like the other 2 but a good start for solid conservative tourn play. I get a kick out of it when Tj and Tom disagree. But usually its just splitting hairs when they do. a neat idea having two world class players both give their ideas on a hand.
Poker tourn strategies gives some neat ideas on tourns that the smaller fish are likely to play in like rebuy tourns shootout tourns and the ways ur strategy should be altered in these for optimum success. also covers deal making and taxes a little. Good book.
Finally Poker tourn tips from the pros. by Shane Smith. deals mostly with low limit tourns and is primarily a book for the rank beginner. Introduces u to the world of tourn poker gently and hits on some important concepts like survival, stack awareness, and changing gears. A hodgeodge of quotes from some great players included.
Harringtons book, to me, towers over these other books in every respect. It just hits on more questions more specifically from more angles.
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