Texas Holdem Book and Movie Recommendations

Texas Holdem Book & Movie Recommendations

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Poker Books and Movies

Doyle Brunson's Super System: A Course in Power Poker

This book was written in the mid 70�s by the all-time great, Doyle Brunson and company. The real gem of information is Brunson�s own chapter on no limit holdem. No limit is not a war of accuracy of percentages like limit holdem, it�s a game of great psychological warfare. Brunson�s system is very aggressive. I think very few people would feel comfortable playing so many suited connectors out of position in no limit games so they can stage an all-in bluff. You would need to be up against a very timid rock garden to play just as Brunson says. But it remains, undisputedly, the best guide to no limit cash games.

The Theory of Poker: David Sklansky

�Every time you play a hand differently than you would have played it if you could see al you opponents� cards, they gain; every time you play a hand the same as you would have if you could see al their cards, they lose.� An excerpt from what Sklansky humbly termed the fundamental theorem of poker.

Statements like these will probably leave the average player, new to reading about his or her game, somewhat puzzled, but this is the main value of this book. It gives you a set of terms to describe conditions and action in a poker game, and then tries to make you about what you do and why. Sklansky says that this book does not try to answer, �What do you do in this particular situation,� but rather, �What do you consider in this particular situation before determining what to do.�

Play Poker like the Pros: By Phil Helmuth

This is a great book for beginners and intermediate level players, and as a resource for dipping back into from time to time. Phil clearly explains everything from scratch, from the basic set up and dealing procedures, to the betting procedures on each round of betting in a limit or no limit game. The main style he stresses upon is playing tight and raise often to �see where you�re at�. He also gives a list of animals you can use to identify how your opponent is playing and how to counterattack his or her plays.

Poker, The Real Deal: By Phil Gordan

This is a great book for those unfamiliar with the game or new to playing but with superficial knowledfe. Phil doesn�t go into a lot of nitty gritty about hand percentages, tells, etc. He gives you a very good, concise overview of poker playing, how to improve you game by understanding percentages, online poker, how to plan for a potential career as a poker player, and he gives you tons of advice and resources as to where to look for more information. In short, Phil doesn�t pretend to be the be all/end all for information. It�s a refreshing change of pace from those who represent themselves as the all too often guru�s of a popular trend. Very easy to read that doesn�t get bogged down in poker linger or condescending tone.

Caro�s Book of Poker Tells: By Mike Caro

This book really breaks down the art of poker (that is, the ability to read people) into simple categories of tells understandable and recognizable by anybody. Without knowledge of tells, you really only win the pots that your cards dictate. Yes, you can play better cards than you opponents and avoid trap hands, but with knowledge of tell, you can win two types of hands: The hands your cards dictate and the hands that you opponents cards don�t merit. It is Caro�s contention that all of us act at the poker table and in life similarly, it is instinctive and largely subconscious.

Rounders: Collector's Addition (1998) DVD

It's the standard sports glory story: Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) had a shot at going for the gold (in this case, winning enough money to go to Vegas and play with the World Series of Poker champions) but is taken down by fate. Now broke, he must work night shift jobs to pay for his Law School education. However, his childhood friend, Worm, has gotten out of jail and is looking for a little card action, which slowly brings Mike back into his old life. There is a catch though, Worm had accumulated a lot of debt before getting busted, and now that he�s out he owes plus interest. Mike, tied to his friend through loyalty, must now risk it all in a final match against the very same person who destroyed his dreams of glory.
Both Damon and Norton are fantastic. They talk in poker jargon so naturally that, although you have no idea what they are saying (unless you know the jargon yourself) it�s doesn�t matter because you get the meaning. John Malkovich is, as always, a pleasure to watch, playing a gangster-type card player. John Tuturro is fun, and Martin Landau is superb. No one in the cast slacks off.
This a good film for poker fans to watch as well as fans of drama. It�s a well put together little film.