Try Your Hand Replayer
Get Your FREE Bonus!
There are so many different poker books and other resources that sometimes it is even hard to find a good read. Therefore, I prepared a list of the best books on poker, which cover different formats and parts of the game, such as math, specific strategies, psychology, poker software, and even lifestyle advice from poker players.
Whether you want to learn poker strategy or just have fun while reading a hard copy, you will find something you like in this list.
Below, you will find short descriptions if you want to learn more about each of the books on our list, and some bonus picks recommended by professional poker players.
It is one of the best books around for modern PLO games. With Pot Limit Omaha gaining more and more popularity, many players are looking to make a transition.
Mastering Pot-limit Omaha will give you all the tools you need to make the move and start winning almost right off the bat.
The first Super System focused on Hold’em. Super System 2 is a poker book with many chapters written by high-profile pros like Daniel Negreanu, Bobby Baldwin, Jonny Chan, etc.
Each of them gives their insights into various poker formats such as Seven Card Stud, Deuce to Seven Triple Draw, Omaha 8 or Better, and more.
Math is essential to poker, and if you strive to be a winning player, you need to learn the fundamentals of the game.
It is exactly what Alton Hardin’s book will do for you, offering a simple and straightforward guide that will teach you everything you need to know. After reading Essential Poker Math, you’ll understand and will be able to apply Texas Holdem strategy concepts such as hand reading, pot odds, implied odds, the expected value (EV), how to calculate your outs on the go, and much more.
Verbal Poker Tells are an excellent read for all players who spend a lot of time in the live setting. Players often reveal a lot of information when they talk in the middle of the hand, and understanding how to interpret it can have a huge difference for your results.
This poker book will help you understand what different verbal tells means, and with plenty of examples on your side, you will be making better decisions in no-time.
Poker is a fairly unique game in that you can make great decisions and still end up losing a hand, busting a tournament, or even spend months without making a profit. Dealing with all the ups and downs that come with the territory is exactly what The Mental Game of Poker is all about.
Written by one of the leading mental game coaches out there, this book will give you invaluable tips and instructions on how to handle tilt and downswings and how to achieve a good balance between poker and the rest of your life.
Excelling at No-Limit Hold’em is an extensive guide for No-Limit Hold’em that covers everything you need to beat the games.
From fundamental strategies to more advanced concepts of ranges and adjusting your play to build the right approach to the game. This poker book will give you all the tools you need to become a winning player.
Harrington on Hold’em is a series of poker books, but its Volume 1: Strategic Play, which was published in 2004, is one of those mandatory books for every poker player.
In it, Harrington teaches you how to think about starting hands, your position at the table, your opponents, and more. While it may not be aimed at total beginners, Harrington on Hold’em should be on your to-read list as soon as you make some headway in terms of game fundamentals.
Arguably one of the best books ever written on poker, The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky, covers different variations of the game, not just Hold’em.
It discusses many general concepts that are crucial to all forms of poker, such as bluffing, psychology, odds, the importance of your position, and much more. For many players, this poker book was a turning point in their careers.
Mathew Janda's Applications of No-Limit Hold'em represents an excellent resource for everyone looking to improve their Texas Hold'em fundamentals.
The book introduces and explains theoretical concepts such as ranges, bet sizing, and much more. After reading Janda's poker book, you'll be able to understand and implement these and other important strategic ideas into your game.
While many believe it to be outdated, Doyle Brunson’s Super System still holds the title of the Poker Bible. Written by the Godfather of Poker himself, it introduces many concepts that were completely new and unique at the time the book was released.
Even if the level of competition has increased significantly in today’s modern poker world, Super System is still a valuable read.
There are many great poker books written, so naturally, all of them can't fit a top 10 list. To give some extra juice, we put together some bonus picks for the best poker books for beginners that will help you not only master the basics, but also have fun on the way.
It is often said that poker is a game of people played with cards. While most players understand the meaning of this saying, how does it influence the way you play? Leave it to Ed Miller to explain it all in his poker book called Playing The Player, taking things to the next level.
Learn how to adjust to different playing styles and tendencies and how to make money off of these tendencies on the spot. Master the art of quickly spotting your opponents’ weaknesses and pound on them.
Although it was released back in 2007, Lee Nelson’s poker book Kill Everyone is a must-read for all tournament players, but it is a good read for every poker player in general.
The book explains the importance of well-timed aggression and how it can completely transform your game. Learning concepts presented in Kill Everyone can help you see poker with an entirely new set of eyes.
Barry Greenstein is one of the most iconic poker players who’s been a regular on the tournament circuit and in the highest stakes cash games for decades. His book, Ace on the River: An Advanced Poker Guide, represents an excellent read for everyone, from complete newbies to seasoned pros.
In this poker book, Greenstein doesn’t just talk about strategic ideas but also paints a much broader picture of the life of a professional player.
Published by TwoPlusTwo poker in 2007, Collin Moshman’s Sit ‘n Go Strategy remains one of the best poker books you can get to learn how to beat sit and go tournaments across all stakes.
It will teach you many important concepts and ideas required for success in sit and goes, going through different stages of play, necessary adjustments, and much more. If you’re looking to get into the world of SnG’s, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Gus Hansen may not be as popular as he once was, but at one point, he took the world of tournament poker by storm with his uniquely aggressive style.
In his poker book named Every Hand Revealed, Hansen describes his way to the 2007 Aussie Millions win, revealing all the important poker hands that led to this success and explaining his thought process behind each and every single one of them.
To master your poker skills and build that bankroll, you have to start somewhere – and small stakes tournaments present an excellent opportunity.
In his book, Little talks about very specific strategies and adjustments you’ll need to dominate poker tournaments at lower stakes and build your way up to the big stage. Without knowing how to make these adjustments, you will not be able to move up in the stakes, so this is a good read if you are just starting playing tournaments.
Published in 2005, Phil Gordon’s Little Green Book is somewhat of a poker classic. He played with the best players in the world, and now shares what he learned on the way.
While some will argue that concepts and ideas presented in Gordon’s book are somewhat outdated, it will help you develop your poker mind and create your own style of play, and that never goes out of style.
Are the best players in the game just talented individuals who were born that way? Not according to Fitzgerald, whose book The Myth of Poker Talent will teach you how success is mostly related to how hard you work on improving your game.
Talent helps, but it’s not crucial to you becoming a winning player, and only your dedication to the game is a deciding factor. The author teaches how to overcome this false belief and learn what actually matters.
Written by Joe Navarro, a former FBI agent, this is another great book covering poker tells. No matter what format you decide to play, tells will be an important part of the game if you’re playing live, so this is definitely a good read.
Joe covers people's instincts, the side of behavior players are very unlikely to control and give actionable tips on how to take advantage of this information.
Poker books are an amazing source to have a good time and learn a thing or two, but if you want the most up-to-date information and learn how to play poker, you can also check poker training sites.
If you are just starting, you can grab my free poker cheat sheets and instantly hit the tables with new knowledge so that you can win even more or dig into one of many strategy articles on this site!
