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Welcome to Pamela's Poker Strategy Review
Great Poker Strategy Guides
Pamela picks the good and the great poker strategy guides...and separates the men from the wimps.
Boys, remember that the only qualification needed to write a poker book is the ability to get someone to publish it. Which means that there is a lot of junk available written by people without a clue about how to play winning poker - some authors don't even play the game!
I don't "recommend" any books as gospel, but the books below have helped me at various times in my playing career and are a fair bet to help you on your way - whatever your level of ability or interests.
Enjoy! (Pamela XX)
PS you can also visit poker-in-the-uk.com which has all the books to buy
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Great Poker Books
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| General Books |
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Basics Of Winning Poker
by J Edward Allen - 1992 |
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A fast introduction to the games of 7-stud, Texas hold'em, draw poker
and lowball. For the beginner looking to learn the ropes and rules of
modern poker play. Where do you begin? This book offers the answers.
64 pages, paperbound. |
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Improve Your Poker
by Bob Ciaffone - 1997 |
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One of the more respected writers of this generation, Ciaffone's material,
now compiled under one cover, has previously appeared in a variety of
publications. Here, he helps sharpen the skills of beginners and experienced
players in ten different areas, including general concepts like beating
a loose game, and tight/loose play. He moves to gambling skills like
the mental side, and money management; then to Reading Opponents, including
tells and using your eyes. A vital section on Deception and Bluffing
is followed by incisive advice on Hold'em including raising and missing.
He includes six pages on Omaha, then moves to Seven Stud and High Low
Split. In Big Bet Poker, Ciaffone looks at skill in No Limit and Pot-Limit
games, including overbetting, position and flopping the nuts. A final
section covering 15 pages discusses tournament play including satellite
strategy. 220 pages, paperbound. |
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101 Tournament Hands
by D.R Shearer - 1999 |
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The purpose of this book is plain and simple: to help you learn how
to play various card combinations in low buy-in hold'em tournaments.
After a short explanation of why these tournaments take extra skills,
Sherer begins with a two-card combo, explaining the type of tournament,
how many players and what position you're in. You decide whether to
bet, call, raise, or fold. Then you read Sherer's answer and explanation.
The strength of the book lies in the fact that if helps the player recognize
and deal with the numerous different strategic decisions that have to
be made quickly. |
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Caro's Fundamental Poker Secrets
by Mike Caro |
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Packed with strategies and motivational techniques with ections on money
management; tells and psychology; tournament advice; playing five-card
draw, seven stud or hold'em. He explains when to raise, fold, call,
bluff projecting "the right image;" how opponents perceive you. |
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Shut Up And Deal
by Jesse May - 2002 |
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US novel. Excellent first novel by young American writer and poker player,
which has been described as the best gambling novel since Mario Puzo's
'Fools Die'. Cool, hip, and why haven't you read it yet? |
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The Theory Of Poker
by David Sklansky - 1994 |
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Originally titled Sklansky on Poker Theory and later Winning Poker.
Discusses theories and concepts applicable to nearly every variation
of poker, including 5-card draw (high), 7-stud, hold `em, lo-ball draw
and razz (7-card lo-ball stud). Chapters on deception, the bluff, raise,
slow-play, position, psychology of poker, head-up play, game theory,
implied odds. Considered one of the top general poker books of all time.
242 pages, paperbound. |
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Playpoker, Quit Work And Sleep Till Noon
by John Fox - 1977 |
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Fox wrote this book when draw poker was in its heyday in California's
cardrooms and it fast became the book to read if you wanted to compete
in those games. Even though draw is not as popular as it once was, this
book still stands out as one of the best books on the subject. Fox concentrates
on the aspects of the game that are essential for pro players: position,
frequency, distribution of playable hands (draws with bug), bluffing
frequencies, eliciting calls, behavioral deductions, when to call. The
book includes many math tables and dozens of psychological ploys. 343
pages, paperbound. |
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Poker Tournament Strategies
by Sylvester Suzuki - 1998 |
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Poker tournaments are very different from conventional poker games:
Chips change value; rebuys are available; players adjust their playing
strategy according to rebuys, etc. There are very few players who excel
at both live action and tournament play, but it can be done. To be one
of those players you have to learn when, where and how to shift gears
to survive. Author Suzuki (a pen name) has played many poker tournaments
and understands the underlying theory that governs tournament play so
this book should prove helpful to virtually everyone interested in this
form of poker. 180 pages, paperbound. |
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Poker, Gaming And Life
by David Slansky - 1997 |
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A collection of articles that have appeared in various publications
with some that never before appeared in print. Most of the articles
are about poker or gambling. Sklansky has also branched out into other
areas that lend themselves to his unique style of analysis. Some of
the topics include under Poker and Gaming: Importance of Position; Highest
on the Flop; Steam Games; Why I Don't Like Seven-Card Stud; Risking
a Re-raise; Standing Pat; Jackpot Game Strategy Changes; Catching Bluffers;
Call or Reraise; Check Raising in Hold'em; and Comparing Ace-King to
Ace-Queen. In the Life section, Sklansky comments on Coincidences; Will
Power; Game Theory, Logic, Crime and Punishment. 205 pages, paperbound.
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The Cincinnati Kid
by Richard Jessup - 1999 |
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US novel. The classic book on which the Steve McQueen film was based.
Has a different ending to the film and well worth a read. Nothing will
replace McQueen though. |
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The Biggest Game In Town
by Al Alvarez - 1983 (2002) |
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Here's the classic that's now back in print. Both an acclaimed author
and poker player, A. Alvarez combined his two talents to pen this work
which gives a compelling inside look at the world of Las Vegas, of professional
poker, and the extremes that go along with each. With the skill of observation
and the talent for writing down what he sees, Alvarez captured the psyches
of the people who challenge each other in the world's biggest poker
tournament, the annual World Series of Poker. For those who have never
witnessed this tournament, this book will put you right in the thick
of it and you'll think you're actually rubbing elbows with some of the
legends of poker. 188 pages, paperbound, originally published in 1983,
reprinted 2002. |
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| 7 Card Stud Books |
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Seven Card Stud For Advanced Players
by Malmuth & Slansky - 1989 (2001) |
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Seven-card stud is an extremely complex game. Deciding exactly what
the right strategy should be in any particular situation can be very
difficult. Perhaps this is why very few authors have attempted to analyze
this game even though it is widely played. In 1989, the first edition
of this text appeared. Many ideas, which were only known to a small
select group of players were now made available to anyone who was striving
to achieve expert status, and a major gap in the poker literature was
closed. It is now a new century, and the authors have again moved the
state of the art forward by adding over 100 pages of new material, including
an extensive section on "loose games." Anyone who studies this text,
is well disciplined, and gets the proper experience should become a
significant winner. Some of the other ideas discussed in this 21st century
edition include the cards that are out, the number of players in the
pot, ante stealing, playing big pairs, playing little and medium pairs,
playing three-flushes, playing three-straights, randomizing your play,
fourth street, pairing your door card on fourth street, fifth street,
sixth street, seventh street, defending against the possible ante steal,
playing against a paired door card, scare card strategy, buying the
free card on fourth street, playing in tightly structured games, and
much more. (326 pages) |
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Seven Card Stud Poker
by K.Othmer - 1996 |
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Originally titled The Elements of Seven Card Stud, this revised and
expanded edition contains two new chapters which is approximately one-third
new material. This unique volume uses charts and clear explanations
to show the anatomy of seven stud hands. The two new chapters in this
work concentrate on how the player should choose and portray an image,
and the psychology section from the first edition is now a chapter on
reading opponents. Chapters including Basics; How to Play Pairs and
Trips; Flushes; Straights; Analyzing Betting Behavior; Identifying Betting
Patterns. Many charts and tables using illustrative graphs. Lots of
good mathematical material and the graphs will help explain when certain
hands are favorites or underdogs vs. opponents in a variety of situations.
258 pages, paperbound. |
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| 5 Card Stud Books |
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How To Win At Stud Poker
by James Wickstead - 1976 |
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Originally written in 1938 with a combination of mathematical flavor
and with an eye toward the psychology of the game. Wickstead writes
about five-card stud only, discussing what cards are worth staying with;
explaining the concept of true odds; net odds (your chances of improving
a hand as well as an opponent's chances). 158 pages, paperbound. |
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| Texas Hold'em Books |
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Winners Guide Texas Hold'em Poker
by Ken Warren - 1996 |
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An excellent book for beginners. 14 chapters look at the basics; how
to find the right game (including the players you want to play against
or avoid); secrets to beating a low-limit game; practical concepts like
smart strategy in early, middle and late position. Also covers: betting
on the flop; raising on the flop; playing on the turn; betting on the
river; raising on the river; check-raising; favorable times to bluff.
Also covers the Science of Tells, how to play specific hands like how
to play when you flop two pair; playing in short-handed games.The book
also contains seven pages of hold'em odds and includes charts and tables.
210 pages |
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| Omaha Books |
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Omaha Hold'em Poker
by Bob Ciaffone - 1992 |
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Ciaffone won more than $150,000 during Binion's World Series of Poker
Tournament in 1987, including a third-place finish in the $10,000 buy-in
World Championship Hold `Em Tourney. Revised in 1992, he covers rules;
basics; betting procedures; importance of being suited; evaluating starting
hands; pot-limit play; percentages; Hi-Low Split; tournament strategy.
80 pages, paperbound. |
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| Hi Low Poker Books |
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High-Low Split Poker Advanced
by Ray Zee - 1994 |
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This is actually two books in one covering two different high-low games,
(Stud and Omaha). Illustrated, with test questions to reinforce key
strategy situations. For the serious, study-the-concepts individual
who learns from playing, reading and integrating new ideas along the
way. 331 pages, paperbound. |
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| Bibliography |
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Alvarez, Al, The Biggest Game in Town, Fontana Paperbacks, 1984
Branson, Doyle et al., Super System : A Course in Power Poker,
B and H Publishing, 1978
Caro, Mike, The Body Language of Poker, Gambling Times Inc, 1994
Ciaffone, Bob, Omaha Hold' Em Poker (The Action Game), Self-
Published 1992
Fox John, Play Poker, Quit Work and Sleep till Noon, Baccus Press,
California, USA, 1977
Jessup, Richard, The Cincinnati Kid, Primus Donald I Fine, 1982
McEvoy, Tom, Tournament Poker, Poker Plus Publications
McNally, Brian, Guidelines to the Universal Rules and Procedures
of Poker, Self Published, 1993
May, Jesse, Shut Up and Deal, Anchor Books 1998
Malmuth, Mason, Gambling Theory and Other Topics, Two Plus Two
Publishing, 1994
Malmuth, Mason and Loomis, Lynne, Fundamentals of Poker, Two
Plus Two Publishing, 1994
Othmer, Konstantin, The Elements of Seven Card Stud
Reuben, Stewart and Ciaffone, Bob, Pot-limit and No-limit Poker,
Self published, 1997
Sklansky, David, Getting the best of it, Two Plus Two Publishing,
1998
Sklansky, David, Poker, Gaming and Life, Two Plus Two Publishing,
1997
Sklansky, David, The Theory of Poker (formerly called Winning Poker),
Two Plus Two Publishing, 1992
Sklansky, David and Malmuth, Mason, Gambling for a Living, Two
Plus Two Publishing, 1997
Sklansky, David, Malmuth, Mason and Zee, Ray, Seven Card Stud for
Advanced Pplayers, Two Plus Two Publishing, 1994
Spanier, David, Total Poker, Oldcastle Books, 1995
Suzuki, Sylvester, Poker Tournament Strategies, Two Plus Two
Publishing, 1997
Yardley, Herbert O, The Education of a Poker Player, Orloff Press,
1977
Zadeh, Norman, Winning Poker Systems, Wiltshire Book Company
1997
Zee, Ray, High-Low-Split-poker, Seven Card Stud and Omaha Eight-or-Better
for Advance Players, Two Plus Two Publishing
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