Best books for learning poker

I picked the above books with the assumption that you would be playing low stakes, limit poker (less than $10/$20 limit) in a casino (casino games are much better than online, anyway) for cash (not tournaments). Higher stakes limit games require a very different strategy than what is covered in some of these books.

I do not recommend that beginners play no limit poker, as I believe the fluctuations are way too high.

“Winning 7 Card Stud” is good because it will introduce you to the way a public card room works, which for a beginner, can seem pretty intimidating, at first. It is also the best book at teaching Stud that I have read, but you are not likely to find many Stud games, except on the East coast. Still, I have occasionally encountered some very juicy Stud games late at night in other places.

“Winning Low Limit Hold’em” is definitely the best book to learn this game by.

“The Winner’s Guide to Omaha Poker” will teach you the most important skill to be a big winner at this game (Omaha Hi/Lo). Omaha is not nearly as common as the other games, but it is the most lucrative, and the easiest to beat.

“Caro’s Book of Poker Tells” is the bible on the subject. In low limit games, many of the players are so bad that there are no tells to pick up, but they do happen occasionally.

“Zen and the Art of Poker” is the best book I have read that teaches the discipline you will need to be profitable.

By reading just these 5 books (and re-reading them every so often), and applying what is in them, you will be able to play winning poker.