Poker Books - The Search for the Grail

Poker books are an excellent way to obtain knowledge about the game, insight into the minds of top players, and a firm understanding of general poker theory. But can they turn you into a pro?

Each year, several new poker books are released. Many players read through these books in an endless search for the holy grail of poker... that magic bullet that will take them from poker zero to poker hero. Unfortunately, it seems that very few of these players actually understand the true value of the books they read. They treat poker books as a set of strict rules to be followed. They let the books tell them how to play correctly.

However, there’s a fundamental flaw in this approach. If poker were as straightforward as assembling an entertainment center, or solving a math problem, we could easily define a list of steps to follow for success. However, the game of poker is nowhere near that simple. It’s a complex game filled with incomplete information and ever-changing circumstances. Thus, a set of robotic instructions to play by will never work.

Poker books are an excellent source of game theory. They can strengthen your understanding of the game, and get you thinking about ways to improve your own play. However, they are not a magic formula for poker success.

Learn the fundamentals, then do your own thing.

Certainly, playing by the book will put you ahead of the common fool who throws his money around at the table. You won’t be paying too much for your draws, you’re betting your good cards, etc. However, you can’t become any better than average this way. You will keep yourself from losing large sums of money, but will also prevent yourself from winning large sums as well. You will be doomed to a life of break-even poker.

To become better than average, you need to go beyond the books, theory and fundamentals. You need to think on your feet. You need to take what you’ve learned from the books and challenge it. Use it where appropriate, but also throw it out where appropriate.

All good quarterbacks in the NFL understand the playbooks, and have the ability to hit open receivers. But great quarterbacks do these things and more. They read the defensive situation and change the play at the line of scrimmage. They sometimes make the impossible throw when it’s the only viable option. They have the courage to run and dive head first when the situation calls for it.

Great poker players are no different. They have a solid foundation of common poker theory, but they deviate from it whenever the situation dictates. They change up their strategy based on their opponents, or their tournament situation. They think for themselves, often times flying counter to conventional poker wisdom.

Conclusion

You should certainly continue to read poker books, as they’re a great way to keep you thinking about your game. Just remember that the Holy Grail you seek does not exist. Just as a book cannot make you a creative painter or songwriter, a book cannot make you a great poker player. Take what you learn in the books, starting thinking for yourself, and you’ll be well on your way to taking your game up a notch.

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