Which categories of books were the most sought after? Which authors captured the hearts of the readers? What titles are often regarded as the ultimate references? And how did some authors achieve a spot on the New York Times Bestseller List?
Where can we find Bill Chen and Jerrod Ankenman when we need their expertise?
It’s number crunching time.
A panel of 56 distinguished judges from the poker community cast their votes for the most impactful books. poker books Each judge had the opportunity to select up to 10 books. The scoring system allocated 10 points for the top choice, 9 for the second, and so on, down to 1 point for the least favored. It's worth noting that not every judge maximized their votes; some opted for just one.
The Book Type Rankings
The panel identified 28 distinct titles that were deserving of a top vote. Below is a summary of the various types of books categorized:
Among the 28 titles that secured a number one vote, only seven were published within the last five years.
The rankings of the most favored books by genre are as follows:
Hold’em strategy - Harrington on Hold 'em, Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments; Volume I: Strategic Play authored by Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie took the top spot.
General strategy - Super System: A Course in Power Poker by Doyle Brunson was ranked second.
Mindset - The Mental Game of Poker: Proven Strategies for Improving Tilt Control, Confidence, Motivation, Coping with Variance, and More by Jared Tendler and Barry Carter came in fifth.
Online Poker - Moorman's Book of Poker co-authored by Byron Jacobs ranked eleventh.
Psychology - Caro’s Book of Tells, the Body Language and Psychology of Poker written by Mike Caro took the twentieth position.
Biography - Big Deal: One Year as a Professional Poker Player by Anthony Holden was positioned at number twenty-five.
Fiction - Shut Up & Deal by Jesse May (Ranked #29)
Non Hold’em Strategy - Seven-Card Stud for Advanced Players by David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth, and Ray Zee was ranked thirty-fifth.
Cash Games - Harrington on Cash Games; How to Win at No-Limit Hold ’em Money Games: Volume I by Dan Harrington secured the forty-third rank.
Heads Up Strategy - Expert Heads Up No Limit Hold'em, Volume 1 by Will Tipton was ranked seventeenth.
Sit 'n Go Strategy - Sit ’n Go Strategy; Expert Advice for Beating One-Table Poker Tournaments was placed fifty-seventh.
Here are some insights shared by the judges:
888poker Ambassador Akira Ohyama shared his thoughts on The Mental Game of Poker:
“When I first embarked on my professional journey in poker, I encountered challenges with tilt, something many players can relate to. I appreciate how this book offers strategies not to eliminate tilt entirely — which is undoubtedly a tough task — but to manage it effectively and understand its origins. It's definitely essential reading for newcomers, helping them avoid detrimental mistakes with their bankroll.” tilt Former Late Night Poker champion Simon Trumper reflected on Mike Caro’s Book of Tells:
“This was the very first poker book I delved into, and it provided me such an immense advantage two decades ago.”
Cash game expert Justin ‘BoostedJ’ Smith commented on Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players:
“This text prompted me to delve deeply into Seven-Card Stud at a time when few were exploring it. I gained many insights from its pages, and since then, I have engaged in extensive mathematical analyses, drawing significant inspiration to compete consistently in the Larry Flynt 1500-3000 Stud game over the past seven years.”
WSOP bracelet holder Nick Petrangelo discussed Expert Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em:
“This book marked my first serious encounter with game theory and alerted me that the top players were actively studying it, building game trees, and more. Essentially, it was a wake-up call that made it clear I had much to learn, despite my prior confidence as a player.”
Kelly Saxby, an ambassador at London's Hippodrome, reflected on Big Deal: One Year as a Professional Poker Player:
“At one point, I fantasized about taking a year off from everything to play poker and explore what could come of it! Reading through the highs and lows, both financially and emotionally, is quite a thrill ride and immensely entertaining.”
Terms like ‘bible’ and ‘new testament’ were applied to several poker classics. Titles that come to mind include Harrington on Hold’em Series by Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie, Super System by Doyle Brunson, and Theory of Poker by Dave Sklansky.
The Top Poker Bibles
Remarkably, Doyle Brunson penned the original Super System 38 years ago, while David Sklansky authored Theory of Poker 22 years ago. Additionally, the most significant poker book ever, Harrington on Hold ’em, Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments; Volume I: Strategic Play by Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie, was written a decade back.
As these enduring classics received votes and began to stand out in the competition, I was reminded of the saying:
Poker takes a minute to learn, and a lifetime to master.
It's evident to me that many influential texts only need to be written once.
The Definitive Guide on Hold’em Strategy - Harrington on Hold ’em, Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments; Volume I: Strategic Play by Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie (Ranked #1)
Here are some more ‘bibles.’
The Definitive Guide on General Poker Strategy - Super System: a Course in Power Poker by Doyle Brunson (Ranked #2)
The Definitive Guide on Real-Time Tournament Play - Every Hand Revealed by Gus Hansen (Ranked #3)
The Definitive Guide on Poker Mathematics - The Mathematics of Poker by Bill Chen & Jerrod Ankenman (Ranked #4)
The Definitive Guide on Mental Preparedness - The Mental Game of Poker: Proven Strategies for Improving Tilt Control, Confidence, Motivation, Coping with Variance, and More by Jared Tendler and Barry Carter.
The top 59 most influential poker books of all time showcased 20 authors who had multiple works recognized in the list.
The Authors
The following authors had two books featured in the Top 59:
- Dan Harrington - 6 books
- Bill Robertie - 6 books
- David Sklansky - 6 books
- Doyle Brunson - 4 books
- Daniel Negreanu - 3 books
- Jonathan Little - 3 books
Collin Moshman, Dusty Schmidt, James McManus, Zachary Ellwood, Mason Malmuth, Ed Miller, Ray Zee, Paul Hoppe, Jared Tendler, Barry Carter, Joe Navarro, Larry Philipps, Michael Craig, and Stewart Reubin.
Only Doyle Brunson had two titles that made it into the Top 10: Super System and Super System II. Notably, the latter secured a Top 10 spot despite not receiving a #1 ranking from any of the judges.
Six players not only authored books but also had their names appear in the Top 59 rated works: Dan Harrington, Dave ‘Devilfish’ Ulliot, Phil Gordon, Amarillo Slim all accomplished this.
I can't overlook the legendary 14-time WSOP bracelet winner, Phil Hellmuth Jr. The player, known for his white magic, landed at #14 in the rankings. He wrote Play Poker Like the Pros and also appeared at #58 with the book Don’t Listen to Phil Hellmuth: Correcting the 50 Worst Pieces of Poker Advice, co-authored with Dusty Schmidt & Paul Hoppe.
Wait, that’s only five?
These books offer contrasting perspectives on Hellmuth, as illustrated by the following quotes:
“I must admit I am disappointed that Play Poker Like The Pros is rated as the 14th most influential poker book by my fellow professionals,” shared Hellmuth. “I genuinely believe I authored the first New York Times Best Selling book on poker strategy, with over 500,000 copies sold, including its revisions ('Phil Hellmuth's Texas Hold'em'). I think my book has introduced countless people to the world of poker! Furthermore, it is filled with truths, which contributes to its popularity.”
“This was the first book I ever read and it was quite poor. I found it lacking in helpful information, and the way it categorized player types into animals was amusing. Reading this only made my own game worse; I hardly played poker like the professionals after that.”
Adam ‘Roothlus’ Levy didn’t agree:
Here is the compilation of the 59 most impactful poker books throughout history.
Harrington on Hold’em, Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments; Volume I: Strategic Play
|
Rank |
Title |
Author |
|
1 |
The Mental Game of Poker: Proven Strategies for Improving Tilt Control, Confidence, Motivation, Coping with Variance, and More |
Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie |
|
2 |
Super/System: A Course in Power Poker |
Doyle Brunson |
|
3 |
Every Hand Revealed |
Gus Hansen |
|
4 |
The Mathematics of Poker |
Bill Chen and Jerrod Ankenman |
|
5 |
Let There Be Range!: Crushing SSNL/MSNL No-Limit Hold’em Games |
Jared Tendler and Barry Carter |
|
6 |
The Theory of Poker |
David Sklansky |
|
7 |
Cole \"Cts\" South and Tri \"Slowhabit\" Nguyen |
Super/System: A Course in Power Poker II |
|
8 |
Power Hold’em Strategy |
Daniel Negreanu |
|
9 |
Harrington on Hold’em, Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments; Volume II: The Endgame |
Doyle Brunson |
|
10 |
Applications of No-Limit Hold’em |
Matthew Janda |
|
11 |
Moorman’s Book of Poker |
Byron Jacobs |
|
12 |
Kill Everyone: Advanced Strategies For No-Limit Hold ‘Em Poker, Tournaments, And Sit-N-Gos |
Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie |
|
13 |
Expert Heads Up No Limit Hold'em, Volume 1 |
Lee Nelson and Others |
|
14 |
Play Poker Like the Pros |
Phil Hellmuth |
|
15 |
Elements of Poker |
Tommy Angelo |
|
16 |
Ace on the River |
Barry Greenstein |
|
17 |
Harrington on Hold ’em, Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments; Volume III: The Workbook |
Will Tipton |
|
18 |
Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players |
David Sklansky & Mason Malmuth |
|
19 |
Caro's Book of Tells, the Body Language and Psychology of Poker |
Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie |
|
20 |
Winning Poker Tournaments - One Hand at a Time |
Mike Caro |
|
21 |
Reading Poker Tells |
Zachary Elwood |
|
22 |
The Yoga of Poker |
Andrew Lichtenberger |
|
23 |
Jon Turner, Eric Lynch and Jon Van Fleet |
No Limit Hold’em: Theory and Practice |
|
24 |
Big Deal: One Year as a Professional Poker Player |
David Sklansky and Ed Miller |
|
25 |
Devilfish: The Life & Times of a Poker Legend |
Anthony Holden |
|
26 |
Excelling at No-Limit Hold'em |
Jonathan Little |
|
27 |
Zen and the Art of Poker |
Larry W. Phillips |
|
28 |
Raiser's Edge |
Bertrand Grospellier |
|
29 |
Shut Up and Deal |
Jesse May |
|
30 |
The Biggest Game in Town |
Al Alvarez |
|
31 |
One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey \"the Kid\" Ungar |
Dave Ulliot |
|
32 |
The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King: Inside the Richest Poker Game of All Time |
Nolan Dalla |
|
32 |
The Full Tilt Poker Strategy Guide |
Michael Craig |
|
33 |
Seven-Card Stud for Advanced Players |
Michael Craig |
|
34 |
Kill Phil |
Blair Rodman and Lee Nelson |
|
35 |
What were the most sought-after categories of poker literature among 888poker enthusiasts? |
Analyzing the data behind the most impactful poker books ever written. |
|
36 |
A deep dive into the poker literature that has shaped the game: a numerical perspective. |
Jared Tendler and Barry Carter |
|
37 |
What genres of poker books garnered the most attention? Which authors dominated the scene? Which texts are revered as the definitive guides? And which publications earned a spot on the New York Times Bestseller List? |
David Sklansky |
|
38 |
Where could we find Bill Chen and Jerrod Ankenman when their insights are needed most? |
A panel of 56 poker professionals cast their votes for the books that had the greatest influence in the history of the game. |
|
39 |
Judges were allowed to select up to 10 books, with a point allocation system where the top choice received 10 points, the second 9, continuing down to 1 point for the last choice. Not all judges utilized the full number of votes; some selected only one title. |
Tom McEvoy and T.J. Cloutier |
|
40 |
These 56 judges identified 28 titles worthy of a #1 vote. Here's how the books stacked up by category: |
Paul McGuire |
|
41 |
Out of the 28 books recognized with a #1 vote, merely 7 were published in the last five years. |
Victoria Coren |
|
42 |
Positively Fifth Street |
James McManus |
|
42 |
Verbal Poker Tells |
Zachary Elwood |
|
43 |
The following were the most favored books according to their respective categories: |
Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie |
|
43 |
- Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Volume I: Strategic Play by Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie (Ranked #1) |
- Super System: A Course in Power Poker by Doyle Brunson (Ranked #2) |
|
44 |
Winning Low Limit Hold'em |
Lee Jones |
|
44 |
Treat Your Poker Like a Business |
Dusty Schmidt |
|
45 |
The Tao of Poker |
Larry W. Phillips |
|
45 |
- The Mental Game of Poker: Effective Techniques for Managing Tilt, Building Confidence, Staying Motivated, Handling Variance, and More by Jared Tendler and Barry Carter (Ranked #5) |
Joe Navarro |
|
45 |
The Education of a Poker Player |
Herbert O. Yardley |
|
45 |
- Moorman's Book of Poker by Chris Moorman and Byron Jacobs (Ranked #11) |
- Caro's Book of Tells: Body Language and Psychological Insights of Poker by Mike Caro (Ranked #20) |
|
46 |
- Big Deal: A Year as a Professional Poker Player by Anthony Holden (Ranked #25) |
Matt Flynn, Sunny Mehta, and Ed Miller |
|
47 |
According to Doyle |
Doyle Brunson |
|
47 |
Non Hold'em Strategy - Seven-Card Stud for Advanced Players by David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth, and Ray Zee (Ranked #35) |
Paul Ekman |
|
47 |
- Harrington on Cash Games: Winning Strategies for No-Limit Hold 'em Money Games, Volume I by Dan Harrington (Ranked #43) |
- Expert Heads Up No Limit Hold'em, Volume 1 by Will Tipton (Ranked #17) |
|
48 |
- Sit 'n Go Strategy: Professional Advice for Dominating One-Table Poker Tournaments (Ranked #57) |
Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie |
|
49 |
Here are some insights shared by the judges: |
Jonathan Little |
|
49 |
Akira Ohyama, ambassador for 888poker, reflected on The Mental Game of Poker: |
Andrew Seidman |
|
49 |
The Godfather of Poker |
Doyle Brunson |
|
50 |
Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em |
Collin Moshman |
|
50 |
Pot-Limit & No-Limit Poker |
Stewart Reuben & Bob Ciaffone |
|
51 |
“When I began my journey as a professional player, I faced struggles similar to those of many others. This book stands out because it doesn’t just focus on eliminating tilt, which is quite a challenge; rather, it helps readers cope with it and understand its origins. It’s an essential read for newcomers, ensuring they avoid losing their bankroll to tilt.” |
Ray Zee |
|
51 |
Simon Trumper, a former victor of Late Night Poker, commented on Mike Caro’s Book of Tells: |
Thomas \"Amarillo Slim\" Preston |
|
52 |
“This was the very first poker book I ever picked up, and it provided me with a significant advantage two decades ago.” |
Phil Gordon |
|
53 |
Justin ‘BoostedJ’ Smith, known for his skill in cash games, praised Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players: |
Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie |
|
54 |
“This book motivated me to delve deeply into Seven-Card Stud during a time when few were paying it attention. I’ve picked up numerous strategies from its pages and conducted extensive mathematical analysis, taking substantial inspiration from it to maintain a consistent presence in the Larry Flynt 1500-3000 Stud game for the past seven years.” |
Lou Krieger |
|
54 |
Poker Tilt |
Dutch Boyd |
|
55 |
Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker |
James McManus |
|
55 |
More Hold'em Wisdom for All Players |
Daniel Negreanu |
|
55 |
Read \"em and Reap |
Joe Navarro |
|
55 |
Way of the Poker Warrior |
Paul Hoppe |
|
55 |
Pass The Sugar |
Joe Hachem |
|
56 |
WSOP bracelet holder Nick Petrangelo shared his thoughts on Expert Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em: |
Ed Miller |
|
56 |
Hold'em Wisdom for All Players |
Daniel Negreanu |
|
56 |
Poker Tournament Formula |
Arnold Snyder |
|
56 |
How Good is Your Pot-Limit Omaha? |
Stewart Reuben |
|
57 |
“This book was my first real encounter with game theory and opened my eyes to the fact that serious competitors were immersing themselves in game theory and creating game trees. Essentially, it made me realize how much I didn’t understand about the game, despite believing I was skilled back then.” |
Rolf Slotboom & Rob Hollink |
|
57 |
Kelly Saxby, an ambassador for the Hippodrome in London, reflected on Big Deal: A Year as a Professional Poker Player: |
Collin Moshman |
|
57 |
“I think I purchased this with the fantasy that one day I would take a year off to play and explore where that would lead me! The narrative provides an exhilarating roller coaster of emotions and financial highs and lows in the poker world and is incredibly entertaining.” |
Matthew Hilger |
|
58 |
Life's a Gamble |
Mike Sexton |
|
58 |
Terms such as 'bible' and 'new testament' were used to describe several classic titles. Notable mentions include Harrington on Hold’em Series by Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie, Super System by Doyle Brunson, and Theory of Poker by David Sklansky. |
Dusty Schmidt & Paul Hoppe |
|
58 |
Doyle Brunson first published the original Super System nearly four decades ago. David Sklansky's Theory of Poker came out 22 years ago, and the most significant poker book, Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Volume I: Strategic Play, was published a decade prior. |
Jonathan Little |
|
59 |
Poker For Dummies |
Poker For Dummies Series |
|
59 |
Check-Raising the Devil |
As the votes poured in and these timeless classics continued to pull ahead of the competition, it brought to mind the old saying: |
|
59 |
Middle Limit Hold'em Poker |
Bob Ciaffone |
- The top 86 poker books of all time!
- Poker is easy to learn but takes a lifetime to master.
- Analyzing the influence of key poker literature through numbers.
- It’s evident to me that many of these influential books only need to be written once.
- The Definitive Text on Hold’em Strategy - Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Volume I: Strategic Play by Dan Harrington & Bill Robertie (Ranked #1)
- The Definitive Guide on General Poker Strategy - Super System: A Course in Power Poker by Doyle Brunson (Ranked #2)
- The Definitive Resource on Real-Time Tournament Playing - Every Hand Revealed by Gus Hansen (Ranked #3)