The COVID-19 pandemic shutdown the land-based casino industry and poker rooms around the world. Live poker operators decided to move their live poker tournaments to online poker rooms and this resulted in another boom in online poker throughout the world.
The online poker boom during the lockdown brought in thousands of new players around the world. Some of these players took an interest in poker to pass their time, while others looked at online poker as a way to earn money during the lockdown.
A lot of these new poker players who signed up during the lockdown have found that poker can be quite challenging. The more you learn about the game of poker, the easier it becomes for you to develop a strategy and increase your chances of winning whether it be live poker or online poker.
While the internet has a lot of free poker articles and poker training videos, we advise new players to take the old school route and pick up some quality poker books to further their education. Whether you like playing five card draw, texas hold’em, razz, 5-card Omaha or seven card stud, you need to have a good poker strategy in place.
We put together a list of 7 poker books that newbies must read to improve their poker knowledge.
The Mental Game Of Poker
You can never ever underestimate the power of the mind when it comes to playing poker. One of the best books we can recommend on developing a good poker mindset is ‘The Mental Game of Poker’ by Jared Tendler. He is a mental game coach and shares some useful insight on how you can make your mindset stronger and not let the emotions at the poker table get the better of you.
Poker for Dummies
If you are just venturing into the world of poker, you definitely want to get this book. Poker for Dummies takes you through the basics and walks you through all of the key aspects of poker you need to learn as a beginner. You will find a great selection of tips from top poker players which include Stu Unger and T.J. Cloutier.
The Theory of Poker
There are many newbies who think poker is a game based on luck. The experienced poker pros will tell you that there is an element of luck involved at the poker table but the players who win consistently are those who have a good poker strategy. The Theory of Poker breaks down different poker theories and concepts to help you see the differences between a good and bad poker strategy.
The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King
The title of this book is interesting and so is every page in this book. You will get a behind-the-scenes look at what went on at the Bellagio in Las Vegas during 2001. The story revolves around a wealthy banker who played high-stakes poker with some of the top poker players in the world. If you are looking for some fast-paced action, get this book.
The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win
This is another book that will inspire and motivate you to play poker. Maria Konnikova tells the story of how she tried to write a story about poker players and got so inspired that she ended up becoming a poker player herself.
Essential Poker Math
If you are really serious about taking up poker as a career, you should get Essential Poker Math. This book will require you to really pay attention as it discusses the mathematical and fundamental concepts of poker, looks at pot odds, poker odds, and implied odds. This book is heavy reading and we recommend getting it after you get familiar with the basics of poker.
Modern Poker Theory: Building an unbeatable strategy
This book not only goes into the strategies that successful poker players use but also teaches you how to read and take advantage of poker players around you who do not have a good poker strategy.