Best Poker Book Ever
- Top Poker Strategy Books
- Best Poker Book Ever
- Best Blackjack Book Ever
- Best Poker Book To Read
- Best Poker Book Ever Written
- Free Poker Books Pdf
Videos and podcasts are undoubtedly solid ways to educate yourself about poker, but some of the best learning you'll pick up is through good old fashioned poker books. Here's my essential list of books you need to read if you want to play your best.
Ask any pro in any field and they'll tell you the secret to their success is founded in their drive to always improve their game. This isn't always done in the field - or even mostly done in the field. Improvement largely begins behind the scenes.
In the case of poker, a lot of your learning happens when you're not at the tables. Sure, you'll learn a thing or two on the fly, but - if you want to play to win - you should be sitting down with an entire arsenal of intel already in place. The Duke of Wellington didn't show up to Waterloo with water guns and zero military training, right?
What is the best poker book you ever read? 9: April 10th, 2020 2:41 AM: Learning Poker: CardsChat is an online poker community of 331,471 members in 190 countries. About Us Contact Us Sitemap. Caro’s Book of Poker Tells is one of the greatest ever written on poker and also one of the top sellers. Much poker profit is a result of being able to read your opponents. Best Overall: Kill Phil at Amazon 'Outlines simple and effective techniques to fight tournament players more skilled and experienced than you.' Best for Beginners: Winning Poker Tournaments One Hand at a Time at Amazon 'Think of this book series as a master class in tournament poker.' Some of my favorite poker book selections Those with some experience under their belt and looking to up the aggression should look into reading 2007 book “ Kill Everyone ” by Lee Nelson.
You're damn right he didn't.
The judges were given a list of 129 of the most popular poker books of all time and were asked to rate a maximum of 10 books: classics that cover everything from the maths to the mental side, the strategy to the psychology. 888 presents: the top 86 poker books of all time!
It's with this aim in mind that I’m going to give you a rundown of the best of the best poker books that helped shape me into the finely-tuned machine you see tearing up the felt - or sometimes, waiting patiently and biding my time. That's what a thorough poker education does for you: it helps you play your best and adapt to your surroundings. Sometimes you'll be making grown men cry. Sometimes you'll be letting other players fight it out. You gotta know how to act. You gotta know when to act. You gotta know when to...well, you know how it goes, and Kenny Roger isn’t going to get the better of me. Not today.
Let’s get to my recommendations. Listed in order of preference.
1. The Tao of Poker
Author: Larry W. Phillips
Type: General Strategy
Year: 1999
Why you need to read it:
This is without a doubt the most comprehensive book on poker I've ever read, which is why it tops the list as my number one recommendation. The Tao of Poker not only breaks down strategies to be used on the table, it also speaks to the strategies that should be used above the rail, in the human element of the game.
The tao 'or way' of poker, dives into topics such as game selection, bankroll management, self control, luck, longevity - basically everything. In The Tao of Poker, Larry has completed the manuscript on the poker experience, and it's the only book I've ever read where I felt the author was putting everything on the table. I could relate to his stories, his analogies, and he did a great job of making the book accessible to the common person while also packing it with a lot of high-level insight.
The format in which the book was written (broken down into 285 small secrets) makes for easy reading whether someone is in for a short sit, or a long ride. Like I said, this is the best poker book I've ever read - hands down. No stone left unturned: Larry covered it all.
Every single lesson in the book is important, but the concept that got me the most was the idea of how a good player 'weaves a web' and that others fall into this web.
Here’s a look at what I’m talking about:
“Rule 99: Weaving a web...
The great poker player doesn’t just play the game. He spins a web. He weaves a story. It is a mystical netting, made of talk and image; seeming strength and apparent casualness; hopes, fears, and paranoia; past successes, and maybe a dash of down-home storytelling – with accompanying gestures – from the way he puts his chips into the pot to the clothes he wears. It’s a web that other players get drawn into and caught up in. He is a master self-dramatist, but – and this is important – he does all this without seeming to. He spins a web. This web might be spun in a hundred different ways: by making a miracle draw-out on a key hand, by relying on other people’s tales of his past prowess, by his imposing stature at the table, by his coolness, wit, or other forms of behavior, by his win record, or even by his quietness and solemnity.”
2. Zen and the Art of Poker
Author: Larry W. Phillips.
Type: General Strategy
Year: 1999
Why you need to read it:
The prequel to the ‘Tao of Poker’ deals out 100 rules for success in the game of poker. Zen and the Art of Poker brings a spiritual warrior mindset to the game and teaches readers how to maintain inner peace in a world where luck can cause a ton of turmoil.
Don’t get scared off. There’s no heavy-hitting mysticism in this read. Just good, solid advice about how to control the only thing you really can at the tables: you.
The mixture of Zen quotes and poker strategy may seem odd at first, but Larry Phillips makes it work. He doesn’t try to mesh the teachings together; he recognizes where there are similarities and differences between the practice of Zen and the art of poker, and he shows the reader how the Zen methodologies can enhance their performance at the tables.
Suffice it to say this is a book that definitely strays outside the norm which makes it a unique gem and one of the best poker books I've ever read.
Here’s a taste of Phillips’ teachings:
'Any high-stakes poker game, especially among experienced players, is as much a ceremony as any Zen ritual.
It is a carefully choreographed give-and-take of power, rhythm, parry, thrust, withdrawal, and retreat. Mastery and virtuosity appear. One of the central assumptions of Zen is that an activity can be raised to the level of perfection. Poker, as with other activities, fits this category.”
3. Excelling at No-Limit Hold'em
Author: Jonathan Little
Type: Hold'em Strategy
Year: 2015
Why you need to read it:
It's the best collaboration since Super System and the only book to cover cash game, tournament and mental game strategy in one place. A lot of secrets and plays that had never been discussed before were brought into the spotlight as 17 world renowned poker players made their first appearance in print together. They definitely brought A+ material to the table.
I soaked up every word of this read and it was the first time since No Limit Hold’em Theory and Practice and The Raiser's Edge that I felt I'd learned something new. It’s a game changer.
This is a book that will not only transform your game but also transform your life in a big way. It promotes fitness, relaxation, reflection, visualization and meditation, and proves their effectiveness as top pros say how important these things are to them. Modern strategy for the modern game!
Here’s a snippet from a section on tilt by Jared Tendler:
Top Poker Strategy Books
“When learning to play better poker it’s important not just to learn how to play certain hands from certain positions. You need to learn sound theories for the game so you can start to think like a poker player. The same is true in the mental game. The following is a theory that is critical for your understanding of what causes tilt and the steps you’ll need to take to solve it.
The Yerkes-Dodson Law describes the relationship between all emotion, including anger, and a player’s performance. Emotion is essential for performance; it’s only when there is too much (or too little) emotion that there is a problem. This is true of both positive emotions and negative emotions. Having too much confidence is a problem because it shuts down your ability to think. Being tired is a problem because you don’t have enough energy to think.”
4. No-Limit Hold’em: Theory and Practice
Authors: David Sklansky and Ed Miller
Type: Hold'em Strategy
Year: 2006
Why you need to read it:
This book taught me the fundamentals of play in the cash game world. Sklansky and Miller were the first to coin names for plays like 'the squeeze play', and the 'gap concept’. This naming of concepts made it much easier for my beginner mind to understand and start implementing them.
The examples in the book also did a great job of proving the concepts and moves in play so that I could picture them easily in my mind. This was only the second book I read in my 12+ years of playing the game and it played a huge part in laying my foundation into solid, proper, strategic play.
In this book, Sklansky and Miller teach you the plays, explain when they can be used best, but leave it up to the reader to decide when to execute on each. This is great ‘choose your own adventure’ style for the poker tables that will have you finding the happy ending 95% of the time.
A look at the wisdom within:
“Don’t telegraph that you have one pair unless you can profitably call big bets. One pair can be a very tricky hand to play in deep stack no limit. If you resolve to fold it every time someone makes a big bet, then you’ll find your opponents bluffing you out of pot after pot. If you plan to go to showdown with it every time, you’ll play lots of big pots against better hands, and you’ll find yourself often getting stacked.
So you have to “play poker” with it, identifying situations when you should fold it to pressure and others when you should call with it. If you welcome a big bet with one pair because you expect that bet to be a bluff, then it’s ok to telegraph your hand by playing in a way that makes it obvious what you hold. Doing so might help to induce a big bluff.”
5. Raiser's Edge
Author: Bertrand Grospellier
Type: Tournament Strategy
Year: 2011
Why you need to read it:
The Raiser's Edge was the conclusion to the Kill Phil, Kill Everyone series and is the most profound transformative book I've read on tournament play. (And also, who doesn’t love a good play on words, right?)
In this book, ElkY (Grospellier) introduces the concept of fear equity, which creates poker's holy trinity between pot equity and fold equity. Finally, he explains how ‘Image’ and ‘Aura’ (or the ‘web’ Phillips described) have a place in poker literature. It adds a whole other level to the game.
ElkY goes on to discuss the different player types in up-and-coming markets, thereby giving readers a good idea of what countries are worth travelling to in order to find the best value.
On the strategic side, everything in the book was exceedingly sound. He wrote about strategic play for each stage of the tournament and each stack size. The book also went in-depth into the concept of the bubble factor, which is one of the most crucial factors for success in tournament poker. Between their use of graphics for bubble factors, power numbers, shove charts and having three extremely talented writers on board, this book is one of the original masterpieces in the tournament poker realm.
Take a look inside the book...
“Bubble factors are highest when the tournament is close to a big jump in prize money. When the jump is fairly small or far in the future, pressure is lower.
MTTs typically have two periods of intense pressure: right before the money bubble and the final-table bubble. Each tournament has a different prize structure, so sometimes the money bubble has more pressure, while sometimes it’s the final table. The tournament pressure isn’t the same for everyone—medium stacks have the highest pressure when they face off against anyone with more chips. Big-stack versus big-stack clashes also involve high bubble factors. High tournament pressure puts a premium on survival, which is a fact that aggressive players can take advantage of.
Any bubble is the perfect opportunity for big stacks to play the bully; any raise from the big stack is frequently followed by folds from the rest of the table. The big-stack’s bubble factor is low against anyone smaller, but the other stacks have high bubble factors, so they have to get out of the way.”
6. Ace on the River
Author: Barry Greenstein
Type: General Strategy
Year: 2005
Why you need to read it:
Barry's book is different than most others as it doesn't so much teach you how to play poker at the tables – it teaches you how to play life in the poker world.
I listened to this book on audio book and I felt that - for this sort of material - it was much more appropriate; text books and theory style books with lots of numbers and graphs being best suited to print.
Barry teaches the reader everything they need to know about the poker world, like how to make the most of it and what to watch out for. He also clears up a lot of common myths.
Barry provides the reader with a behind the scenes look into the industry and sheds light on a lot of things that the casual poker fan would have no idea about (bankrolling, backing, makeup, loan sharking).
For anyone looking to move to Vegas or another big Mecca to become a full-time poker professional, Barry's book is a must read for preparation. It will save the up-and-comer a lot of pain and suffering, and help them avoid losses that may come from being swindled by an experienced con man. All in all, an incredible proactive read for anyone thinking of taking the plunge.
Here’s one of Barry’s early hard-won lessons:
“I was cheated twice that I know of at the Cameo Club - once with marked cards for a period of a couple of months, and the second time by a player named Rick Riolo with a set-up involving cameras.
It was an inside job, with the manager of the club reading people's cards with infrared cameras and communicating with Rick and another player through speakers in their ears. But Rick's partner, who liked me, said, 'You don't want to play this game.' After a couple of losses, I understood what he was trying to tell me and I quit. It helped that Rick's partner considered me to be a nice person and tipped me off. It also helped that I had been cheated before, so when I was losing and thought I should be winning, I was more alert.”
7. Caro's Book of Tells: The Body Language and Psychology of Poker
Author: Mike Caro
Type: Psychology
Year: 2004
Why you need to read it:
To me, this is the bible of poker tells. Caro helps the reader to paint a picture and get inside the mind of the opponent the moment he sits at the table. Mike doesn't start with the body; no, he goes beyond that. He goes so far as to list chip stacking tells so that the player can see the whole picture.
Mike then goes on to focus on every key area of the body: face, hands, torso, arms and eyes - and his information is 100% accurate. What I also enjoyed is that Mike added a 'reliability factor' for each tell to make it clear that some tells are easier to fake than others.
Mike also reminds the reader that it's important to look for actors and to take a complete picture - a mental snapshot of your opponent - to get a full feel for what kind of person and player they are rather than basing your decision on one single tell, which may only have 55% reliability.
Take a peek inside the book:
“While the majority of tells occur during the competition for a poker pot, there is some valuable information that can be learned about our opponents when they're not involved in a poker hand. Poker tests our perception. It also tests our logic and our competitive instincts. In a sense it's a safe and sane form of warfare. Poker war is not only the competition for each pot, hand after hand. Poker war is bigger than just hand-to-hand combat, because there are important things happening between hands — things you should be observing.”
8. The Mathematics of Poker
Authors: Bill Chen and Jerrod Ankenman.
Type: General Strategy
Year: 2009
Best Poker Book Ever
Why you need to read it:
The Mathematics of Poker taught me the theory and practice of ‘Game Theory Optimal Play’. While I don't have an advanced enough mathematical mind to understand all their equations, the introductions and summaries of each chapter were enough to get the point across. This said, if you’re an extreme math person, this is probably the most lucrative read you’ll get your hands on.
Chen and Ankenman did an extraordinarily good job of teaching incorruptible play, and how one should approach the game of poker from a purely theoretical standpoint by understanding the complexity and depth of the game.
They also offered great value in their appendices with an introduction to why all chips are not created equal in tournaments, and how one may use the Kelly Criterion for bankroll management. This is an intimidating read, but if someone can get just 80% out of this masterpiece, that's sufficient – no math background required. Sweet.
9. Harrington on Hold’em
Authors: Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie
Type: Tournament Strategy
Year: 2004
Why you need to read it:
This is the second book I ever read and the most defining text on tournament play until The Raiser's Edge and Jonathan Little's Secrets were released. Harrington on Modern Poker Tournaments introduced the zone concept - green, yellow, orange and red - and how to play different stack sizes based on how many big blinds we have or what our ‘M’ is. It’s great for players of all levels, being both accessible to the novice and enlightening to the grinders.
This was also the first book to touch on the concept of ICM and had countless examples to demonstrate and clarify the concept. Harrington made great strides to show how tournament strategy is different than cash game strategy, and he proved first hand its effectiveness as he final tabled the WSOP Main Event two years in a row.
Harrington's trilogy on tournament strategy is a staple of any poker library, and the concepts are still very relevant today (just requiring some slight adjustments to specifics as general raise size and defense strategies). The theory is sound, solid and rooted in mathematics, and when players learn to adjust their strategies to the different 'zones' they will find themselves in, their game changes for the better.
The other concept Harrington coined in this series was that of 'inflection points', which is a crucial moment in the tournament where you or your opponents are either going to gain or lose a lot of flexibility. He outlines when it's time to take big risks and when it's time to play it safe. This concept of being able to change gears is crucial and one that was talked about for a long time by poker announcers but rarely put in print. Props to Dan for putting pen to paper on that one!
See what Harrington has to say about switching up your style:
“No matter what style you like, you can't stick exclusively to that style. Your opponents are always observing you, trying to figure out what you're doing. Once they have you pegged, you might as well be playing with your cards face-up. They'll know what you're doing and what your bets mean, and from that point you’ll be winning small pots and losing big ones.
Once you begin modulating your style, however, you'll discover one of the amusing paradoxes of poker: You'll make the easiest money when you're playing in a style opposite to your natural one. The conservative player will have great success stealing pots and bluffing, because players will give him credit for having real hands. The super-aggressive player will find that his great hands are getting called, because no one knows that he's stopped playing trash.
When should you switch? There's no clear-cut answer to this question. It just depends on how quickly players react to your natural style. If you're playing solid hands, and people keep calling you down, there's no need to switch. The same holds if you're stealing pots and players won't fight you. Keep playing your natural style until you get a sense some number of the players have picked up a line on you. Then switch.”
10. The Yoga of Poker
Author: Andrew Lichtenberger
Type: Lifestyle
Year: 2015
Best Blackjack Book Ever
Why you need it:
Want to master your mind and transcend the grind? Then buy this book. OK, Chewy's (Lichtenberger’s) book isn't for everyone, but for those who have moved beyond money and are on a path in search of happiness, this is a guide book that can help get you there. His writing style is a bit outside the box and I feel the book could have been structured a bit better, but for his first write, the message is on-point and the personal experience is real - and that's enough to seal the deal in my opinion.
Chewy doesn't speak often, but when he does his words are full of wisdom. It is a true blessing to have a book on the market by the great Andrew 'luckychewy' Lichtenberger.
Honourable Mention!
Mental Game of Poker 1 is also a great read. Author Jared Tendler goes into the different causes and effect of tilt and basically shows the reader that other people have this issue too, and no one is alone in their battle with the beast. You got a feel for his message in the quote I shared earlier from Excelling at No-Limit Hold’em. This was an indescribably comforting message to receive when I was in the midst of the roughest year of my career in 2013. His words fell on me like lifelines, and as soon as I finished that book my outlook (and game) improved.
If you really want to perform your best at the table – and at life – then pick up these books. Remember: your education is an investment in your game, and an investment that is guaranteed to pay off, big time.
Enough about my favorites! Hit up the comments and tell me about some of your favourite poker books and why you dig 'em.
Photo Credit: Abhi Sharma Flickr
If you are interested to get the best rakeback deals and private promotions on poker sites head on to PokerPro website (PS: there are plenty of options to choose from also for the USA players).
One of the best ways to improve your poker skills is to read a poker book. Many such books are written by pros who have enjoyed considerable success in their careers. You can find books on anything. From the basics to advanced strategies.
Amongst my favorites are books on poker tells. To find more success in poker, learning to spot tells is essential. Unfortunately, it’s a difficult skill to master. Luckily, the books I’ll review on this article have a lot of information on how you can easily read your opponent.
What are the best books on poker tells? From Caro’s Book of Tells by Mike Caro to Reading Poker Tells by Zachary Elwood, there are a few books on tells that have managed to provide unique details on how poker players can read their opponents.
Here are the Six Best Books on Poker Tells (they are in no particular order):
1. Caro’s Book of Poker Tells by Mike Caro
This book was written over 2 decades ago by Mike Caro, known as the Mad Genius of Poker. 20 years later, it is still relevant today. The book focuses on reading your opponent’s body language. The book defines a tell as any mannerism, which helps you determine the secrets of an opponent’s hand.
It is divided into four sections titled: Tells from “Those who are Unaware”, “Tells from Actors,” “Some General Tells,” and “The Sound of Tells.” In these sections, what the tell means is explained along with pictures that give more realism. What prompts this tell as well as what to do if the tell is noticed. It goes further to give an estimate of the reliability and value per hour of tells.
He uses the MCU (Mike Caro University) poker chart to describe poker hands that I found quite useful. The book draws to an end with a summary, a quiz, and the author’s final thoughts.
The book made an excellent read and proved insightful once I got past all the figures Caro didn’t quite back up and grainy photographers that were a little hard to decipher except for the accompanying texts.
This book is a good read, and I recommend it for beginners and intermediate players. It is a must-have in any poker library.
2. Reading Poker Tells by Zachary Elwood
This book has been referred to as the new Caro’s Book of Poker Tells. Published in 2012, it is an insightful read into the physical and verbal tells of poker players. It is recommended for both new players to the live setting, and experienced players looking to get better. Elwood goes beyond the behavior of the players to the psychology behind the tells.
The book is divided into three sections. The first section gives a brief history of the theory of poker tells, and he explains the need for interpreting tells and doing so in context. I especially like how Elwood emphasizes that “tell-reading is only a part of playing great live poker.”
The second section focuses on specific tells. Elwood gives a detailed and thorough insight on tells. He breaks tells down into before, during, and after an action, placing the tells in context rather than listing a number of them randomly.
He includes a discussion on General Poker Psychology that I find particularly useful. He concludes this section with a discussion on “General Verbal Tells” that any new players and even experienced ones will find useful.
The last section describes winning strategies on Deception and Manipulation that can be used to coax tells from other players. Elwood warns that these strategies should be used judiciously.
I loved that it was an easy read, and Elwood was quite descriptive in his explanations.
Get it on Amazon now.
3. What Every Body is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed-Reading People by Joe Navarro
Although this isn’t really a poker book, many poker players have agreed that it’s a terrific book on tells. Most players seem to focus on the face as a ‘potential tell revealer,’ but Navarro debunks this and presents ways to spot a tell and false tells through other body parts. He shows how to understand their movements or lack of movement and what they could mean. He explains the limbic system in depth. This portion of our brain helps us read the people we are playing with.
I find this book particularly interesting because unlike the other books written by your everyday poker players, this author was trained to spot when people are trying to hide the truth. Navarro brings a new perspective to reading people. It is a perspective that can help you become great a reading people even when they try their hardest to hide them from us.
Get it from Amazon.
4. Phil Hellmuth Presents Read ‘Em and Reap: A Career FBI Agent’s Guide to Decoding Poker Tells by Joe Navarro, Marvin Karlins, Phil Hellmuth
Seeing Phil Hellmuth on the book cover immediately upped my expectations. The main author, Navarro, focused on the physiological motivation for a particular tell, which would help interpret similar tells. I like that he focused on tells that haven’t received as much discussion in previous books, including false tells and tells of the feet. The section on avoiding tells was also very informative.
The book teaches you how to improve your tell skills in great detail. The photographs with detailed description was a plus. Apart from the unnecessary chapter on “What you should know to Vanquish a Pro,” the book is a worthy read and right for players of all skill levels.
You can get the book from Amazon.
5. Verbal Poker Tells by Zachary Elwood
Talking at poker tables is almost a given. Some players know how to use this to their advantage. This book analyzes several hands and verbal tells that gave their position away. It covers research and theories on verbal tells.
It was refreshing to read a book where the author didn’t claim to know it all. I like how the book analyzes verbal tells and helps you change the way you talk.
The book is recommended for beginners and experienced players, but the author says that the materials are best when playing with less experienced players.
Link to Amazon where you can buy the book (Audible available).
6.The Psychology of Poker by Alan N. Schoonmaker
The Psychology of Poker is another book that can significantly change how you approach tells. With 300 pages of undiluted poker information to digest, you’ll have your hands full. I like that this isn’t just a book on how to or how not to catch tells. It discusses other skills like understanding hand selection, bluffing, reading hands, and applying the appropriate aggression during games.
Alan Schoonmaker holds a Ph.D. in psychology, and you can see how much he knows about the human mind from the richness of the information laid bare on this boom. As well as telling you how to do things better, this book also takes a critical look at what you have been doing and how it affects your game. The book was released in 2000 and is recommended for all categories of poker players, be you an amateur or professional.
Get it from Amazon.
What are Tells and how do They Affect the Game of Poker?
In our daily life, it’s easy to assume that we can mask our expressions. But in the game of Poker, even the slightest expression(facial, body language) can give hints to your opponent.
Tells are hints gotten from a change in a player’s expression. These hints can be used to determine a player’s hand or what’s going on in their mind.
Tells could come from the movement of any facial muscle, hand, or demeanor.
Just a little out of rhythm flutter of your eyelashes could give your opponent all the hints needed to outplay you.
Humans vibrate with expressions. We express ourselves via every part of our body. We respond to good situations with a smile and bad situations with a frown. We clench our fist in joy and curse in disgust.
If you’re attentive, you can tell what’s going on in a person’s mind by merely reading their body language. The spirit of competition amplifies these emotional reactions. This is why it’s so difficult for people to mask their emotions in poker completely.
How do Tells Affect the Game of Poker?
Imagine this, you have a good hand, but to prevent your opponent from folding, you frown, or you appear tensed, your opponent mistakes this for a bad hand, and they don’t fold. This goes well for you.
The revised case happens if you mistakenly show off what you have from your expressions.
This is why poker players always keep a straight face. Always keep a straight face void of emotions– despite what cards you are holding.
This may not be easy to achieve as most of these expressions are borne out of reflex, but there’s nothing that relentless practice can’t improve.
Common Tells in Poker
Below is a list of standard poker tells and how you can recognize them.
- Bet Hesitation: Humans have been known to take their time while making a “huge” decision. This knowledge can be applied in Poker too. A player with a good hand would most probably take time to decide on the bet. You’d think having a good hand makes their play a lot easier.
But there’s a kind of pressure that comes with knowing you have a genuine chance to win. With the odds in your favor, you’re more likely to take some time to maximize your advantage.
This very factor plays a role even with players with a bad hand. In a bid to exude the confidence to defy the reality of what they have, they make quick on the spot betting decisions. With this formula in mind, you’d better tell who has got a premium hand and who hasn’t.
- Sitting Position: This is easy to spot. Players who sit relaxed and suddenly sit up and lean forward, especially after seeing their hole cards, are usually prepared to go hard. It’d be better to lay aside your weak aces unless you’ve thoroughly understudied your opponent.
Best Poker Book To Read
Likewise, when a player sitting up suddenly relaxes, this could be in a bid to prove confident and on top of his game. Most times, they are trying to protect themselves from showing off the bad hand they have. Either way, to look out for tells, it’s essential to take note of your opponent’s position at every point.
- Speech: This factor has different aspects. They are:
- Voice sound: When a player has an easier time talking without fluttering, it indicates a strong hand. But when the player is stuck on giving stifled replies, this is usually from the tension of having a bad hand. He’s probably counting his losses or trying to figure out a way to get the best from a bad bargain.
- Talkative: When a player who has been talking refrains from talking, it’s most likely due to bad hand and vice versa; when a quiet player gets all chatty, especially after placing a bet, beware, this player has probably built a strong hand. The speech is an excellent way to spot a tell, especially when having an opponent that’s well suited with sunglasses and the ultimate hoodie. Listen to the player’s voice and gauge the emotions from there.
- Eagerness to Play: When a player starts to hurry the other players up, exhibiting impatience, he may just be ready to bag a nice pot. The excitement that comes with knowing you have a clear advantage over your opponents can make you uneasy and raring to go. It’s good to study your opponent during a game, to avoid misreading any tell.
- Body Movements: What do you do when facing an opponent without any “obstructing” bodysuit and accessories? You look out for every of their body movement. From good old’ shaky hands when there’s a good hand that can sink the pot to tensed shoulders and the very delicate shifty eyes. Look out for all of this. Pay proper attention as you may miss this tell if you look away for even a second.
- Bet Size: This is, in fact, a bluff tell. You can tell whether your opponent has a good hand or not from their bet size. For example, a player with a bad hand may try to scare others off the table. To do this, the player may bet around 5 to 10 times the blinds. While this behavior may indicate he’s trying to get the best out of a good hand, the reality is that the player would probably go all-in if he were truly in a good position. This is a classic sign of a bluff.
How to Prevent Giving Away Tells in a Poker Game
This is where the ultimate act of camouflage comes into play.
Using the general rule of weakness means strength: Here, do the exact reversal of what you could have done given the circumstance. Are you with a bad hand? You may want to try a social bluff. Smirk, stare at your opponent, confidently. Try to be intentional with your facial expressions. Your opponents are obviously trying to read you.
If you play your social bluff well, you can successfully lead them on to your advantage.
If you’re looking for more ways not to give away tells, here are a few ideas:
- Learn from the book: Reverse what you’ve learned on how to get tells from your opponent to protect yourself from giving off that kind of tell. Did they say uneasiness can be read? Try to look more confident. You can also find books like John Navarro’s Em and Reap to help you work on your poker face.
- Hats and Sunglasses: This can never go wrong. Have you ever seen the professionals dressed in sunglasses and baseball hats? It’s not just for style. Like you, they’re protecting themselves from giving off tells to their opponent. They say the eyes are a doorway to the soul and that you can read a person by merely looking at their eyes, be it disappointment or joy. Sunglasses can help prevent anyone from looking directly into your eyes.
- Hoodies: Now, this takes the protection to a new level. The good old hoodies. When worn properly, these loose hoodies hold off opponents from catching tells like how tensed your shoulders are or when your ears blush with excitement. Some hoodies are broad enough to hold off the light from your eyes and make your eyes too dark to be read. This is a great way to prevent your opponent from picking up some clues.
Final Thoughts
Best Poker Book Ever Written
The pointers above are sure to get you through live poker matches. Although, when not used properly, they could backfire. Before using them, do make sure to have studied your opponents keenly.
Free Poker Books Pdf
Of course, the tell you caught may just be a social bluff, but no one can keep that up for long. However, many great players like to mix up their game, so you may merely be chasing shadows. But that’s why I’ve reviewed these 5 excellent books on tells to help you master one of the most effective strategies in poker.