In this section, you’ll find my favorite poker books.
American Casino Guide - 2010 Edition
This book consists of three distinct parts.
The first is a description of various casino games and how to play them. In my opinion, this is the weakest section of the book; while it's good enough to get a beginning gambler up to speed quickly, it contains multiple mathematical errors, some of them pretty basic; for example, it says that you're more likely to get a full house than a flush. Still, if you just want to know how to play the games so you can get to it, this is good enough.
The main part of the book is a listing of casinos. I read the chapter for my state - Colorado - and was surprised at how many there were. For each state, you get an alphabetical listing of casinos, a map showing where they are, and basic details such as which games each casino offers. If you're looking for something specific, this could save you a lot of time.
The last section, of course, is the real reason to buy this book; it consists of a number of coupons, mostly for Vegas. This includes everything from show and food discounts to free drinks and gambling. Most of them are for downtown hotels, so they won't do you a lot of good if you plan to stay on the Strip (although there are a few for the Strip as well - the wax museum, something at the Paris, etc). Off-strip hotels are less convenient to get to but also offer better odds; if you're planning to hit them up, you can get quite a bit of extra gaming using these coupons. The coupons are good through the end of 2010.
Overall, if you're deciding where to go gamble or if you plan to visit downtown Las Vegas, I recommend this book.
Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People
The autobiography of Thomas Austin “Amarillo Slim” Preston
Do you dare make a bet with Amarillo Slim? You play his game with one condition for him. From Ping-Pong to golf or baskets in the gym Do you dare make a bet with Amarillo Slim?
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Make a Bet with Amarillo Slim?” The 1972 World Series of Poker champion, Amarillo Slim is known for both his poker skills and his proposition bets. While he started out by hustling pool as a teenager, he soon became known as being willing to bet on almost anything, provided you would agree to his conditions; he would eventually travel the world in search of action.
Some of his props (proposition bets) included ping-pong against champion players using his choice of rackets (he showed up with skillets, then, next time someone challenged him, they used empty coke bottles), free throws against a famous basketball coach (he showed up with a football), and whether his chauffer could bowl over 70 blindfolded (the “chauffer” was a blind man).
Overall, the book is a fascinating look into the life of an exceedingly colorful character; while poker fans will be familiar with many of the people involved, anyone who enjoys a good adventure story should enjoy this book. I’m usually reading several books at a time and so it takes me a while to get through them, but this one I couldn’t put down. Highly recommended.
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Harrington on Hold’em
by Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie
Ask any serious No Limit Hold’Em tournament player what book you need to read, and Harrington on Hold’em jumps to the top of the list. Known as “Action Dan” for his tight-aggressive play, Harrington won the WSOP main event in 1995 and made the final time in 1987, 2003, and 2004. Prior to taking up poker, Harrington was a champion backgammon player and a US chess master; his co-author, Bill Robertie, is also an expert chess and backgammon player with several well regarded books on those games.
The Harringon on Hold’Em series currently consists of three volumes. Volume 1, the blue book, covers the early phases of tournaments, while blinds and antes are relatively small. Volume 2, the red book, covers the later stages when the tournament is down to the last few players. Volume 3, the grey book, is a workbook consisting entirely of problems to test your understanding of the material in the first two volumes.
Another volume is due out next spring, but will cover no limit cash games.
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