Poker is one of the oldest and most popular card games to play both in person and online. It is one of the more complicated casino games to play as it is a mixture of chance and skill. You could get lucky and get a great hand but that’s no guarantee of a win. You must also be able to play well in order to bag the pot at the end.
There are lots of ways to win at poker depending on what hand you have at the end. The best wins you can get are a poker full house win, a flush and a royal flush. There’s also a lot of different types of poker games you can win.
Learning how to play poker well can be a challenge but thankfully, you can use some of these poker books to learn how to make yourself a top poker player.
Different types of poker
- Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em is the classic game of poker you’re most likely to have played or seen before. The way you play the game is relatively simple:
Every player round the table is given two cards that only they can see.
The dealer will then spread five cards – three at one time, then another card, then the final card. These can be used by all the players to make their best possible five-card hand
Before and after each time a player is dealt a card, players will take it in turns to place a bet or fold. To stay in the game and be dealt your next card, every player must have put the same amount of chips in the pot as each other. The player with the best hand wins the game.
- Omaha
Omaha poker is very similar to Texas Hold’em but instead of getting two initial cards, players will receive four. However, they can only use two of these cards during the game. Another difference in Omaha poker is that every player plays right till the end. And the player at the end with the best cards is the winner.
- Seven card stud
This used to be the most popular game until Texas Hold’em took over. In this game, you are dealt two cards face down and another face up. You are then dealt seven cards (three face down and four face up) and you have to make up a selection of your five best cards.
Players have to show some of their cards during the game and everyone reveals their cards in the final round. The best hand wins the game.
- Five card draw
In five card draw, each player is given five cards at the beginning of the game. You will then place your bets straight away before moving on to being given the chance to swap up to three cards before moving on to the next round of betting.
The number of cards a player exchanges could tell you a lot about their hand – but they could be bluffing!
Best poker books to read
Some of the best poker players and strategists in the world have decided to share their knowledge in book form. Here are some of the best poker books to keep you on top of your game.
- Playing the Player – Ed Miller
We know that it’s important to get a good hand in poker but it’s even more important to get to know your players. If you’re playing with strangers, you need to get to know their weaknesses quickly in order to win. Ed Miller takes you through the best ways to play not only the game, but your opponents too.
- Elements of Poker – Tommy Angelo
Playing poker shouldn’t just be about winning, you need to enjoy playing too. That’s where Tommy Angelo’s book can help you. He will take you through all the elements of poker beyond just the statistical probabilities and help you understand this wonderfully complex game. We know knowledge is power and that is true on the poker game too.
- Little Green Book – Phil Gordon
If you’re a poker fan, you’ll know that Phil Gordon was a massive poker game in the early 2000s. He released this book when he was still playing poker in order to share his knowledge with the world. He takes you through the best strategies to improve your game and hopefully become the best poker player you can be.
- The Psychology of Poker – Dr. Alan N. Schoonmaker
If you’re looking to delve into the depths of the psychology of poker, this book will tell you everything you need to know. Dr. Alan N Schoonmaker is a psychologist who has now retired whose favourite hobby is to play low stake games of poker in Las Vegas.
He’s renowned for chatting to players on his trips to Vegas and has learned endless pieces of wisdom that he shares in this book. If you’re looking for an inside scoop into the mind of poker players, it will inevitably improve your game.
Poker is a complex game that changes every time you play. There are so many different ways to enjoy playing as well as different ways to win. Reading up on all the best poker knowledge is the best way to learn how to master the game. Give any one of these books a read and be inspired by the way it helps you improve your game.