New Books

I just ordered some new books through Amazon. I have read so many books, and I know that a lot of people would say that it's not constructive, or maybe even counterintuitive. However, one of the things I take from each book is something that will add to the style I play. I also try to understand the way some other people approach the game. My philosophy is that if I understand how other players approach the game, then it will be easier for me to understand why they play the way they do.

So I bought some books on various topics. I pre-ordered Daniel Negreanu's new book Power Hold'em. I have a feeling this will be the new version of Supersystem. He has gathered some young guns and some very prestigious pros to help write the book. I have enjoyed reading his articles, his blog, and have utilized a lot of advice he has given. In fact, because of Negreanu I play a lot of small ball poker. To me, Negreanu is definitely in the top 5 of the best poker players on the planet. Of course, Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, and Allen Cunningham are in that list as well. You may not agree, but I would put Joseph Hachem in the top 5 right now as well. I love the way he approaches the game and his style. He will be one of the greats in no time.

I bought a couple of books on tournament strategy. I got Gus Hansen's book Every Hand Revealed. I think this will be the most interesting read of all the books. Gus details every single hand he played and why he played from the 2007 Aussie Millions. He won the tourney and this book will give a great insight into one of the great poker minds. The funny thing about Gus is that everybody has him pegged as super loose/aggressive. However, what they don't realize is that he is a mathematical wizard and strategist. Everything he does he has a reason for doing. He has won 3 WPT titles and the Aussie Millions. I think he knows what he is doing. Not only that, but he is also a backgammon master. The other tournament book I got was the classic Sklansky on Tournament Hold'em. I have heard that this is the ultimate tournament book. So again, it will be a great book to read. Especially since I will be playing a lot more tournaments.

I bought a couple of books that relate to cash games as well. I loved the Harrington on Hold'em series. So, I decided to buy his series on cash games. It's a new series of books, so I am very interested to see what he has to say. Harrington is a great player, especially in tournaments. So I am intersted to see how he approaches a cash game and how it differs from his tournament strategy.

Finally, I bought the book How to Think Like a Poker Pro. I have read a couple of different reviews on the book and love the psychological aspect of the game. I feel that if you can get a good grasp on the psychology, especially your personal psychology, you will have a huge advantage over your opponents. Controlling your emotions and keeping yourself calm in a difficult situation is a big key to success. So I am interested to read this book and see what other peoples thoughts on the subject are.

So that is what I will be up to over the next few weeks. I'm going to try to up the number of tourneys I play and try to get into the FTOPS. Other than that, it's business as usual. Good luck at the tables.