Texas Holdem Books & Training Software
Once you determine that you want to learn and then master this game, you will need a study plan. There are so many great Texas Hold'em books to choose from, it would be overwhelming for me to just list them all. I would rather have you narrow your focus and to take the most efficient path to mastery.
Fast Track from Basic to Intermediate Plus
There are three or four great beginner books, but I will mention only one. I have chosen Bill Burton's "Get The Edge at Low-Limit Texas Hold'em." I chose him because of his ability to communicate, to make the learning process simple. He is not a W.S.O.P. bracelet holder, not even close, but he is a very talented writer and has been around gambling and gamblers for many years. I am confident you will get through your initial learning curve quickly and with the least amount of effort through Bill's superb writing style.
One of the quickest ways to master anything is to have a coach or mentor walk you through many situaltions at your own pace. And this is what you get from Denis Purdy's Illustrated Guide to Texas Hold'em (for limit holdem) and The Illustrated Guide to No-Limit Texas Hold'em. Get them both. The no limit guide will help you to quickly transition from Limit to No-Limit without getting bogged down by reading several of my other favorite books that I'm not going to mention here.
Get One Year of Practice in 3 Weeks Time
Turbo Texas Holdem, with Sidewinder Sid, is a software program that will deal you hands, give you advice, and point out mistakes. There are three versions of the program: limit, tournament, and no-limit. Get them all. The program settings can be adjusted for number of players, types of players, and dollar level of play. You can play against tight players, loose players, maniacs, and sneaky/tricky players. You can go slow and analyze every hand or quickly deal new hands as soon as you fold. You will get a ton of feedback on how good you are.
Stay on The Cutting Edge
At this point, you have done more than 85% of the players out there. It's the other 15% you need to protect yourself from. They are the ones who are constantly studying, improving their games, keep good records, manage their money well, and have a consistently positive Return on Investment (ROI). Lucky for you, three world class players have taken the time and effort to share some of their secrets.
Bryan Micon and Brett Younblutt have created a cutting edge audio/video training course where they reveal their inner most thoughts as they play hand after hand. Bryan shares several winning plays from his personal playbook that are successfully beating the game in today's competitive environment. This is like having two pros mentor you for dirt cheap. Click here to visit the "Micon Secrets" website. This 15 hour program covers one table No-Limit Sit-n-Gos, No-Limit Multi-Table Tournaments, No-Limit Cash Games, and Limit Cash Games.
Also, Johnathon Little has created a 6 hour audio/video training program based on winning tactics that have won him over $4 million. Ignore this program at your own risk, because you can be certain that your opponents (the one's in the upper 15%) will have studied it many times over. Johnathon's program focuses on Multi-Table No-Limit Sit-n-Go Tournaments. Most of these videos show him playing four tables at a time while he shares his thought process and analysis for each situation. Click here to visit the "Johnathon Little Secrets" website.
WSOP Preparation
For the advanced level of your study plan, especially if you aspire to make it past the bubble at the World Series of Poker, the Dan Harrington Expert Strategy for No-Limit Tournaments trilogy is hard to beat. Although this series focuses on Tournament Play, Dan leaves no stone unturned. He covers just about all aspects of the game you will ever need to master:
Volume 1, Strategic Play covers: No-Limit specific concepts, playing styles, table reading, pot odds, hand analysis, pre flop and post flop betting, and fourth & fifth street betting.
Volume 2, The Endgame covers: making moves, inflection points, multiple inflection points, short tables, and heads up play.
Volume 3, The Workbook helps you to evaluate your play, post flop play, and bubble play.
Poker Drill Master: Intermediate to Advance Training Software
If you want to be confident that you have mastered all of the important aspects of the game Dan Harrington has taught you, you will want to visit the Poker Drill Master website for more information. This program will test you on determining pot odds, outs, betting decisions, and proper playing decisions. This is not a program where you play the computer. It is a drilling program that will test you to your limits. This is a great tool for players who want to truly master the game.
