Primate Poker™ Books

If you are serious about poker, plan on purchasing and studying a ton of books. Your opponents already have, and they see you coming. The following poker books are strongly recommended.

NOTE: These books are used in the intense, highly selective Primate Poker™ Training BOOTCAMP. We have carefully hand-picked each title for training our own online poker primates.

"Education costs money, but then so does ignorance."
- Sir Moser Claus (b. 1922), German–born-British academic

Certified PrimatePoker™ Titles

THE THEORY OF POKER by David Sklansky. Required reading for any players library and good for reference as well as tutorial aspects. Teaches the right way to think about poker. This is a wide-ranging, general text that covers specific poker topics common to most poker games in great detail. Identifies the 'GAP CONCEPT' very important in no-limit games. Especially good definition of implied odds and reverse implied odds, advanced concepts also of great importance to no-limit players. Has examples using Hold'Em, seven-stud and lowball. Everything in this book applies to all poker games. This is your foundational text on advanced poker theory.

Perhaps the greatest poker book of all time.

MORE HOLD'EM EXCELLENCE by Lou Krieger. This is a specialty book, and a very good starting text for someone NOT new to poker but new to casino Limit Texas Hold'Em. Recommended as a first book. Not as useful for the more experienced person. Very good for reading before setting foot in a casino to play low-limit Hold'Em. This is a great beginner book for someone looking to play well starting out in lower-limit casino games. Has a nice easy-to-memorize chart of minimum starting hands for early, middle and late position in the back of the book.

SUPER SYSTEM by Doyle Brunson and Co-Authors Reese, Baldwin, Caro, Sklansky and Hawthorne. This is the book that changed everything. After the book was published, the secrets of play revealed by Brunson altered the poker landscape. Brunson has said he would not write the book again if he could turn back the clock. SUPER SYSTEM is a book of historical importance regarding the development of poker and a valuable resource for modern players. It covers Hold'Em, lowball, seven-stud and high-low split. Tons of useful statistical tables. This poker bible is a cornerstone of your poker library.

HOLDEM Poker for Advanced Players from David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth. An excellent text on limit Hold'em from arguably two of the best poker authors out there today. These guys are proud to say they have no 'gamble' in them. This book shows you how to approach the limit game rationally, and completely prepared. This is your definitive Limit Hold'Em textbook.

CARO's BOOK OF TELLS by Mike Caro. Caro was a co-author on SUPER SYSTEM. That tells you the stature and knowledge of the author. He's a professor of poker and the only author to date that has addressed the reading of opponents in detail. This book is a great addition to your library and has great information of how to read little gestures of the hands, eyes and torso. The only book of it's kind and a required component of your poker library. The important stuff in this book will never go stale. This is the people-reading book for your library.

The Truth Detection Kit, poker-play edition.

TOURNAMENT POKER FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS by David Sklansky. The Primate Poker™ Manifesto-- the book our entire business model is based on. We focus on the "System" chapter starting on page 122, but there is so much more to this book, including things like making multi-player deals, the relative value of each incremental chip, how to adjust play to increasing blind structures, early-middle-late tournament strategy, and tons more.

Sklanksky wrote chapters in SUPER SYSTEM by invitation of Doyle Brunson. What does that tell you about this author?

Some players say Sklansky is not a great tournament player and that may very well be true. Even if it is, fine. Where Sklansky stand alone is in thinking about poker. What he is definitely very good at is thinking about poker using a mathematical basis, and writing about his conclusions in easy to understand language. The practice of successful tourney poker may well be executed better by others. But Sklansky stands alone as a mathematician and practical strategy author. Who writes about poker like Sklansky? NO ONE. This is your foundational text for thinking and executing well in tournament play.

Related Titles of Interest to All Poker Players

The Truth Detection Kit, consumer edition.

NEVER BE LIED TO AGAIN from PhD. Dr. David Lieberman. Just a great piece of work on detecting the truth. Great information most everyone needs to figure out just exactly what the heck is going on with anyone, anytime. A real sleeper of a title with great daily practical value.

The following books on market trading are useful for poker students intent on playing winning poker. For more background on the connection between market trading and poker, please see the article found on this web site entitled The Inner Game of Poker.

New Market Wizards by Jack Schwager. (see page 439, chapter: “The Role of the Subconscious”). Good poker habits and good market trading habits have alot in common. Learn more about the personal (inner) psychology of poker. This book contains a chapter entitled "The Role of the Subconscious". This is a very useful chapter for players intent on playing winning poker.

The Disciplined Trader: Developing Winning Attitudes by Mark Douglas. Groundbreaking work on trader psychology. Applicable to poker players intent on improving play.

Trading in the Zone: Master the Market with Confidence, Discipline and a Winning Attitude
from Mark Douglas. The latest from this pioneering author on personal trading psychology. Useful reading for any poker player intent on winning.

Market Wizards: Interviews with America's Top Traders. Contains the interview with personal psychology pioneer and market trading master Ed Seykota. This single interview pays for the entire book.