Best Gambling Books

1. The answer is simple: if you look for the really useful information concerning baccarat casino game or if you just like reading gambling books for pleasure, you will find what you want here. Welcome to the best online baccarat guide where you'll find reviews of all baccarat books, basics of baccarat game and info concerning baccarat authors!
2. Bernard De Koven is best known for The Well-Played Game: A Player’s Philosophy. Published in 1978, the academic book has become one of the ur-texts of modern game studies.
3. These are some of the best books on sports betting for beginners. Sports Betting for Dummies. Billed as the sports gambling book that you can bet on, Sports Betting for Dummies is another in the seemingly never-ending series of books that teach those who haven’t how to make it happen.

The first detailed book about casino gambling I ever read was Mensa Guide to Casino Gambling: Winning Ways by Andrew Brisman. It’s still the best book on the subject I’ve ever read. But since it was published in 2004, Mensa Guide to Casino Gambling: Winning Ways is dated in some places. So our best advice here is to ignore anyone trying to sell you a winning system or strategy. You’re almost certain to be disappointed, and there are better things to spend your money on. For starters, you could buy some books on gambling strategy that are written by experts.

Two Plus Two has been the leading publisher of quality gaming and poker books since 1987 with English language sales of over 2 million copies worldwide, and foreign language sales of several hundred thousand and translations (currently) into 15 different languages.

Here you will find a complete list of our poker/gambling books. Each title is listed by category and provides a link for the synopsis and/or reviews from players on our forum. There are approximately 40 titles to choose from (and this number increases as we bring out new books), covering such topics as tournament poker, sit ’n go and go strategies, limit and no-limit hold ‘em, seven-card stud, pot-limit Omaha, general poker theory, general gambling theory, blackjack, and other topics. (We even have a small book on craps.)

We are known for our high standards and our reputation is to only publish books that are top notch. In addition, we are also known for literally revolutionizing how poker is played and how other aspects of gambling are approached by professional players regardless of their specialty.

All Two Plus Two gaming and poker books are available for purchase in our online bookstore or if you’re a non-US resident, you may qualify for five free books by joining our Free Book Bonus Program.

Pre-Order The Theory of Poker Applied to No-Limit by David Sklansky

The Theory of Poker has long been recognized as the foundational book for all of poker no matter what the game, and at the time of this writing is still the best selling book in poker.

But that book, while applicable to many aspects of no limit and pot limit poker was originally written mainly with limit games in mind. Now, the most popular form of poker is no-limit hold em.

As a result, David felt it was time to write a new book that would methodically address each of the chapters in the original Theory of Poker, summarize them, and then go into lengthy detail as to how the ideas and concepts in those chapters need to be altered.

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No Limit Hold 'em For Advanced Players: Emphasis on Tough Games by Matthew Janda

In 2003 poker was put on television and no-limit hold em quickly became the most popular form of poker played in casinos, public cardrooms, and on the Internet. ...

No Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice by David Sklansky and Ed Miller

The definitive text on this exciting game. Taking a theoretical approach, it covers critical concepts like manipulating the pot size, adjusting correctly to stack sizes, winning the battle of mistakes, reading hands, and manipulating opponents into playing badly. ...

Applications of No-Limit Hold em by Matthew Janda

One of the most daunting moments in a poker player’s career occurs when he realizes his knowledge of how to play a specific hand well is incomplete without the additional understanding of how to play every other hand in his range well ...

Analytical No-Limit Hold em - Crushing Mid-Stakes Short-Handed Games by Thomas Bakker

Poker has changed immensely in the last few years. While once played only in casinos and home-games, it’s now immensely popular on the Internet and has taken on a completely different aspect in terms of winning strategy. ...

Harrington on Online Cash Games; 6-Max No-Limit Hold’em by Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie

In Harrington on Online Cash Games, Dan Harrington shows you the key ideas and skills that will let you master the online poker world which differs in some significant ways from the world of casino games. Harrington lays out detailed strategies for preflop and post-flop play in both the popular micro-stakes games and the more difficult small-stakes games. ...

Harrington on Cash Games; How to Win at No-Limit Hold ’em Money Games: Volume I. by Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie

Dan and Bill teach you the key concepts that drive deep-stack cash game play. You'll learn how to tailor your selection of starting hands to your stack size, how to recognize the increasing deception value of supposedly weaker hands as the stack sizes increase, and how to use the concept of pot commitment to your advantage as the size of the pot grows. This book addresses basic ideas, the elements of no-limit hold ’em cash game play, tight-aggressive play before the flop, and tight-aggressive play on the flop. ...

Harrington on Cash Games; How to Win at No-Limit Hold ‘em Money Games: Volume II

continues where Harrington on Cash Games:Volume I left off. In sections on tight-aggressive turn and river play, Dan and Bill explain why these are the most important streets in no-limit hold em, and show how to decide when to bet or check, when to call or fold, and when to commit all your chips. Other topics include tells, the loose-aggressive style, beating weak games, bankroll management, plus an interview with no-limit great Bobby Hoff. ...

Heads-Up No-Limit Hold ’em; Expert Advice for Winning Heads-Up Poker Matchesby Collin Moshman.

Heads-up confrontations can occur in any game, even when every seat is occupied. Adjusting to the amount of aggression can be difficult since heads-up battles require you to bet and raise with many hands. Topics include the fundamentals, playing styles, pot size manipulation, heads-up concepts, cash games and tournaments, and much more. ...

Professional No-Limit Hold ’em: Volume I by Matt Flynn, Sunny Mehta, and Ed Miller.

This book teaches you how to play and think like a professional. It shows how to size your bets, manage the pot, manipulate your opponents, know when to go all-in, and how to avoid the big mistake. It also emphasizes fundamental play including pot size and pot control, the REM (Range, Equity, Maximize) Process, and the important concept of commitment including a detailed discussion of stack-to-pot ratios known as SPR. ...

Harrington on Modern Poker Tournamentsby Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie.

Over the last ten years, the enormous growth of interest in poker and poker tournaments has led to an intense focus on the theory of tournament poker. The result was a re-examination of old ideas and the introduction of many new ones. The fundamentals of no-limit hold em did not change, but the game was revealed to have more depth than many older players could have anticipated. ...

Harrington on Hold ’em, Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments; Volume I: Strategic Playby Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie.

Dan Harrington has been one of the most successful tournament players for a long time. This includes his 1995 win in the main event of the World Series of Poker, his four final table appearances, and his first and second place finishes in World Poker Tour events. In Volume I, he and co-author Bill Robertie address play in the early and middle stages of a tournament. Topics include playing styles, starting hand requirements, betting both before and after the flop, and betting on fourth and fifth streets. ...

Harrington on Hold ’em, Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments; Volume II: The Endgame by Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie.

In this text, Dan and Bill pick up right where Volume I finishes and address play in the later stages of a tournament. Topics include making moves, inflection point theory including a thorough discussion of the ‘Zone System’ and how your ‘M’ and the ‘M’ of your opponents impacts your strategy, playing at short tables, and playing heads-up. ...

Harrington on Hold ’em, Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments; Volume III: The Workbook by Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie.

Now that you have read and studied the first two Harrington tournament books, it’s time to test your knowledge. In this book, Dan and Bill present problems to test how well you grasped the principles of the first two volumes. In addition, many of the problems focus on the key area that causes difficulties for so many aspiring players: how to play after the flop.

Tournament Poker for Advanced Players: Expanded Edition by David Sklansky.

This newly-expanded version of Tournament Poker for Advanced Players contains over 100 new pages of updated material dedicated almost entirely to today’s most popular form of tournament poker: no-limit hold ’em. Topics include the Gap Concept, prize structure implications, how chips change value, keeping the pot small, play just out of the money and just in the money, ‘The System,’ folding aces, and much more.

Sit ’n Go Strategy; Expert Advice for Beating One-Table Poker Tournaments by Collin Moshman.

Sit ’n go tournaments are one table tournaments which usually pay the first three places. Relative to standard poker tournaments, they require a different strategy to be successful, and this text explains exactly how this is done. Topics include hands to play during low blinds, hands to play during mid-blinds, steals and resteals, attacking passivity, high-blind strategy, short-handed play, stack-dependent strategy on the bubble, and much more. ...

Poker Tournament Strategies by Sylvester Suzuki.

This is a beginners book that emphasizes small buy-in tournaments where you can rebuy and add-on as well as tournaments that don’t allow rebuys. It also addresses other topics such as negotiating a settlement, stepping up to major tournaments, and even some advice for tournament managers.

Further Limit Hold'em by Phillip Newal.

Limit hold 'em, while currently not as popular as no-limit hold 'em, is an extremely interesting game from a theoretical standpoint: The rules are complex enough to allow constant intrigue, yet simple enough to allow computer bots to play the game on an extremely high level....

Hold ’em Poker by David Sklansky.

The text is probably best known for the Sklansky Hand Rankings, which made the game much simpler to quantify and understand. Some of the topics include the importance of position, the first two cards, the key 'flops,' strategy before the flop, semi-bluffing, slowplaying, check raising, head-up on fifth street, and how to read hands. Not only was this text, which is Sklansky's first work, a major contribution to the explosive growth of this game, it is also a book that should still be read by all serious players. ...

Hold ’em Poker for Advanced Players: 21st Century Edition by David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth.

In 1988 the first edition of this text appeared. Many ideas, which were only known to a select group of players were now made available to anyone who was striving to achieve expert status, and the hold ’em explosion had begun. In 1999, an additional 100 pages were added including chapters on loose games and playing short-handed. Other topics include playing the first two cards, semi-bluffing, folding when the pot is big, playing when there is no raise before the flop, playing when a pair flops, playing against a maniac, important fourth street concepts, and desperation bets. Anyone who studies this text, is well disciplined, and gets the proper experience should be well on their way to becoming a significant winner at this game. ...

Small Stakes Hold ’em: Winning Big with Expert Play by Ed Miller, David Sklansky, and Mason Malmuth.

In 2003 David and Mason noticed a new poster on the forums who seemed to have a very good and clear understanding of limit hold ’em. Then in a meeting hosted by Dr. Alan Schoonmaker, Mason gave this poster a chance to produce a book for Two Plus Two. The initial work appeared so strong that both David and Mason joined the project and this book was produced. It targets limit hold ’em ring games that feature several players who play too many hands and go too far with their hands. Topics include domination, avoiding costly errors, evaluating the flop, large pots versus small pots, and betting for value on the river. ...

Winning in Tough Hold ’em Games; Short-Handed and High-Stakes Concepts and Theory for Limit Hold ’em by Nick 'Stoxtrader' Grudzien and Geoff 'Zobags' Herzog

As time went on, the games on the Internet have gotten tougher, plus six-max tables became popular. This requires adjustments in strategy to account for many opponents whose level of aggression had increased. This text addresses these games and it’s the first to tackle many of the complex issues presented when playing short-handed and high-stakes limit hold ’em. Topics include playing in a steal position, isolating a loose player, defending from the big blind, the turn value check, playing when way ahead or way behind, and semi-bluffing heads-up post flop. The book also includes many sample hands that Stox participated in. ...

Getting Started in Hold ’em by Ed Miller.

This is a beginners book that addresses both limit and no-limit. It’s not designed to make you into an expert player but to give you the foundation to become successful at either of these two games. It also includes a section on no-limit tournaments. ...

Pot-Limit Omaha: Understanding Winning Play by William Jockusch.

Pot-limit Omaha to the untrained eye looks similar to Texas hold ’em except that you start with four cards instead of the standard two. But this complex form of poker has many differences, and it continues to grow in popularity as the poker boom matures.

This book starts with the fundamentals of hand valuation and continues up through advanced concepts. Topics include preflop hand strength, short stack play, wrap hands, blind stealing, marking your aces, playing on the flop, which flops are good for bluffing, position and check-raising, pot size manipulation, blockers, and numerous sample hands.

Seven-Card Stud for Advanced Players by David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth, and Ray Zee.

Seven-card stud is an extremely complex game. Deciding exactly what the right strategy should be in any particular situation can be difficult. Perhaps this is why very few authors have attempted to analyze this game even though it is widely played. Topics include the cards that are out, the number of players in the pot, ante stealing, playing big pairs, playing smaller pairs, playing three-flushes and three-straights, randomizing your play, playing on the later streets, defending against the possible ante steal, playing against a paired door card, scare card strategy, and the Horse Race Concept.

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High-Low-Split Poker, Seven-Card Stud and Omaha Eight- or-Better, for Advanced Players by Ray Zee.

Although this is the third book in the 'For Advanced Players' series, it’s actually books 3 and 4 in the progression. The books are presented together for two reasons. First, many of the concepts are similar for both games. And second, players mastering one game can easily make the transition to the other.

Topics discussed in the seven-card stud eight-or-better section include starting hands, disguising your hand on third street, what to do when an ace raises, play on the later streets, position, bluffing, staying to the end, and scare cards. Covered in the Omaha eight-or-better section are general concepts, position, low hands, high hands, your starting hand, play on the flop, multiway versus short-handed play, scare cards, getting counterfeited, and your playing style.

Sklansky on Poker by David Sklansky.

This book combines two earlier books by the author, Essays on Poker and Sklansky on Razz, plus a short section on tournament play. Topics in the Essays section include having a plan, choosing your game, playing according to your bankroll, and the protected pot.

The razz section of the book will show you how the experts play this form of poker. It includes advice on how to play every street as well as a chapter of razz problems. Sklansky on Razz is considered by many to be the definitive work on this game. ...

Poker and More: Unique Ideas and Concepts by David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth.

Poker is a game of many different concepts and ideas, and the relative importance of these ideas has changed over the years as different forms of poker gain and lose popularity. But the underlying theory of how to approach poker, and in particular no-limit hold em, still remains the same. ...

The Intelligent Poker Player by Philip Newall.

As poker theory develops, the field is becoming more abstruse and mathematical; gradually becoming less accessible to the layperson. The Intelligent Poker Player by Philip Newall aims to reverse this trend by presenting a cohesive and sophisticated method of play in plain English. ...

The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky.

This text discusses theories and concepts applicable to nearly every variation of the game and describes the thought processes of advanced poker players. It also addresses the all-important factors you should consider in a particular situation before determining what to do. Topics include The Fundamental Theorem of Poker, ante structure, the value of deception, the free card, the semi-bluff, loose and tight play, position, game theory and bluffiing, and heads-up on the end. ...

Poker, Gaming & Life: Expanded Edition by David Sklansky.

This volume is a collection of articles written by David Sklansky that have appeared in various publications including Card Player, Poker World and the Two Plus Two Poker Strategy Magazine. From the original book, ‘Poker and gaming’ topics include ABeing a Favorite,’ ‘Are Great Players Born?’ ‘Talent Versus Discipline,’ ‘When Time is Not of the Essence’, and ‘Is Your Wallet Fat Enough?’ ‘Life’ topics include ‘What It Is that Makes an Issue Controversial,’ ‘Coincidences,’ ‘Legitimate Grievances,’ and ‘Crime and Punishment.

This expanded addition also contains 32 additional essays, many of which address no-limit hold ’em. ‘Essays for the Expanded Edition’ include ‘Pros Versus Wannabes,’ ‘Bluff Raising as the Big Blind,’ ‘Evaluating Expected Value,’ and ‘Expert Non-Optimum Random Strategy.’

Poker Essays by Mason Malmuth.

The author has written for a variety of poker/gambling publications including Card Player, Poker World, and The Two Plus Two Poker Strategy Magazine. This first volume includes essays that the appeared from 1988 to 1991. Topics include handling pressure, fluctuations, differences between stud and hold ’em, limit versus no-limit, weak-tight opponents, and appropriate image.

Poker Essays, Volume II by Mason Malmuth.

This text contains those essays that this author wrote from 1991 through early 1996. Topics include handling rushes, moving up, poker skills, how to play well, chopping the blinds, and cardroom theory.

Poker Essays, Volume III by Mason Malmuth.

This text contains those essays the author wrote from 1996 through early 2001. Topics include which game to play, controlling steaming, marginal hands, selecting the best game, bluffing, unusual strategies, raising with suited connectors, keeping poker honest, reading hands, and checking aces.

Note: All three of the Poker Essays books, with just a couple of exceptions, only address limit poker.

Real Poker Psychology by Mason Malmuth

During the last few years, there has been much new information produced that comes under the heading of poker psychology. The idea is to cover that area of poker which is less strategic but still important to one s overall success at the game, and a new area of mental coaching has appeared.

DUCY? by David Sklansky and Alan Schoonmacher

The title, DUCY?, was taken from our forums at twoplustwo.com. To encourage people to think better, David would often ask, Do you see why? before fully explaining his conclusions or advice. Forum participants created the acronym and started using it themselves, and it became so popular that the following definition now appears in the Urban Dictionary: Abbreviated form of Do you see why? Commonly used on online forums; originated from the Two Plus Two Poker Community. We believe that the term does a good job of capturing the essence of this book

Inside the Poker Mind: Essays on Hold ’em and General Poker Concepts by John Feeney, Ph. D.

Poker is a game of many skills and to become an expert poker player you need to master them all. However, there are many players who have mastered most of these skills yet they still do poorly in the games C at best they are only small winners. Winning poker is a process that requires a lot of thinking as well as a thorough and systematic approach to the game, and that’s what this book is about. Topics include ‘Playing Too Many Hands,’ Self-Weighting Cold Calls, ‘The Strategic Moment in Hold ’em,’ and ‘Countering a Good Reader.’

The Psychology of Poker by Alan N. Schoonmaker, Ph. D.

Poker demands many skills and strategies to be successful. They include proper hand selection, appropriate aggression, bluffing, semi-bluffing, understanding tells and telegraphs, choosing the right games, and reading hands. These skills do not come easily since they require unnatural actions.

In this text, Dr. Schoonmaker is concerned only with the way that psychological factors affect your own and your opponents' ability to play properly, and he will answer questions as to why you and your opponents play the way you do. It will also suggest strategic adjustments you should make to improve your results against different type of players as well as personal adjustments that will help you play better and enjoy the game more.

The Professional Poker Dealer's Handbook: Expanded Edition by Dan Paymar, Donna Harris, and Mason Malmuth.

With the explosive growth of poker, there are a few 'growing pains,' and a lack of quality dealers is immediately apparent to anyone who either plays poker or works in the industry. Dealing poker is one of those occupations that looks easy when performed by a top quality dealer and you too can achieve this status with practice and effort. This is the ultimate book for anyone interested in a career as a poker dealer and this newly expanded edition now addresses both no-limit hold ’em and automatic shuffling machines.

PokerFarce and PokerTruth by Ray Michael B.

Serious poker players are often asked, 'What's it really like...the world of poker? The answer is not easy because poker is an amazingly complex game. As complex as life itself. This book will attempt to answer that question. You will be taken to a serious game and be sitting besides the author. That is, you will be a spectator to the unfolding drama of poker.

The History of the World from a Gambler's Perspective by Mason Malmuth and Antonio Carrasco.

Gambling is something that many of us participate in, and this can include a trip to a casino or perhaps a home game of poker. But it turns out gambling, or aspects of gambling, will appear in many places, and this, of course, includes history, and that is what this book is about.

Getting The Best Of It by David Sklansky.

This text contains six sections discussing probability, poker, blackjack, other casino games, sports betting, and general gambling concepts. This book contains some of the most sophisticated gambling ideas that have ever been put into print. Topics include ‘Mathematics of Parlays,’ ‘The Eight Mistakes in Poker,’ ‘World Class Poker Plays,’ ‘Casino and Their Mistakes,’ Beating Sports,’ and ‘Making the Best Decision.’

Gambling Theory and Other Topics by Mason Malmuth.

Most people who gamble are attracted by the action and the excitement that this form of entertainment offers. But a small number of people are actually quite successful at gambling. How is this so? Why is it that these few can constantly make decisions that devastate their opponents? And what do you need to also become successful at this extremely challenging occupation?

Gambling Theory and Other Topics was written in an attempt to answer these questions, You will be introduced to the dynamic concept of non-self weighting strategies and shown how these strategies apply not only at the ‘very exciting gaming tables’ but also in real life. Other topics include risk and fluctuations, bankroll requirements, win-rate accuracy, free bets, lottery fallacies, dangerous ideas, poker tournament strategies, the world’s greatest gamblers, and building pyramids.

Gambling For a Living by David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth.

Is there really such a thing as a professional gambler? The answer is an unequivocal yes! The authors of this book are but two examples. The truth is that there are many thousands of people around the country who make a good living exclusively from gambling. It’s not easy, but it can be done. The key idea is to understand which games are beatable and how to beat them.

Sklansky Talks Blackjack by David Sklansky.

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Blackjack is the one casino game where the player can easily get an edge over the house. This has been known for over forty years and many good books have been written on the subject. In spite of this, there are still only a relative handful of people who are taking advantage of this knowledge.

David Sklansky believes the reason is that most people think expert blackjack play is too hard to learn due to all the charts and tables that many blackjack books feature. However, they are not really needed to show someone how to play almost perfectly. Here is a technique where the author talks you through everything you need to know to ‘beat’ this popular game.

Blackjack Essays by Mason Malmuth.

In addition to writing about poker, in his early years Mason Malmuth also wrote about blackjack. This text, similar in style to his Poker Essays books and assumes that the reader already knows how to count cards, but it covers many facets of the game which most books do not address. Topics covered include ‘Card Domination,’ ‘Unintentional Preferential Shuffling,’ ‘Traps to Avoid,’ ‘Crowded Versus Empty Casinos,’ ‘Ideas Whose Time Has Come and Gone,’ and ‘Front Loading.’

The Fundamentals series are a set of small books designed to provide the basics of the four most popular casino games. They give you the skills necessary not only to obtain the best possible edge with a small amount of study, but to also get the most fun out of your casino dollar.

Fundamentals of Craps by Mason Malmuth and Lynne Loomis.

The only information you’ll ever need for learning to play this exciting fast-paced casino game. Many people consider this the best book ever written on the game of craps.

Fundamentals of Poker by Mason Malmuth and Lynne Loomis.

A hard hitting guide to the best beginner strategies for the popular casino poker games of seven-card stud and limit Texas hold ’em, plus insights into winning at no-limit hold ‘em, Omaha, Omaha eight-or-better, seven-card stud eight-or-better, razz, and lowball draw.

Fundamentals of ‘21' by Mason Malmuth and Lynne Loomis

Best Gambling Books On Audible

A detailed basic strategy with an easy-to-learn card counting system designed to cut the house edge and turn the odds in your favor.

Fundamentals of Video Poker by Mason Malmuth and Lynne Loomis.

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A guide designed to help you select the right machines and make the correct drawing decisions in the most popular of all slot games.