Aces and Kings by Michael Kaplan and Brad Reagan

This poker book takes readers behind the poker phenomenon, providing the first and only comprehensive look at the game's top players, how they win, and what you can learn from them. Poker has emerged from America's backrooms to evolve into one of the country's most popular mainstream games.

On-line poker sites are exploding with new players, casinos across the country are adding floor space to accommodate tournaments, celebrities like Tobey Maguire and Ben Affleck jockey to be seen at the big tables, and World Poker Tour ranks as the Travel Channel's top-rated show.

Now comes the perfect book for this ever-growing group of poker players-beginners and aficionados alike. Aces and Kings tells readers everything they need to know about the game, charting its evolution through fascinating intimate profiles of the game's most influential and successful players, including World Series of Poker winners Doyle Brunson, "Amarillo Slim" Preston, Chris Moneymaker, Howard "The Professor" Lederer, and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson.

The authors have received unprecedented access to poker's top practitioners, and this book provides thrilling moments, valuable insights, and how-to advice taken from real-life moments at the highest-stakes tables. Aces and Kings will find a ready audience with today's new breed of card players as well as longtime devotees.

Michael Kaplan is a writer in Brooklyn. He has written extensively about gambling for Details, Sports Illustrated, and Smart Money. He also writes a gambling column for Cigar Aficionado.

Brad Reagan, also based in Brooklyn, has written about poker for the Wall Street Journal and Maxim magazines, Las Vegas Life, and Men's Journal. He gained the confidence of some of the world's top poker players and got to them to talk about the challenges of the game and their offbeat, high-energy lifestyle with what they call an "all-cash existence."

From old pros to the new generation TV superstars of the game, the two authors trace beginnings to highs and lows, and with a colorful, breezy style, offer a glimpse into a world of pressure, decisions and big paydays.

There are fifteen chapters (with photos of the players featured) to this easy read. Those interviewed are Puggy Pearson, Amarillo Slim, Doyle Brunson, each in their own way, part of poker history; followed by Chip Reese, the late Stu Ungar; Erik Seidel, Phil Hellmuth; Men Nguyen; Howard Lederer; David Ulliott; Annie Duke; Chris Ferguson and Barry Greenstein.

There's a section on online poker; a look at new arrivals and future champions like Daniel Negreanu; Phil Ivey and Erick Lindgren. There's good how-to stuff, along with a look at how the game has gained popularity; how each individual approaches the game and tools they bring to the table; a look at the different type of table "image" each reflects when they play; along with the "dues" each paid to reach heights of "world-class player."

The authors truly have a feel for the game -- they played, observed, listened, absorbed the feeling and attitude these top players have for the game. They understand the language and offer up each profile with colorful incidents, key hands, turning points in the lives of many.

This is a fine addition to a gaming library; a nice item to have while on summer vacation for recreational reading or one to help prepare yourself for the pressure-cooker world of high stakes poker.

Poker as Life (101 Lessons From The World's Greatest Game) by Lee Schreiber

The rules of poker are a lot like life--and who better to deal the winning hand than a dedicated player who has learned many of life's most important lessons at the poker table? That's why "Poker as Life" by Schreiber is both a reference guide to the game and a primer for success.

At the poker table can you discover the principles of finance (money management, risk and reward); mathematics (probability and odds); sociology (getting along with disparate , sometimes odious, personalities for the good of the game); literature (playing by the book); and, above all, psychology (in which the perceptive, intuitive, and observant student of human nature will usually be materially rewarded), all in one place.

If you lie but never cheat, play the hand you're dealt, and make your own luck, then you'll never go bust. This book comes packed with wit and wisdom and a quick read. It's packed with advice, trivia, quotes about the game from the famous and not-so-famous, but there's a lot that makes sense and these "quick bites" of advice will probably help you become a more disciplined player and have a better understanding of the game.

There's a section on good and bad luck signs; the best and worst poker movies -- according to the author (here I don't agree that The Cincinnati Kid ranks 10th), but that's what makes life interesting--diversity of opinion. As a bonus, there are dozens of entertaining and edifying life lessons provided by poker pros and other famous folk.

A good theme for the book might be that poker the game, often reflects the realities of life -- the dangers, the moves our competitors in business or some other area, may test us with. It's about bluffing, out-lasting, being wary, making smart moves, doing our homework and avoiding the hidden dangers we may encounter.

Lee Scheiber supported himself through college via his poker wiles. He's played every variation extant (he even invented a few) at every stakes level, from penny-ante to no-limit. In his only tournament experience, he outlasted world champion Scotty Nguyen, an account he chronicled for Fortune Small Business, one of numerous publications in which he's shared his poker-related wit and wisdom.

Doyle Brunson's Super System: A Course in Power Poker by Doyle Brunson

When this was first published in the seventies it caused a sensation. Immediately recognized as the most ambitious poker book ever written, it nonetheless was received with irritation by some professionals because it was believed that Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson and his collaborators gave away too much, thereby allowing the amateurs to catch up, thereby cutting into the professional player's take.

Doyle Brunson's Super System has become the main entry point into the world of serious poker. Almost everyone who plays poker for money - either at home games, card parlors or casinos - is familiar with this book. Since television coverage has focused on Hold'em Poker, its popularity has exploded and a herd of new players have rushed to the tables. Now everyone knows who Doyle Brunson is, and nearly everyone has read his books; this one and Super System II.

What sets Brunson's Super/System apart from other poker books is first the prestige and celebrity of the writers, especially Doyle himself, but also Bobby Baldwin (also a World Champion); David "Chip" Reese, Doyle's expert on seven-card stud; Joey Hawthorne on Low-Ball; David Sklanski on Hi-Low; and Mike Caro on draw poker.

Also, there is the comprehensive coverage of the games from five card draw to no limit hold'em. Not everything is explained and some of the tricks are held back. Reese in particular, in his chapter on seven-card stud is somewhat reticent. He presents a tight strategy that is sound but withholds more aggressive strategies that, in the proper hands, would make more money.

But the real gem is Brunson's own chapter on no limit Hold'em. Its extremely interesting and given the greater freedom no limit gives the change in the game structure matters less. No limit is not a war of fine percentages like limit, it is a game of great psychological violence. Brunson's system is VERY aggressive. I think very few people would feel so comfortable playing so many connectors out of position in no limit games so they can stage all-in bluffs. You would need to be up against a very timid rock garden to play just as Brunson says. But it remains, undisputedly, the best guide to no limit cash games

Doyle Brunson's Super System II by Doyle Brunson

The Most Anticipated Book In The History of Poker Super System 2 gathers together the greatest players, theorists, and world champions and expands upon the original with more games, new authors, and most importantly, more professional secrets from the best in the business.

Each poker variant is covered by a world class player in about 60 pages, and much of what they talk about is not covered anywhere else. It's a good format you get the fillet mignon rather than the whole side of beef.

There is plenty of new and valuable info inside, including Brunson's tips on playing online poker (and suggestions as to why someone might prefer to do that compared to playing poker in real life, offline). There are additional tips on tournament play and then there is the advice by other card playing experts.

Limit Hold'em by Jennifer Harmon is excellent, it's a great supplement and refresher to any other Texas Hold'Em books you may be reading or have studied. She emphasizes several new concepts not focused in other books. Her section can be considered a must read for any Hold'Em player. The chapter is very complementary to the Super System 1 Texas Hold'Em chapter by Bruce Baldwin.

The Pot Limit Omaha chapter by Lyle Berman is outstanding and is probably the best chapter ever written on Omaha, although there are only a handful of books written on Omaha. Berman is probably one of the best living player in Pot-Limit Omaha and he introduces several new learning's including the use of small connectors with a suited ace (e.g. A,4,5,6,) and double suited pairs.