Top Poker Books That Actually Made Me Better

The 4 must-reads every serious player should study (and why they still matter)

There are hundreds of poker books out there. A lot of them are outdated, too simple, or overly theoretical with no real application. But a few have stood the test of time — and actually helped me win more, play better, and think deeper.

Here are the four books that had the biggest impact on my game, and why I think every serious poker player should read them.

📘 Applications of No-Limit Hold’em by Matthew Janda

Best for: Intermediate to advanced players who want to understand GTO

If you’re tired of just “feeling it out” and want to understand how to build strong ranges, this book is essential. Janda was one of the first to bring solver-based logic into an accessible format, explaining why certain bet sizes make sense and how to play balanced.

It’s not a light read — but it’s incredibly rewarding.

🧠 Why read it?Because great players don’t guess. They build decision-making systems. This book helps you do that.

📘 The Mental Game of Poker by Jared Tendler

Best for: Literally every poker player

This isn’t a strategy book. It’s a mindset manual — and honestly, it’s the most important one on the list. Tendler dives into tilt, fear, entitlement, confidence issues, and how to fix them with real tools (not fluff).

I revisit it every time I hit a mental wall in poker — and it never misses.

🧠 Why read it?Because if your mental game collapses, no strategy will save you. This book gives you the tools to stay composed and sharp.

📘 The Course by Ed Miller

Best for: Live $1/$2 to $2/$5 players

If you play in live games and want a straightforward blueprint to beat the field, this book is for you. It’s no-nonsense, practical poker advice that will open your eyes to how many bad plays are still common at these levels — and how to exploit them.

This one helped me move from just winning small pots to truly controlling the game.

🧠 Why read it?Because you don’t need solver perfection to beat soft games. You need clarity, discipline, and a plan — this book gives you all three.

📘 Modern Poker Theory by Michael Acevedo

Best for: Advanced players aiming to sharpen GTO fundamentals

This is the most complete modern poker textbook out there. Acevedo blends solver outputs with real-world context in a way that helps you bridge the gap between theory and execution — especially in tournaments and online games.

There’s depth on every street, but it’s well-organized and easy to reference.

🧠 Why read it?Because if you want to understand the language of modern poker — frequencies, ranges, exploits — this is your fluency guide.

🎯 Final Take

Poker books won’t make you rich overnight. But they will give you frameworks and perspective to level up how you think, study, and execute.

These four books helped me move from guessing to grinding with purpose. Read them, take notes, review hands, and apply what sticks.

The more seriously you study, the more seriously the game starts to pay you.