I have read a ton of poker books over the years and I have to say that Barry Greenstein’s Ace on the River: An Advanced Poker Guide (Amazon) is one of my favorites. Barry is a top pro and is respected the world over. He has a very inviting and easy style about his writing that I really enjoy.

The photography throughout the book is vivid, appropriate and engaging; which I find refreshing as compared to the norm for this type of book. I think that I enjoy it more than most because it assumes that you understand the basic premise of no limit and it truly gives you some insight to a higher level of play. He uses real hands that he has played and tournament scenarios that help visualize the points that he makes.

There is a small amount of poker theory, but again it’s well illustrated and thought provoking. There is also a forward by Doyle Brunson that is very good, but that’s just icing on this already great cake.

This won’t be the first book in your collection, but it’s one that you most certainly should have if you are serious about playing at the next level. It’s also nice enough to be on your coffee table and your folks won’t even know the difference.