Monster Media 1993 #2/Image.iso/games1/he_v11.zip/HE.TXT

Text File | 1993-07-05 | 31KB | 732 lines

           HE v1.1 - Texas Hold 'Em Poker California Style
                 Copyright (c) Austin E Bryant, 1993

* Disclaimer
  ──────────

THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON THE 'HE' PROGRAM OR THIS TEXTUAL MATERIAL,
WHATSOEVER.  YOU USE THEM STRICTLY AT YOUR OWN RISK.  SKILLS LEARNED
FROM THE USE OF THE PROGRAM OR TEXTUAL MATERIAL MAY, OR MAY NOT, BE
TRANSFERABLE TO LIVE GAMES.


* Shareware note
  ──────────────

You may try out this software as long as necessary to become familiar
with its features.  At that time you must make a decision to register
it, or stop using it.

If you register, you will be sent the newest version available.  That
version will state "Compliments of  'your name'   reg. # 'your no.'"
If you share your registered copy with others, you will be sent $20
for each registration we receive under your registration #.  If you
know of a BBS or a shareware vendor who doesn't have a copy, you have
a good opportunity to do us both some good.

In addition, when you register, we will send you statistics showing
the complete rankings of all possible hold 'em hole card pairs as
potential winners.  These rankings will be of considerable interest
to serious hold 'em poker players.

To register:

    1.  Send $39.95 (CA residents add sales tax), check or money
        order only, to:

         Austin E. Bryant Consulting
         55 Springstowne Center  #318
         Vallejo, CA  94591

    2.  Include the reg.# from the copy you are using so that the
        person who shared with you can receive his distribution fee.

    3.  Include the mailing address where you want your copy and your
        distribution fees sent!

Warning:  If you are one of those who ought to register their use of
this package, but fail to do so, the gods of chance will surely visit
bad luck upon your poker playing.  It's inevitable.


* Packaging Note
  ──────────────

The HE shareware package consists of 5 files:

    1.  HE.EXE  -  the hold 'em playing program.

    2.  HE.SCR  -  the opening screen containing the distributor's
        name and serial no, and the system menu.  The HE program can
        not run if this file is not present.

    3.  HE.TXT  -  this manual.  The program can be run without this
        information, for instance on a notebook computer without much
        file space.  But it contains information that affects the
        useability of the program.

    4.  HE_TRAIN.EXE - a program to aid in the memorization of the
        groupings of the top hole card hands by winning potential.

    5.  HE_TABLE.TXT - a modifiable text file that contains the
        specific definition of the hole card hands groups.  The
        trainer program can not run without this file.

If you share HE, you must include copies of all of the above files.
The file, HISTORY.SAV, need not be passed on, it is recreated every
time a new game is begun.


* Foreword - Why?
  ───────────────

In April, 1992, my wife and I had to close our bicycle store because
of excessively high rent, strong competition, and the recession.  In
June, 1992, I suffered a heart attack.  The two events may have been
connected.  I think so.

At any rate they were a combination that, along with my age, 58,
the state of the econonmy, and 16 years of self-employment, made it
difficult to find a job.

My work experience included laborer, infantryman, newspaper truck
driver, surveyor, main-frame programmer, programming supervisor, EDP
manager, supervising EDP systems analyst, manager of customer
services, architect-builder, truck owner-operator, programming
consultant, house re-modeller, and bicycle store owner-operator.

During my college years, I had managed to augment my scholarship,
savings, and GI bill by playing poker.  That was nearly 40 years
ago.  The dominant game then was 5 card draw, now it's Texas Hold
'em.  So I started researching the subject.  The resultant
bibliography is at the end of this text.

I began playing Texas Hold'em at Diamond Syl's Casino in Pacheco,
California, relying on what I had read, and old memories. The books
helped to keep me from embarrassing myself, and I was lucky enough to
win a "best hand of the shift" the second time I played. But, I
slowly went downhill.

Then I started writing computer simulations to test the strategies
from the books I was using.  Mostly they were right, but some were
slightly off.  Some of the results of those simulations are included
in the package to be sent to registered users of my program.

Armed with my new statistics and using routines from my simulations,
I began to develop a crude computer game for developing and polishing
my skills.  As I practiced on the computer game, I began improving my
play on the real game in the card room.

And, I have continued to improve the intelligence of the computer
game.

I think it's good enough now that many other players could benefit
from using it.  If they do, it seems fair that they would spend part
of their winnings to help pay me for researching, designing and
programming it.

Try it a while, then let me know what you think.


* Introduction
  ────────────

The HE poker computer game is intended for everyone from beginners,
who have never played before, to wannabe professionals.  Successful
professionals, and other experts, don't need it; but they might find
it a lot of fun when they can't play in a live game.

Texas Hold 'em poker is a game of skill.

If you have, or can develop, better than average skill, your odds
in playing hold 'em in a card room are far better than at gambling.

It's been said that most of poker skill is the ability to "read"
other players.  And that's surely true.  But without mastery of the
odds and techniques of play, the most intuitive, sensitive "reader"
has an uphill battle.  Especially in a structured betting game, where
the value of bluffing is minimized.  (Structured betting is where
bets are limited to pre-determined anmounts.  This is in contrast to
no limit, table stakes, where a player can bet all that he has on the
table at any time.)

Hold 'em poker can be played either structured or as no limit.
The version played in this game is structured.

The players simulated in the game are about equal in strength to
typical players in a card room.  No "immortals" are included to
humiliate you.  And remember, they are not as intuitive as even the
weakest of real players.  They do bluff however, and they can NOT be
read except by logical inference.

You can play HE strictly for fun, but it was written to be a tool for
the improvement of the mechanical aspects of the game.  In other
words it can help you to improve your poker playing.  But it can't do
it all.  In order to learn to read other players, you must also
practice against other live players.

If you are a novice, before you play for money for the first time, or
again if you already have, memorize the Novice Guide for the First
Two Cards.  It's toward the end of the text.  The program, he_train,
was developed specifically to assist in the memorization of the card
groupings.

The place to put it all together is in the program, HE, which
simulates an actual game.  The books in the bibliography will also
help you, but not as much as playing this game.


* Poker of all kinds
  ──────────────────

Poker is a family of card games involving chance and skill.  The
chance factor arises from the deal of the cards.  The winning hand is
the highest from the following list:

    Royal Flush     : Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten of the same suit
    Straight Flush  : Any 5 cards in sequence of the same suit
    Four of a Kind  : 4 cards of the same rank
    Full House      : 3 cards of one rank and 2 cards of another
    Flush           : Any five cards of the same suit
    Straight        : Any five cards in sequence
    Three of a Kind : 3 cards of the same rank
    Two Pairs       : 2 cards of one rank and 2 cards of another
    One Pair        : 2 cards of the same rank
    High Cards      : Ranks of cards from highest to lowest

The skill comes in the form of winning and/or not losing money. Given
enough time, all players will receive approximately the same cards.
But, the most skillful will wind up with the most money.  Getting the
money is what it's all about.

All players win some hands and lose some hands.  How much they win or
lose compared to the other players in the game becomes more a
function of skill, and less of chance, the longer they play.

How much a player wins depends on how much he is able to get others
to bet when he is going to win, and how often he is able to win pots
when he doesn't have the best hand.  His apparent bluffing, when he
is not, encourages others to believe they can win.  His apparent
strength, when he is merely bluffing, encourages others to throw away
winning hands.

How much a player loses depends on how soon, and how accurately, he is
able to determine that he can not win the hand by either of the above
methods.  In other words how little money he donates to pots some one
else is going to win.


* Texas Hold'em - General - Card Room Style
  ─────────────────────────────────────────

A hand is made up of the best five of seven cards.  The seven cards
consist of two cards dealt face down to each player and five cards
dealt in the center of the table to everyone in common.

The game is played by up to 11 players at one time.  This makes it
ideal for club or card room play.  Only one table and only one dealer
is required for 11 people.

The card room takes its rake from the blinds and/or antes that must
be posted before each deal.  The amount and method varies among card
rooms.

The "dealer" is a card room employee who runs the game, and deals the
cards.  The "nominal dealer" is the player whose turn it would be to
deal, if there were no professional dealer provided.  A marker known
as the "button" or "buck" is placed in front of the nominal dealer so
that everyone can tell where the deal is.  The marker is passed to
the left at the end of each hand.  There is a significant, positional
advantage in being the dealer, you get to act last.

A round of betting begins with the first player to the immediate left
of the button and proceeds to the left.  On the first round only, the
betting is considered to be opened by the blinds, if there are any.

A blind is a bet that a player must make before seeing any cards.
Often, hold'em games require two blinds to be posted.  The player to
the nominal dealer's immediate left posts the small blind, and the
player to his left posts the big blind.  Another variation requires
three blinds to be posted, the above two plus the player with the
button.

Players can not "check" on the first round.  Because the blinds are
considered opening bets, they must call, raise or drop.

Usually blinds are "live," that is they get a chance to raise
themselves, if there have been no intervening raises.


* Texas Hold'em - General - A walk through
  ────────────────────────────────────────

Before any cards are dealt, the dealer determines that the blinds
have been posted.

The dealer deals two cards to each player, beginning with the player
to the immediate left of the button.  These are the "pocket" or
"hole" cards.  Then there is a round of betting beginning with the
player to the immediate left of the blinds.

Next the dealer deals 3 cards known as the "flop."   These "common"
cards are treated as part of everybody's hands.  Betting on the flop
begins with the first player to the left of the button.

The fourth common card, known as the "turn" or "fourth street," is
followed by another round of betting.

The fifth common card, the "river" or "fifth street," is followed by
the final round of betting and the showdown in which the dealer
distributes the pot to the winner(s).  Ties are frequent.

The winner(s) is determined by the dealer based on the best 5 card
hand from each player's 2 pocket cards combined with the 5 common
cards.


* Texas Hold'em - Diamond Syl's Casino, Pacheco, California
  ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Hold'em is played on at least 1 table, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Betting is structured, generally $3 and $6.  Last winter there were
two live blinds, $1 and $3.  Now, June, 1993, there are three, $3, $1
and $3.  There is a three raise maximum; except the number of raises
is unlimited when just two players remain in a pot.

On the first round, hole cards only, the betting is opened by the
posting of the blinds before the cards are dealt.  After the cards
are dealt, beginning with the player to the left of the big blind,
each player may drop, call or raise.  To call is $3 plus the total of
any previous raises.  To raise is $6 plus the total of any previous
raises.

On the flop, the opening bet is $3 and raises are $6.  The player to
the left of the button, the little blind, begins the betting.
Checking is allowed until someone makes an opening bet.

On the turn, 4th street, and the river, 5th street, the betting is as
above, except the amounts are doubled.  Opening is $6 and raising
$12.

The house rakes the blind posted on the button.  There is no ante.

The best hand in each 4 hour period, at least aces full or better, is
awarded a $100 prize.  Separately, any royal flush except diamonds
wins $500.  A diamond royal flush receives $1000.  (These rules seem
to vary from time to time.)

Traditionally, the dealer is immediately tipped by the winner of each
pot, or prize.

Breakfast, cooked to your order, and a buffet lunch are free to seated
players.  Hot, fresh brewed coffee is always available.  And there is
a bar for non-players, or those able to combine drinking and playing.

Every morning, seven days a week, there is a bonus period.  If you
buy in between 8:00 and 8:30 AM, you receive $40 in chips for $20.
Between 8:30 and 9:00 AM, you get $40 for $30.

The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.  The second or third time you
show up, you're a regular.  At any given time nearly all the players
are regulars.  If you liked Cheers, you'll like Diamond Syl's.

If you visit Diamond Syl's, tell them Austin sent you.


* Texas Hold'em - This Computer Game
  ──────────────────────────────────

This game is patterned after the game played at Diamond Syl's.  All
of the names of the players are the names of real players encountered
at the casino.  But be warned, there is no connection between the way
the games' players play and their real namesakes.  Any apparent
similarity is by pure chance.  The real players are all excellent
players, their names are used here to give a realistic flavor to the
game.

All of the simulated players are randomly set to either loose,
medium or tight styles of play.  Not so loose as to be foolish, nor
so tight as to be "rocks."  They all play "position," that is vary
their play by where they are in the betting order.

The players keep the same randomly assigned styles as long as a "new"
game is not started.  As long as you begin by "resuming" the old
game, it and they will continue from their last position.  Every time
a new game is started, the players' styles are reset.

At the casino a heavy brass puck, the button, is used to mark the
position of the nominal dealer.  The game uses the '$' symbol to mark
the button, the '°' symbol to mark the little blind, and the the ''
symbol to mark the big blind.

In the game a 40 chip buy-in is recommended for you, and 300 for each
of your opponents.  This is because playing tight - aggressive pays
off in the long run.  And, because in the game you are allowed to
re-buy while your opponents can not.

The opportunity to re-buy occurs at the end of each hand, when you
are asked the question:

    "(B)uy chips or Play Another?  (Y)es, (N)o: Y"

If you answer 'Y' or simply push Enter, another hand will be dealt,
but first you will be given a chance to buy more chips, if you have
less than 3.  If you still don't have at least 3, the game will be
ended.

If you answer 'N' the game will be suspended, if you have 3 or more
chips.  Otherwise it will be ended.

If you asnwer 'B' you will be given a chance to buy chips, before the
next hand is dealt, no matter how many you already have.

The game tells you the total chips you have bought when you are given
a chance to re-buy.  You can also find out any other time by HOLDING
DOWN THE CONTROL KEY.

No matter what you answer the game is ended if, after this question is
processed or you have been given a chance to re-buy chips, you still
don't have 3 chips.

Another way the game can be ended is if more than 4 of your opponents
bust out.  The logic being that it takes at least 7 players to make a
good game.

The difference between a suspended game and an ended game is that a
suspended game can be resumed exactly where you leave off.  After an
ended game you must start a new game.

At the end of a game, the winner is announced.  At the suspension of
a game a leader is announced.

Most of the questions asked by the game have default answers
provided.  To use the default answer, just press the ENTER key.  Much
of the time, however, the default answer is not the best answer.  To
change to the correct answer just type it in.  The letter 'c' can
stand for either "check" or "call," but there is no conflict.

If you press a key in response to a question and there is no response
from the game, either the response you have chosen is not one of the
options, or you need to press an ENTER also, as in the case of no. of
chips wanted.

The computer makes a medium pitched beep when someone opens, and a
higher pitched beep when someone raises.

The game is set up to run by typing 'HE' at the dos prompt.  But if you
type 'HE P' at the prompt, special features that were included to aid
in debugging the program will be invoked when the program is loaded.
After each player's name (except Doc), 'L', 'M' or 'T' will be
displayed.  These are intended to reveal the players style as
'Loose,' 'Medium' or 'Tight.'

In addition the players' hole cards will be displayed whenever the
right hand shift button is pressed.

These "peeking" features were left in the program, because they can
be useful in understanding the behavior of the simulated players.
Using them a lot will ruin the fun of playing the game, however.

You can play the game with either two or three blinds.  If you add an
'S' to the command line, as in HE PS or HE S, the game will provide
for three blinds.  If you leave off the 'S' there will be only two
blinds.  'S' is used as the option-mnemonic for 'S'ummer rules.


* Novice Guide for 1st 2 cards of 9 to 11 handed hold'em - 1/19/93
  ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Novice Guide - top 122 hole card hands, by winning potential:

Group 1
    pairs: AA, KK

Group 2
    pairs: QQ, JJ, TT
    suitd: A(K-Q)
    unstd: AK

Group 3
    pairs: 99, 88
    suitd: A(J-7), K(Q-9), Q(J-T), JT
    unstd: A(Q-T), K(Q-J)

Group 4
    pairs: 77, 66, 55
    suitd: A(6-2), K(8-3), Q(9-7), J(9-7), T(9-7), 9(8-7), 87
    unstd: A(9-7), K(T-9), Q(J-T), JT

Group 5
    pairs: 44, 33, 22
    suitd: K2, Q(6-2), J(6-2), T(6-5), 9(6-5), 8(6-5), 7(6-4), 6(5-4),
           5(4-3), 43
    unstd: A(6-2), K(8-7), Q(9-8), J(9-8), T(9-8), 98

Group 6
    suitd: T(4-2), 9(4-2), 8(4-2), 7(3-2), 6(3-2), 52, 42, 32
    unstd: 97, 87, 76


Novice Guide - How to play the hole card groups by position:

    Early - 1st 2 positions to left of big blind.

        1. Play groups  1-3, often 4.
        2. Nearly always raise with groups 1 & 2.
        3. Raise often with group 3, sometimes with group 4.

    Middle - 3rd, 4th, 5th positions to left of big blind.

        1. Play groups 1-4, 5 if unraised.  6 if lots of calls.
        2. If no raise, raise with 1-3.
        3. Almost always re-raise with 1-2, sometimes 3.

    Late - button and 1 position to right.

        1. Play groups 1-4.     5 & 6 if no raises or if lots of players.
        2. Raise if no one has raised.
        3. Re-raise with 1-2.

    Blinds.

        1. If no raises, play anything.  Raise with 1-4.
        2. Re-raise with 1-3.


* Novice Guide - Playing in a Card Room
  ─────────────────────────────────────

Novice Guide - Short Bankroll:

The above rules require enough money, about 100 times the minimum
bet, to ride out a typical, temporary, bad run of luck.  If you have
a lot less, then in order to stay in the game, play as tight as the
other players in the game will let you get away with.  Only loosen up
if you find the others dropping out too often against you, or you have
built up your stake to an appropriate level.

Novice Guide - Image:

You can only win money if there are people willing to gamble with
you.  Be pleasant, congratulate others when they win.  Never
bellyache about your "bad luck."  And, don't blame the dealer.

Try to appear loose in your play by bluffing and getting caught.
Make at least one foolish raise when you are sure to be called, e.g.
there are at least 3 others in the pot at the showdown.  But, ONCE IS
ENOUGH, don't overdo this, your image will last a lot longer than
your money.

Once in a while, especially against good players, bet "on the come"
or "semi-bluff."  That is, occasionally, when you have a good drawing
hand, either after the flop, or on the turn (after the 4th common
card), bet as if you had already made the hand.  Convince yourself,
and then act accordingly.  Sometimes, everyone will drop and you will
be able to win without making your hand.  Other times you will be
called, but will make your hand on the next card.  This will go a
long way toward making you hard to read, and will help you build
bigger pots when you really have already made your hand.

Novice Guide - When to Fold 'em:

As an initial guideline, don't call any bets on the Flop, unless you
can beat the middle common card paired, or have a strong drawing
hand.  A strong drawing hand is 4 to a flush, 4 to a straight, or two
overcards (cards higher than the highest common card.)  But don't get
too automatic about this.

Presume that anyone who raises on the flop, or later, has two pairs
or better, depending on the individual, unless you "know" that he is
bluffing or betting on the come.

Don't draw to an inside straight unless your potential winnings are
at least 15 times what it will cost you to draw.  The odds are about
11 to 1 against a successful 1 card draw, but you are going to lose
or tie sometimes when the draw is successful.

Novice Guide - When to Walk Away:

If you've been playing 20 minutes or more, and you haven't spotted
the chump(s) in the game.  Get out, it's you.  Never play for any
length of time in a game when all the players are as good or better
than you, unless you're willing to pay for the learning experience.

If you have lost for eight sessions in a row, find another, easier
game.  You are being outplayed.

Avoid wild games where two or more players are "cooperating" to build
large pots when only one of them has good enough cards to justify
raising.  It is possible to win fast in such a game, but you can also
lose fast.  Skill is minimized.

Never play when you "need" to win.  Either financially or emotionally.
You will almost always lose when you are desparate, it affects your
judgement and intuition in a bad way.

Similarly, never play when you are tired, angry or upset.  At least
take a break.  Go outside, get some fresh air.  Have a cup of coffee.

Novice Guide - When to Run:

Get out of the game immediately if you think someone is cheating.
Don't make any accusations, or explanations, just leave.

Novice Guide - Improving Your Skill:

Pay attention to the play at all times, especially when you have
dropped out of a hand.  Try to understand how your opponents play
different kinds of hands.  The more you "instinctively" know what
kind of hands your opponents have, the better you will play your own.

At least classify each opponent as loose, average, or tight.  If you
do this "automatically" you'll have information available to color
your guess about the contents of their hands when you need it.

Be aware when any of your opponents is low on chips.  Don't mistake a
raise from someone who goes "all-in" as showing strength.  They may
just have decided that they don't have enough chips for the next hand
without re-buying, and so are eliminating having to make any more
decisions on this hand.

Similarly don't ever try to bluff someone who is low on chips,
they'll call for sure.  They have little to lose.  Some players use
going "all-in" as a strategy, they can stay all the way to the
showdown, without putting up many chips.  They get the excitement
without the risk.  They don't win much either.

Give your opponents credit for knowing what they are doing.  You will
face a lot of players more experienced than you are.  Some will be
professionals.  And, even fools get just as many good hands as you
do.  So never assume your opponents don't have a reason when they
raise.  Call their raises only if you have a good hand, or if you
"know" they are bluffing.  Re-raise, if you have a super hand.

Never show your hand when you fold.

Almost never show your hand when you bet and everyone else folds.
Except for those occasions when you have a weak hand and want to give
the impression of loose play.

Try not to show your hand when you call and are beaten.  Return your
cards to the dealer face down.  The other players have the right to
see your cards on a show down, but they have to ask.  Pretend your
hand is so bad you're embarrassed to show it.

Don't check and call.  If you have a weak hand, check and if someone
bets, drop.  If you have a hand worth calling a bet with, don't check,
bet it.  If you have a good hand and want to get two bets in the
round, check and raise.

If you are "under the gun," betting first, and you check with the
intention of dropping if anyone bets, but nobody does; on the next
round, bet, no matter what you have.  This will pay off over time.

Similarly, if you are last to act and everyone has checked to you,
sometimes bet without regard to the contents of your hand.  If you get
raised, and your hand is weak, drop.  You'll win more than you lose.
But don't overdo this, some of the better players will take advantage
of you with check raises when they have you beaten.

Analyze the common cards on every hand.  You should know what
hands are possible or just one card short of being possible.  For
instance if 3 cards of one suit are present, a flush is possible.
If 3 cards whose face values are not more than 4 apart, a
straight is possible.  Whenever a pair shows, a full house is
possible.

Whenever it seems like someone has caught on to your "style," look
for a chance to take advantage of their "knowledge," by doing the
unexpected.

Practice, practice, practice.  Play in real games as often as
possible.  When you can't play against people, play this game.
Read poker books. (Bibliography below).

Print out this guide.  While playing this game, refer to the 1st
2 card rules, above, until your first two card play is automatic.
Then vary it in real games so the other players can't be sure.

Use the trainer program, below, to help you memorize the card
groupings.

If playing in real games, or reading books by professional card
players, makes you feel anything you've read in this guide is off the
mark, good!  You're on your way to becoming a better player.


* Novice Guide - Trainer for Card Groups
  ──────────────────────────────────────

This program is intended to be used to assist in the memorization of
the groupings of the top hole card pairings.  It uses the file,
"he_table.txt."  The version of he_table.txt that is supplied is a
copy of the groupings listed in the "Novice Guide - Top 122 hole card
hands by winning potential" above.

He_table.txt can be adjusted to your own particular preferences with
a printable-character-only word processor.  The rules are simple.
"Group" must begin in the leftmost column, on the first line.  A(K-T)
represents AK, AQ, AJ, AT.  Additional groups may be added, up to
and including "Group 9."  No more than 1000 bytes are allowed in the
whole table.  Each group must have a colon before any cards are
listed for that group.

Essentially, the game presents you with randomly sorted card pairs
whose groups you are asked to identify.  It keeps track of your
mistakes until a deck of 52 cards has been exhausted.  At  the end of
the deck those cards on which you made errors are presented again for
review.  A running score is kept on the screen to let you know how
you are progressing.  The score consists of your correct answers as a
percentage of your total answers.

There is a window on the screen that you can toggle open or shut.  It
is normally closed during the first presentation of the cards and
automatically opened during the review.  When it is opened the
correct group definition is presented in its entirety.  You can
scroll other groups onto the screen with the page up/dn keys.


* Poker Books - Bibliography
  ──────────────────────────

ACCORDING TO DOYLE, by Doyle Brunson, pub. Gambling Times Inc. (1984)
    Anecdotes about poker.  The point of view of a top professional.

BIG DEAL, by Anthony Holden, pub. Penguin Books (1990)
    His struggle to make it as a professional.  Entertaining.

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO WINNING POKER, by A. H. Morehead, pub. Simon &
Schuster (1967)
    Information and advice about poker.  Nothing on Hold'em.

GAMBLING IN PARADISE, pub. CardRoom DataBase Entreprises (1989)
    Geographical listing of card rooms in the West.

HOLD 'EM - BOOK ONE, by Andy Nelson, pub. PokerBook Press (1991)
    Information for beginners.

HOLD 'EM POKER FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS, by D. Sklansky & M. Malmuth,
pub. David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth (1988)
    Information and advice for advanced players.  This book has been
    a major influence on hold 'em, everywhere.

MIKE CARO'S BOOK OF TELLS, by Mike Caro, pub. Gambling Times Inc.
(1984)
    Information and lots of pictures on "tells."  Excellent.

SCARNE'S GUIDE TO MODERN POKER, by John Scarne, pub. Simon and
Schuster (1980)
    Information and advice about poker, especially on avoiding being
    cheated.

SUPER/SYSTEM, by Doyle Brunson, pub. B & G Publishing Co. (1989)
    THE book on playing modern poker.  Expensive, but worth it.

THE THEORY OF POKER, by David Sklansky, pub. David Sklansky (1992)
    Information about his poker theory.

WINNING POKER FOR THE SERIOUS PLAYER, by Edwin Silberstang, pub.
Cardoza Publishing (1992)
    Information and advice on playing modern poker.