Written by Doyle Brunson and published in 1979, it was at the time one of the only books out there that thoroughly examined poker strategy. With contributions by some of the top players and minds in the game it touched on all the bases, and as Doyle said, while it does not cover everything about poker, it does cover the “White Meat” and acts as a very solid base upon which to build.
I will admit to reading a lot of poker books before this one so I found much of what Doyle wrote about the game has been covered, recycled and arguably improved on. However, the first few pages of the book are what always stay with me and the reason I read it over and over again. It is as much a book on poker as the “Art of War” is a book on business. Take some life lessons from Doyle and apply them to the rest of your life, no matter what your job is. Play hard, really hard, but play with honor.
If someone was looking for a book to read and was new to Poker, I think that Super System is a great foundation, that and Sklansky’s “Theory of Poker” are really all you need to start your poker career and take you from novice to a pretty accomplished player as long as you put in the reps. Many of today’s pros when asked would say that Doyle’s book was their start in poker, and provided them with the foundation they used to make a go of the game. With very little modification and the right work ethic, you can take it to the highest level following his game plan.
A couple of funny observations about the book, it was written when Doyle was 44 I believe; one is that he mentions he doesn’t think any of his kids will follow him into the poker world, as you know, his son Todd is one of the top players in the world today. The second is that because I have seen Doyle on TV playing the game so much, when I read the book it is his voice that I read it in, comforting, like the narration by Morgan Freeman in the Shawshank Redemption