Where to Start with Phil Gordon
Phil Gordon is one of poker’s great communicators. A professional player who has won millions in tournament prize money, he became even better known as the co-host of Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown and as a poker teacher who could explain strategy clearly to complete beginners. His “Little” book series, especially the Little Green Book, gave casual players their first real window into how professionals think about no-limit Hold’em. Gordon has a rare talent for making poker strategy feel approachable without dumbing it down.
Start here
Phil Gordon's Little Green Book
Phil Gordon · 320 pages · 2005 · Easy
Themes: no-limit hold'em, poker psychology, hand reading, tournament play, beginner strategy
A warm, conversational guide to no-limit Hold’em from Phil Gordon. After fifteen years of keeping notes on what he learned from the best players in the world, Gordon distilled everything into this compact, approachable book that became one of the best-selling poker strategy guides of the 2000s.
Why Start Here
Gordon writes like a friend teaching you the game over a long evening. His style is casual, engaging, and full of personal anecdotes from years at the highest levels of professional poker. Each short chapter tackles a specific concept: position, pot odds, tells, bluffing frequency, tournament adjustments, and dozens more.
The book is organized around Gordon’s core philosophy, strategy, and math principles for no-limit Hold’em. He uses real hand examples to illustrate each point, but keeps the analysis accessible. You never feel like you need a calculator. The result is a book that feels less like studying and more like getting coached by someone who genuinely enjoys teaching.
What to Expect
A 320-page book with short, digestible chapters. Gordon covers everything from basic strategy to advanced concepts like hand reading and table image, but always in plain language. The tone is encouraging rather than intimidating. An excellent entry point for anyone who wants to understand Hold’em strategy without committing to a dense textbook.