The edges in poker are getting smaller and smaller, but there’s still a big advantage for players who know how to consistently reach their mental peak. That’s where the best poker mindset books come in.
Your mindset is the most important factor in achieving your poker goals and dreams. Work on it daily. It will pay off in the end. Every decision you make at the table is filtered through your state of mind, and if that foundation is shaky, even the best strategies will fall apart.
And because I’ve spent years studying mindset both at and away from the tables, I’ve also written my own contribution: All In on Mindset: A Poker Player’s Guide to Thriving Through Adversity. You’ll find it included here as well, alongside the works that inspired me.
List of All-Time Best Poker Mindset Books
In this 2025 guide, I’ve collected the all-time best poker mindset books. These powerful poker mindset books have helped players strengthen their mental game and consistently play their A-game.
A-Game Poker by Elliot Roe
Elliot Roe’s A-Game Poker is based on more than ten years of coaching poker players. Instead of telling you what mindset you should have, Roe explains how to actually build it and put it into practice. The book gives tools for spotting mental blocks like tilt, fear or lack of motivation, and offers routines you can use before and after sessions to stay focused and consistent.
What makes this book stand out is the real stories from top players such as Phil Galfond, Alex Foxen and Matt Berkey. They show how mindset training helped them perform under pressure. Roe also covers topics that many players ignore, like how to balance study with playing, how to think about downswings, and how to keep your motivation strong over the long run.
If your mindset leaks cost you more than your strategy mistakes, A-Game Poker could be the next book you read. Click here to get it from Amazon!
The Mental Game of Poker by Jared Tendler
The Mental Game of Poker by Jared Tendler has become a classic in the poker world because it digs deep into why players tilt and how to finally stop it. Instead of only talking about discipline, Tendler shows how to recognize the patterns that trigger mistakes. He breaks down common mental leaks like entitlement tilt, confidence swings, and fear of failure, then gives practical ways to correct them.
What makes this book powerful is the structure. It feels more like a training manual than just a motivational read. You can go chapter by chapter, apply the exercises, and track your progress. Many players keep it on their desk and come back to it whenever they hit a downswing or mental block.
If you’ve ever left a session angry at yourself for throwing away chips, or if your emotions often take control of your game, this book will help you build the kind of mental stability that lasts for years. Click here to grab a copy of The Mental Game of Poker on Amazon!
The Mental Game of Poker 2 by Jared Tendler
Jared Tendler takes things further in The Mental Game of Poker 2 by focusing on playing in the zone consistently. He gives you real tools for mental endurance, helping you stay focused even through long sessions or multiple tables.
You’ll find techniques that improve decision making under pressure and reduce errors when your head isn’t fully in the game. The book also teaches ways to speed up learning and eliminate what Tendler calls “C-game” mistakes.
If you’ve ever been tired, frustrated or mentally checked out during play, this book gives you strategies to push past those moments. Order your copy of The Mental Game of Poker 2 today!
The Poker Mindset by Ian Taylor & Matthew Hilger
Ian Taylor and Matthew Hilger identify seven core attitudes that many players overlook, things like replacing fear with curiosity, balancing confidence with humility, and making peace with variance.
What sets this book apart is how it’s less about tactics and more about mindset groundwork. Each chapter helps you examine your mental habits and adjust your thinking so you can stay mentally grounded during swings, bad beats, or long sessions. It’s a book you’ll want open when you need to reset emotionally, not just when you’re trying to study game theory.
If you ever catch yourself blaming luck for losses, doubting your skills after a rough night, or letting fear stop you from making moves, The Poker Mindset gives you tools to build consistency from the inside out. Available on Amazon here!
The Joy of Poker by Jason Su
If you perform worse under pressure, second-guess decisions, struggle with emotions, or enjoy poker less each year, Jason Su says you don’t have five problems. You have one: you’re not present while you play.
Unlike many other poker mindset books that focus only on tilt or confidence, The Joy of Poker offers a different approach. Su explains why common sports psychology tricks often fail at the tables and replaces them with tools designed specifically for poker players. The book teaches you how to reset after tough hands, let go of regret, and bring your full attention back to the present moment.
If you’re ready to bring calm focus back to the felt, pick up The Joy of Poker on Amazon!
The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova
Maria Konnikova takes a completely different route in The Biggest Bluff. She starts as a total poker beginner, driven by psychology, then hires one of the game’s all-time legends, Erik Seidel, to coach her. The book is about how she learns to separate what she can control (attention, decision-making, mindset) from what she can’t (luck, variance).
The Biggest Bluff is about how playing poker forced her to rethink how she handles risk, uncertainty, and mental pressure. You see her face real losing streaks, doubt, and the need to stay focused when stakes are high and emotions are running.
If you want to experience poker as a story of psychology, risk, and personal transformation, The Biggest Bluff is a must-read. Pick it up today on Amazon!
The Godfather of Poker by Doyle Brunson
The Godfather of Poker is not a mindset book in the usual sense, but Doyle Brunson’s life story is one of the most inspiring reads in poker. Brunson takes you through his journey from small-town games to becoming one of the most legendary figures in poker history.
What makes this book valuable for mindset is seeing how tough the game was in his time. There was no online poker, no solvers, no easy access to strategy resources. He had to learn through experience, grinding it out in dangerous backroom games, often risking more than just money.
Reading his story gives perspective. It shows how much easier we have it today and how much opportunity modern players enjoy compared to those early days. If you want a dose of motivation and a deeper respect for the game’s history, The Godfather of Poker is a book you’ll want on your shelf. You can find it on Amazon.
Life’s a Gamble by Mike Sexton
Like Doyle Brunson’s story, Mike Sexton’s Life’s a Gamble isn’t a pure mindset book, but it’s full of lessons that can inspire poker players today. Sexton, often called the “ambassador of poker,” shares stories from his decades in the game, from the early struggles to the poker boom years when the game exploded worldwide.
What makes this book powerful is the mix of personal experience and poker history. You see how Sexton handled both the highs and lows, how he built a career in an uncertain industry, and how his passion for the game never faded. His honesty about mistakes and challenges makes the book relatable, and his drive to always push forward makes it motivating.
If you want to understand how poker grew into what it is today and pick up inspiration from one of the game’s great personalities, Life’s a Gamble is well worth the read. Grab your copy on Amazon and enjoy the ride through poker history!
Elements of Poker by Tommy Angelo
Tommy Angelo’s Elements of Poker is written in short, easy-to-read sections, which makes it different from most poker books. Angelo mixes humor, practical advice, and personal stories that make the lessons stick. Many of his ideas, like “Reciprocality” and “The Eightfold Path to Poker Enlightenment,” have become classics in poker mindset discussions.
If you want a book that will make you think differently about how you approach the game, Elements of Poker is a must-read. You can get your copy on Amazon and start applying its lessons right away.
Positive Poker by Jonathan Little & Dr. Patricia Cardner
Positive Poker takes a scientific mindset approach to poker. Dr. Patricia Cardner, a psychologist, teamed up with Jonathan Little to study what mental traits top players consistently show and what mindset skills most improve performance at the table.
The book digs into things many poker mindset books skip: how your brain works when you learn, ways to build motivation without burning out, how self-control depletes and how to restore it, plus how to manage tilt with emotional science.
Get Positive Poker on Amazon today!
All In on Mindset by Zoltán Incze
All In on Mindset is my contribution to the poker mindset world.
In 2014, I was diagnosed with cancer. I was only 21 years old. The experience was terrifying. Facing death at such a young age is surreal, but looking back, I’m incredibly proud of how my younger self handled it. I hate bragging, but 21-year-old me was a legend for handling it with so much optimism.
In December 2014, after enduring months of grueling treatments, I finally reached the end of my cancer battle. In the hospital room, there was a small dream chart I had created, a collage of images that symbolized the life I wanted to live once I made it out of there. One of the images was a book, a symbol of my dream to share my journey and the lessons I had learned along the way. That picture became a promise to myself: I will write a book one day. A book that would be more than just words on a page; it would be a guide for others, a way to help people face their own challenges and come out stronger on the other side.
Poker has taught me a lot, but cancer taught me the most important lesson of all: life is a limited resource, and every day is a chance to do something that makes you feel fully alive. I hope these pages can be that spark for you. Get All In on Mindset on Amazon!
Note: The links in this article are Amazon affiliate links. If you decide to purchase through them, I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
For more poker book recommendations, check out the Top 35 Must Read Poker Books of All Time!