Super/System by Doyle Brunson

Why is Super/System called 'the Bible of poker'?

Published in 1979, it was the first major modern poker strategy book — virtually no serious strategy literature existed before it. Doyle Brunson, then a top live cash player, organized contributions from the world's best per game (Mike Caro on theory, David 'Chip' Reese on 7-Card Stud, David Sklansky on High-Low, Bobby Baldwin on Limit Hold'em, Joey Hawthorne on Lowball). The book defined modern thinking about position, aggression, and game-specific strategy. Quoted by virtually every poker book published since.

Who contributed to Super/System besides Doyle Brunson?

1979 edition contributors: Mike Caro (Stud poker + general theory), David 'Chip' Reese (7-Card Stud — Reese is widely considered the best cash game player ever), Doyle Brunson (NLHE section + introduction), Joey Hawthorne (Lowball), Bobby Baldwin (Limit Hold'em — Baldwin won 1978 WSOP Main Event), and David Sklansky (High-Low Split — Sklansky later wrote The Theory of Poker). Each chapter authored by the era's recognized expert in that variant.

Is Super/System still relevant in the GTO era?

Mixed. The fundamentals (position, aggression, hand reading) remain timeless and correct. However, it predates solver-based analysis — there's no GTO depth, no equity-vs-range math beyond basics, no discussion of mixed strategies. Modern players read it for historical context, the storytelling, and grounding fundamentals — then move to Modern Poker Theory (Acevedo) or solver work for advanced study. Still recommended as a foundational read.

What is Super/System 2 and how does it differ?

Super/System 2 (Cardoza Publishing, 2005) is a separate updated volume — not a replacement. New contributors include Daniel Negreanu (Triple Draw), Lyle Berman (No-Limit Hold'em tournaments), Bobby Baldwin (returning), Jennifer Harman (Limit Hold'em), Todd Brunson, Crandell Addington, and Mike Caro. Covers games not in the original (Omaha High-Low, Triple Draw). Both books considered foundational. Many serious students read both.

How much did Super/System originally cost and why?

$100 in 1979 — extremely high for a book of that era (equivalent to ~$400 today). Doyle Brunson set the price deliberately as a signal of value. His logic: the strategies inside would make a player more than $100 quickly, so anyone unwilling to pay wasn't serious. Originally self-published; later moved to Cardoza Publishing. Sold 500K+ copies of the first edition despite (or because of) the price.