Overview

My name is Glen Garrod and for forty-five years I played poker for a living. Missouri & Me, A Poker Odyssey offers a glimpse into a distinct slice of Western Folklore told through a collection of short poker stories that range from the hilarious to the tragic to the profound. My stories reflect my journey through that subculture of poker players. I am from the ""old school."" I come from the time when the poker community was small and connected by yearly tournaments that were not yet overpopulated; connected by road gamblers that spread stories that became embedded in poker mythology. As a young man, I recall being starstruck the first time I saw Amarillo Slim walk into the poker room at the Dunes in Las Vegas. I remember being dazzled by the first poker game I saw where $10,000 bundles of one hundred dollar bills, banded together like bricks, sat in front of players. Little did I know then that one day I'd be sitting with bricks of my own. 'Missouri & Me, ' shines a light on some of the many odd, eccentric, one-of-a-kind characters that inhabited card tables across the nation. A significant theme is my travels and partnership with the legendary Missouri Dave, who stands tall amongst the most memorable human beings to ever play poker. I share stories from some remarkable road trips. As one of the founders, I speak about the Big Game in Reno/Tahoe. I tell stories from The World Series of Poker. I touch upon cheating, Vietnam, and a tsunami of cocaine that swept through many of America's poker rooms. There's even a faint whiff of The Grateful Dead. With the successful introduction of televised poker and the advent of online play, for better or worse, the game has undergone immense changes. Missouri & Me documents poker's evolution from the ""old school"" to the modern game.

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Reviews

""I spent several days with Glen and Missouri Dave when doing research for my novel 'Divisadero.' They truly are the 'real deal poker players, ' free spirits with the stories to prove it."" --Michael Ondaatje, Author, The English Patient I once had the opportunity to sit behind Glen as he played in a big money poker game. After forty-five minutes, I had to walk away because my anxiety levels were through the roof, broiling further as the piles of chips grew larger. If you're like me, you can't help but be captivated by the notion of professional poker, and what it must be like to build a life on a career with such high stakes and where skill can take you far, but where luck also plays a role. Glen Garrod's 'Missouri & Me' realizes the romanticism of being at the table, on the road, and in the life of a professional poker player throughout the decades leading up to the online poker revolution. This book offers an intimate look into the life of Glen Garrod, whose personal experiences and insights form the core of the narrative. Glen's unique voice and perspective draw readers into his world, fostering a deep connection with him and his close-knit group of friends, as well as the strangers he encountered along the chapters of his life. His captivating stories provide an insider's view of a master poker player, alongside the adventures of a man who embodies both carefree spirit and determination. As you journey through the decades of Glen's life, you'll enjoy a fast-paced and entertaining ride filled with passion for the game and the bonds of friendship that surround it. From the opening chapters and through the end of this saga, my love for the author's voice and his world grew and grew. This book touched my heart and opened my mind. Read 'Missouri & Me' and you'll find yourself falling in love with Glen, Missouri Dave and the exhilarating game of poker itself as it was before it went mainstream and we all went digital. -- Eve Imagine, Editor, Missouri & Me, A Poker Odyssey Buckle up! You are about to step into a lost era of professional poker. Where personal freedom was the common denominator, the driving force that drove these long ago gunslingers of poker. Glen Garrod has captured ""old school"" poker to perfection and the colorful characters that inhabited that insular world. Those were players who risked it all at the poker tables on a regular basis and lived life to the fullest while doing so. This fun-filled, rollicking, revealing, real life collection of stories, will give readers the feeling of being at the table and its environs with the players. The stories center around Glen's long friendship with Missouri Dave, the best no-limit poker player I ever played with. And I've played with many of the best there is. I am proud to call both Missouri Dave and Glen Garrod my friends, along with many of the other poker players in this entertaining look back in time. You're going to love it... --Dave Olson, longtime professional poker player I am half way through your wonderful book - I am loving it! - I read it in bed and it assures me an ongoing grin. Your style reminds me of a blend of Studs Terkel, Hunter S. Thompson and some Carlos Castenada. Bob Wright Nevada City, Calif, business man and non-poker player

Author Information

While in high school, I started making money playing poker. I helped pay my way through University playing in and running a poker game. Upon graduation in 1968, I moved for a summer in Lake Tahoe but remained for 27 years.In 1975 I opened my own poker room at the Fanny Bridge Inn in North Lake Tahoe. That year I became a professional poker player, living exclusively off my earnings from cards. From that beginning I never looked back. I began to make a name for myself as I climbed into the higher echelons of the larger poker fraternity and I gained recognition as one of the top players from northern Nevada. I mostly played cash games though I did well in a number of tournaments which included winning Harvey's Lake Tahoe's 'Final Four of Poker' two years running in 1995 and 1996. For ten years I spent an entire month in Las Vegas as a guest of Binion's and a player at The World Series of Poker.Along with my partner, Missouri Dave, we traveled the roads of the Western United States playing in her poker rooms. In England, I lived and played poker, off and on, for years.In 1987, I became a founder of and a consistent player in the twenty-seven year run of the legendary Big Game of Reno/Tahoe. From that time the Big Game went on to become the biggest No-Limit Hold'em game in northern Nevada. It went from a $300 buy-in to a minimum $10,000 buy-in with two blinds of $100 each.I did take time to create, patent and market a casino table game called High Country Poker in which players played a form of Texas Hold'em against the dealer.When the Covid 19 Pandemic gained traction I quit playing poker and picked up my pen. The result has been Missouri and Me, A Poker Odyssey. I am married to Kate Winningham, an herbalist and a women's health consultant who was recognized as a pioneer in midwifery in the state of Nevada. We have three grown children and four grandsons. We own our home on 5 acres in the Sierra Nevada foothills community of Nevada City, California.And, I have a lot of stories. Professor of English and Creative Writing Graphic Designer and Illustrator

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