Overview

""Poker Nation is a travelogue to the quirky world of competitive poker, an exploration of poker obsession and addiction (not necessarily the same thing) and a primer on mathematics, poker lingo and technique. Entertaining and accessible."" --USA Today Journalist and poker fanatic Andy Bellin takes readers on a raucous journey into the shut-up-and-deal world of professional poker. From basement games to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, you'll look over his shoulder as he learns to count cards, read a legendary player's body language, hang in there when the chips are down, and take his beatings like a man. Even if you don't know the difference between a flop and a river card, Bellin keeps you in the game with his portraits of the colorful players, dreamers, hustlers, and eccentrics who populate this strange subculture. Along with learning what goes on behind the scenes in illegal poker clubs, you'll get great advice on how to play Texas Hold'em, today's game of choice for big-money players.

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9780060958473

Table of Contents

Reviews

Quite simply, a royal flush of a book! -- George Plimpton . Amusing and instructive. -- Washington Post Bellin's prose shimmers. B+ -- Entertainment Weekly . Engagingly written. -- Booklist . Breezy, informative.[Bellin] knows his way around the poker table and he tells a good story. -- Philadelphia Inquirer Andy Bellin has written a good-oh hell make that great-book. Bellin entertains, educates, and illuminates. -- Peter Alson, author of Confessions of an Ivy League Bookie . Smart, insightful. It's one of the few entertaining poker books around. -- John L. Smith, Las Vegas Boulevard Colorful and insightful. -- Kansas City Star Colorful and insightful. --Kansas City Star Engagingly written --Booklist Bellin s prose shimmers. B+--Entertainment Weekly Amusing and instructive. --Washington Post Colorful and insightful. --Kansas City Star Cash in your chips and go home with a good book about poker--like this one. --Kirkus Reviews Poker Nation is an invitation to the lower depths, with a high-spirited, genial screw-off for our Virgil. --The New Yorker . ..Engagingly written... --Booklist . ..Amusing and instructive. --Washington Post Bellin's prose shimmers. B+--Entertainment Weekly Bellin's love for the game is contagious, and POKER NATION is a sure winner. --Time Out New York Andy Bellin has written a good--oh hell make that great--book. Bellin entertains, educates, and illuminates. --Peter Alson, author of Confessions of an Ivy League Bookie Quite simply, a royal flush of a book! --George Plimpton . ..Breezy, informative...[Bellin] knows his way around the poker table and he tells a good story. --Philadelphia Inquirer . ..Smart, insightful. It's one of the few entertaining poker books around. --John L. Smith, Las Vegas Boulevard Poker Nation is an invitation to the lower depths, with a high-spirited, genial screw-off for our Virgil. --The New Yorker Bellin s love for the game is contagious, and POKER NATION is a sure winner. --Time Out New York Amusing and instructive. --Washington Post Quite simply, a royal flush of a book! --George Plimpton Andy Bellin has written a good oh hell make that great book. Bellin entertains, educates, and illuminates. --Peter Alson, author of Confessions of an Ivy League Bookie Cash in your chips and go home with a good book about poker like this one. --Kirkus Reviews Engagingly written --Booklist Smart, insightful. It s one of the few entertaining poker books around. --John L. Smith, Las Vegas Boulevard Bellin s prose shimmers. B+--Entertainment Weekly Breezy, informative [Bellin] knows his way around the poker table and he tells a good story. --Philadelphia Inquirer Colorful and insightful. --Kansas City Star .. .Amusing and instructive. --Washington Post .. .Engagingly written... --Booklist .. .Smart, insightful. It's one of the few entertaining poker books around. --John L. Smith, Las Vegas Boulevard .. .Breezy, informative...[Bellin] knows his way around the poker table and he tells a good story. --Philadelphia Inquirer

Quite simply, a royal flush of a book! -- George Plimpton . Breezy, informative.[Bellin] knows his way around the poker table and he tells a good story. -- Philadelphia Inquirer Colorful and insightful. -- Kansas City Star . Amusing and instructive. -- Washington Post Bellin's prose shimmers. B+ -- Entertainment Weekly . Engagingly written. -- Booklist Andy Bellin has written a good-oh hell make that great-book. Bellin entertains, educates, and illuminates. -- Peter Alson, author of Confessions of an Ivy League Bookie . Smart, insightful. It's one of the few entertaining poker books around. -- John L. Smith, Las Vegas Boulevard Colorful and insightful. --Kansas City Star Bellin s prose shimmers. B+--Entertainment Weekly Engagingly written --Booklist Amusing and instructive. --Washington Post Colorful and insightful. --Kansas City Star Poker Nation is an invitation to the lower depths, with a high-spirited, genial screw-off for our Virgil. --The New Yorker . ..Amusing and instructive. --Washington Post Bellin's love for the game is contagious, and POKER NATION is a sure winner. --Time Out New York Quite simply, a royal flush of a book! --George Plimpton . ..Smart, insightful. It's one of the few entertaining poker books around. --John L. Smith, Las Vegas Boulevard Cash in your chips and go home with a good book about poker--like this one. --Kirkus Reviews . ..Engagingly written... --Booklist Bellin's prose shimmers. B+--Entertainment Weekly Andy Bellin has written a good--oh hell make that great--book. Bellin entertains, educates, and illuminates. --Peter Alson, author of Confessions of an Ivy League Bookie . ..Breezy, informative...[Bellin] knows his way around the poker table and he tells a good story. --Philadelphia Inquirer Bellin s love for the game is contagious, and POKER NATION is a sure winner. --Time Out New York Quite simply, a royal flush of a book! --George Plimpton Cash in your chips and go home with a good book about poker like this one. --Kirkus Reviews Smart, insightful. It s one of the few entertaining poker books around. --John L. Smith, Las Vegas Boulevard Breezy, informative [Bellin] knows his way around the poker table and he tells a good story. --Philadelphia Inquirer Poker Nation is an invitation to the lower depths, with a high-spirited, genial screw-off for our Virgil. --The New Yorker Amusing and instructive. --Washington Post Andy Bellin has written a good oh hell make that great book. Bellin entertains, educates, and illuminates. --Peter Alson, author of Confessions of an Ivy League Bookie Engagingly written --Booklist Bellin s prose shimmers. B+--Entertainment Weekly Colorful and insightful. --Kansas City Star .. .Amusing and instructive. --Washington Post .. .Smart, insightful. It's one of the few entertaining poker books around. --John L. Smith, Las Vegas Boulevard .. .Breezy, informative...[Bellin] knows his way around the poker table and he tells a good story. --Philadelphia Inquirer .. .Engagingly written... --Booklist

Author Information

On his way to a master's degree in astrophysics, Andy Bellin made the fatal mistake of falling in love with poker. Leaving graduate school at age twenty-two, he has played semipro poker for ten years. His writing has appeared in such publications as Esquire, Details and Maxim, and he is an editor at the Paris Review. Bellin lives in New York City, where there are no fewer than four underground poker clubs within a mile of his apartment. You can find him at one on almost any given night.

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