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Poker Nation: A High-Stakes, Low-Life Adventure into the Heart of a Gambling Country
“ 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.
- GenresNonfictionMemoirGames
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
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202 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 12, 2019
Fine piece of participatory journalism
If I had a nickel for every poker book I've read I'd have a couple of bucks more than I have now. That's a tidy number of poker books. Of those books--I've still got about thirty of them around the house--none is more interesting than this fine piece of work by Paris Review contributing editor Andy Bellin.
It starts out rather mundanely with a not entirely promising poker story that he doesn't finish until the penultimate chapter. There are some familiar quotes and some even more familiar poker stories (including the Wild Bill Hickok yarn about aces and eights), a table listing the ranking of poker hands (oh, boy) and another giving the odds and frequency of being dealt various hands in either draw poker or five card stud. (How valuable is that when those games are seldom spread anymore?)
But then it gets interesting because what we discover is that Bellin really does know what he's talking about. He's been there and done that. Not at the highest level (see, e.g., Doyle Brunson's According To Doyle or Bobby Baldwin's Winning Poker Secrets for life there) but at the semi-pro level and as a journalist. He covers the poker experience from New York to Los Angeles through personal experience and from interviews with some of the personalities of the game including Benny Binion, Erik Seidel, Huck Seed and assorted rounders. Some of his information is from research, the Harry S Truman story, for example. He doesn't glorify the game or the players and he doesn't make himself a hero or a disinterested non-combatant either. In fact, the real value of this book is in the portrait of Andy Bellin, bright, very well-off, one-time Vassar (!) boy, who embarrassed his family and himself by spending a good part of his youth worshiping Pocahontas. In this part-memoir, part-participatory journalistic endeavor, Andy makes amends and demonstrates to all who care that actually he wasted nothing and has nothing to be embarrassed about.
First of all, this is a poker book about real poker and real poker people, not the great geniuses of the game and not the low lifes hanging about--although there are a few of those--but about the fanatics, the degenerates, the semi- and sometime- pros who play like addicts or devotees of a bizarre and unforgiving religion. ("Pocahontas" is the player's goddess of poker.) Second, Bellin reveals himself blemishes and all, admitting that he sometimes cheated and got caught, that he spent some time in jail, that he wasn't as good as he thought he was, and that, like most of us, he fooled himself a whole lot. All this makes for a most interesting and disarming read.
The chapter on cheating in which we see that the cheater need only cheat once or twice a night to ensure being a consistent winner, is excellent. The chapter entitled "Small-Time Pros" in which Bellin focuses on a man and women "combine" who worked the clubs in Los Angeles a few years ago (actually they played at the Hollywood Park Club, I can tell by some of the information Bellin gives; in fact I think I played against them!), we learn of the trashy glitter of sex, drugs and pocket rockets, or how to be wasted, and waste your life while you're at it. I also liked his seemingly gratuitous "idiot jail story" in Appendix A.
By the time we get to the second-to-last chapter and get to see the other guy's hole cards we realize Bellin's point and why he slow-rolled the show down (but don't EVER do it again, Andy!). What he wants to demonstrate is that the quintessential thrill of poker lies in that second or two or three between the time you've made the final bet and the time you get to see the other guy's cards.
Andy Bellin understands the psychology of playing poker and the lifestyle. He knows what going on tilt is all about, and proves it by showing himself on tilt on page 132 as his jacks-full get cracked by quads. And he understands what money means to the player. It means being in action, first and foremost because being out of action is the player's death. And he recognizes that even winning poker players usually end up broke. And he knows why.
--Dennis Littrell, author of the mystery novel, “Teddy and Teri”
If I had a nickel for every poker book I've read I'd have a couple of bucks more than I have now. That's a tidy number of poker books. Of those books--I've still got about thirty of them around the house--none is more interesting than this fine piece of work by Paris Review contributing editor Andy Bellin.
It starts out rather mundanely with a not entirely promising poker story that he doesn't finish until the penultimate chapter. There are some familiar quotes and some even more familiar poker stories (including the Wild Bill Hickok yarn about aces and eights), a table listing the ranking of poker hands (oh, boy) and another giving the odds and frequency of being dealt various hands in either draw poker or five card stud. (How valuable is that when those games are seldom spread anymore?)
But then it gets interesting because what we discover is that Bellin really does know what he's talking about. He's been there and done that. Not at the highest level (see, e.g., Doyle Brunson's According To Doyle or Bobby Baldwin's Winning Poker Secrets for life there) but at the semi-pro level and as a journalist. He covers the poker experience from New York to Los Angeles through personal experience and from interviews with some of the personalities of the game including Benny Binion, Erik Seidel, Huck Seed and assorted rounders. Some of his information is from research, the Harry S Truman story, for example. He doesn't glorify the game or the players and he doesn't make himself a hero or a disinterested non-combatant either. In fact, the real value of this book is in the portrait of Andy Bellin, bright, very well-off, one-time Vassar (!) boy, who embarrassed his family and himself by spending a good part of his youth worshiping Pocahontas. In this part-memoir, part-participatory journalistic endeavor, Andy makes amends and demonstrates to all who care that actually he wasted nothing and has nothing to be embarrassed about.
First of all, this is a poker book about real poker and real poker people, not the great geniuses of the game and not the low lifes hanging about--although there are a few of those--but about the fanatics, the degenerates, the semi- and sometime- pros who play like addicts or devotees of a bizarre and unforgiving religion. ("Pocahontas" is the player's goddess of poker.) Second, Bellin reveals himself blemishes and all, admitting that he sometimes cheated and got caught, that he spent some time in jail, that he wasn't as good as he thought he was, and that, like most of us, he fooled himself a whole lot. All this makes for a most interesting and disarming read.
The chapter on cheating in which we see that the cheater need only cheat once or twice a night to ensure being a consistent winner, is excellent. The chapter entitled "Small-Time Pros" in which Bellin focuses on a man and women "combine" who worked the clubs in Los Angeles a few years ago (actually they played at the Hollywood Park Club, I can tell by some of the information Bellin gives; in fact I think I played against them!), we learn of the trashy glitter of sex, drugs and pocket rockets, or how to be wasted, and waste your life while you're at it. I also liked his seemingly gratuitous "idiot jail story" in Appendix A.
By the time we get to the second-to-last chapter and get to see the other guy's hole cards we realize Bellin's point and why he slow-rolled the show down (but don't EVER do it again, Andy!). What he wants to demonstrate is that the quintessential thrill of poker lies in that second or two or three between the time you've made the final bet and the time you get to see the other guy's cards.
Andy Bellin understands the psychology of playing poker and the lifestyle. He knows what going on tilt is all about, and proves it by showing himself on tilt on page 132 as his jacks-full get cracked by quads. And he understands what money means to the player. It means being in action, first and foremost because being out of action is the player's death. And he recognizes that even winning poker players usually end up broke. And he knows why.
--Dennis Littrell, author of the mystery novel, “Teddy and Teri”
November 18, 2018
Both regular poker players and fans from afar who are fascinated by what they see on tv might enjoy this book. It is a light, quick read. The author includes some elementary poker definitions and strategy, but his primary focus is on describing the people who play the game regularly. He includes a lot of personal stories about himself and the local players he has encountered over the years. Most of his experiences resonate with mine, and I particularly enjoyed reading about the local poker rooms and local players.
October 11, 2016
Gives an insider's look at professional poker. Entertaining as a read, but it makes professional poker sound like a compulsion, not a game.
February 2, 2022
Intriguing book by a talented writer who is also a talented poker player. Achieves a rare balance between action and intellectual appeal but not in a deep or memorable sense (is Michael Lewis the mass-market standard here?). It's just never entirely clear what the book is about. Poker Nation is never going to be among the first 5 gambling books that one picks up, so my concern is that the poker background material and zooming in/out ends up detracting from the primary reporting, the Gambling Country part! That's why people bought the book. The interviews are great, the character development is decent, there are a few good laughs and factoids.
The author does gloss over that his parents were big-time NYC socialites in the 60s/70s (his maternal grandfather was literally an Italian "Count" and his father is a celebrity plastic surgeon), which annoys me not because I hate the rich but because the book is probably a bit more autobiographical than it needs to be (at this length) yet tries hard to imply a everyman upbringing and poor-college-kid path. This provides a unique opportunity to look back at a work published twenty years ago (in the infancy of the internet) and assess the plausibility of whether (mostly) omitting pedigree was a conscious decision.
The author does gloss over that his parents were big-time NYC socialites in the 60s/70s (his maternal grandfather was literally an Italian "Count" and his father is a celebrity plastic surgeon), which annoys me not because I hate the rich but because the book is probably a bit more autobiographical than it needs to be (at this length) yet tries hard to imply a everyman upbringing and poor-college-kid path. This provides a unique opportunity to look back at a work published twenty years ago (in the infancy of the internet) and assess the plausibility of whether (mostly) omitting pedigree was a conscious decision.
May 1, 2022
One of the best poker biographies I've read so far. Feels like it's written by someone who not only knows his stuff but has all of the experience to back it up.
July 20, 2016
The ramblings of a writer and expert-level poker player (he played, and was knocked out of, the World Series of Poker one year). It’s clear that Bellin is primarily a magazine article writer, for his book is plagued by Short Attention Span Syndrome. Bits of autobiography are scattered here and there, between chapters on probability, poker “tells,” a primer on bluffing, a few thoughts on cheating, the perils of gambling addiction, portraits of professional poker players, even a chapter on casino mogul Benny Benion, for some reason.
The book is peppered with distracting poker lingo, which doesn’t exactly help one sail through the passages on the probabilities of drawing various poker hands (yawn). The chapter on tells is interesting enough, but how is a study of the individual idiosyncrasies and tics of Bellin’s friends and associates going to help the reader? A more general assessment of the more common tells or probable tics (eyes darting away, hands covering the face, etc.) would be much more useful. The book is rambling, there are odd segues, and Bellin both repeats and contradicts himself (for example, on whether poker has a “romantic” mystique, on the benefits of his personally stacking a deck). And as if Bellin’s aware that he doesn’t have the material for a book length project here, he relies heavily on very lengthy quotes from his subjects: poker pros, female players, his own friends. The bottom line is this is an interesting subject, but there’s too much ground covered over too short a time; Bellin’s prose is clear and simple, but he’s a mediocre writer when it comes to the big picture, and there’s a lot of filler here.
The book is peppered with distracting poker lingo, which doesn’t exactly help one sail through the passages on the probabilities of drawing various poker hands (yawn). The chapter on tells is interesting enough, but how is a study of the individual idiosyncrasies and tics of Bellin’s friends and associates going to help the reader? A more general assessment of the more common tells or probable tics (eyes darting away, hands covering the face, etc.) would be much more useful. The book is rambling, there are odd segues, and Bellin both repeats and contradicts himself (for example, on whether poker has a “romantic” mystique, on the benefits of his personally stacking a deck). And as if Bellin’s aware that he doesn’t have the material for a book length project here, he relies heavily on very lengthy quotes from his subjects: poker pros, female players, his own friends. The bottom line is this is an interesting subject, but there’s too much ground covered over too short a time; Bellin’s prose is clear and simple, but he’s a mediocre writer when it comes to the big picture, and there’s a lot of filler here.
November 21, 2014
Andy Bellin seems to accomplish two things in his book, Poker Nation. While it is presented as entertaining poker memoir, it's also a lesson on how to be a better player. As I was reading and laughing at his stories and characters, I noticed he would slip in situations that asked the reader to consider strategy. It's the same strategy you might find in a Sklansky book, but Bellin gives you a better feel for actually being at the table and trying to make the decision. For example. . .
He talks about Rich who had a good job and a good wife, but lost everything, because he couldn't fold a hand. He had to play everything to the river. Who hasn't been tempted to play anything to end a losing streak? That's the genius of his book. It was an interesting story and a cautionary tale about foolish play.
Between anecdotes he slips in the advice that it's tough to get back to even after you've lost half your money. Life is really just one big poker game. Forget whether this one session is successful. It's better to leave a game that isn't working and make your money in a future game that suits your style of play. He also advises that having a cap on winnings is foolish for the same reasons. Why can't you win a ton in one session?
Bellin talks about check raising and pot odds and position and all the things that the instructional books talk about, but he offers these things in the format of situations he has encountered. Also he shares many great stories of famous and not famous players and how different people come to play poker for fun or for a living. The book is not only quick and fun to read, but it offers some great advice between the lines.
He talks about Rich who had a good job and a good wife, but lost everything, because he couldn't fold a hand. He had to play everything to the river. Who hasn't been tempted to play anything to end a losing streak? That's the genius of his book. It was an interesting story and a cautionary tale about foolish play.
Between anecdotes he slips in the advice that it's tough to get back to even after you've lost half your money. Life is really just one big poker game. Forget whether this one session is successful. It's better to leave a game that isn't working and make your money in a future game that suits your style of play. He also advises that having a cap on winnings is foolish for the same reasons. Why can't you win a ton in one session?
Bellin talks about check raising and pot odds and position and all the things that the instructional books talk about, but he offers these things in the format of situations he has encountered. Also he shares many great stories of famous and not famous players and how different people come to play poker for fun or for a living. The book is not only quick and fun to read, but it offers some great advice between the lines.
September 2, 2016
This is probably the third time I've read this book all the way through, and probably the fourth or fifth time I've read certain chapters. This book has a little bit of everything and I'd highly recommend it for any poker player who wants to take the game even semi-seriously. If you play poker and you have any desire to win, even just a little at the weekly game with all your buddies playing for nickels, dimes and quarters, you must read this book. If you have a friend or family member who plays poker and takes it even somewhat seriously and you want to know a little something about what makes them tick, then this book will interest you greatly.
Bellin flawlessly weaves explanation and instruction with stories both from his life and others, both at the table and away from it. When I first read this book it was for tips on how to become a better poker player and Bellin taught me the fundamentals in a way that both helped me and stuck with me. But I've re-read this book for the stories. Some are short anecdotes to illustrate a point he is making about how to play, others are just to pull back the curtain and take you deep into the poker world. Both triumphant and tragic, the book can also serve as a cautionary tale to those considering taking poker very seriously. If you are thinking about becoming a professional poker player, read this book first and then make your decision.
Bellin flawlessly weaves explanation and instruction with stories both from his life and others, both at the table and away from it. When I first read this book it was for tips on how to become a better poker player and Bellin taught me the fundamentals in a way that both helped me and stuck with me. But I've re-read this book for the stories. Some are short anecdotes to illustrate a point he is making about how to play, others are just to pull back the curtain and take you deep into the poker world. Both triumphant and tragic, the book can also serve as a cautionary tale to those considering taking poker very seriously. If you are thinking about becoming a professional poker player, read this book first and then make your decision.
October 22, 2012
Poker Nation is a fun, light read but deals with some surprisingly weighty subject matter. I've been a casual poker fan for a few years now, following ESPN's coverage of the World Series of Poker as well as reading a few books. A lot of this book came as nothing new to me. However, I really enjoyed some of Bellin's interviews with actual players, as well as the anecdotes of his own experiences as a poker player. I still find the poker world quite fascinating, with Bellin's descriptions of underground poker clubs and the unique lifestyles of those who play poker as a profession. The account of the pro who left his job as an accountant to become a poker pro, only to end up a drug addict in a failed marriage, was quite sobering. I know I could never be a professional poker player for a number of reasons, but this book removed any possible desire to do so. I appreciate the fact that Bellin tells it straight and does not paint the profession in a glamorous light.
November 22, 2009
This is a book that is heavy on memoir and light on strategy, tactics, and how to. In that sense it is different from most of the other poker books which claim to help you get rich (90%+ market share I'd guess).
You need to appreciated the subtext of the book to understand for instance the effect of the ban on online poker in social terms. Though not his point his narrative details why Poker ought to be regulated differently to keep it above board.
My other observation is that his "Poker Nation" is probably like 99.5% in New York City at underground semi-legal, semi-illegal clubs. A step above home games run by mobsters and such.
It's also might be taken as the northern version of the way Amarillo Slim and Doyle Brunson used to go from town to town playing in back rooms and carrying guns.
Of course this didn't happen in the 60s but in the 90s.
You need to appreciated the subtext of the book to understand for instance the effect of the ban on online poker in social terms. Though not his point his narrative details why Poker ought to be regulated differently to keep it above board.
My other observation is that his "Poker Nation" is probably like 99.5% in New York City at underground semi-legal, semi-illegal clubs. A step above home games run by mobsters and such.
It's also might be taken as the northern version of the way Amarillo Slim and Doyle Brunson used to go from town to town playing in back rooms and carrying guns.
Of course this didn't happen in the 60s but in the 90s.
January 24, 2011
The subtitle of this books reads: "A High-Stakes, Low-Life Adventure in the Heart of a Gambling Country." I went in with disillusioned expectations. I love hearing degenerate poker stories, the thrills and scares of playing in illegal back room clubs and stories about the poker celebs. I went in expecting 100% of this but only got about a third of that. The rest is just basic history and introduction to poker. When Bellin stuck to the 33% that supported his intent, it was magic gold. The rest I couldn't burn through fast enough. This is good if you know little to nothing about Poker or the culture, otherwise just listen to the old guy at your poker table who won't shut up with the stories and you'll probably hear most of what I read anyway.
February 8, 2011
I'm really familiar with poker and recognized the names of the pro players in the book. A lot of it felt like reviewing poker basics and the statistics glazed my eyes over, but I enjoyed the personal stories and experiences the most. I think this would be a great book for a beginner player or someone who doesn't know much about the game. Personal preference would have been heavier on the personal experiences rather than the poker lessons. Overall, this was a good book for someone interested in reading about a poker player.
July 14, 2012
Pretty enjoyable overview of how and why people become "professional" poker players. Some of the charts and probabilities are worth scanning over (I guess I'm not going to be a pro player), but Bellin's writing is generally solid enough to make me care about his cards and what his opponents were doing.
If anything, this book came out a little too early--before the rise of WSOP and Celebrity Poker Showdown on cable. There's passing mention to Annie Duke (in a section on women playing poker), who wound up becoming enough of a celebrity to annoy Donald Trump.
If anything, this book came out a little too early--before the rise of WSOP and Celebrity Poker Showdown on cable. There's passing mention to Annie Duke (in a section on women playing poker), who wound up becoming enough of a celebrity to annoy Donald Trump.
February 28, 2008
This was a lot of fun, especially if you play a little poker or were thinking of starting. This is the memoir of a young semi-professional poker player, and what I learned is if you are just playing to have fun, then you might as well flush your money down the toilet. You have to want to win to have success at poker. When i took that notion to heart after reading it in this book, my poker play improved dramatically.
February 16, 2013
A real easy book to read. I found it to be funny (in a kind of dark/sarcastic type of way),and informative about the life/adventures of an underground professional poker player. It also, even though i wouldn't have minded if it did, didn't assume any extreme knowledge of the game. Even would provide a novice player moderate insights into the game without being in the vernacular of an instruction/strategy book.
November 8, 2015
Having dated a poker player, this book helped me understand the stress and lifestyle he goes through daily. This book is well researched and well written. I read it in Las Vegas, and felt the book really connected well with the poker scene in the world poker series - point on. I would recommend this read for those who would like an insightful look into this game.
June 22, 2011
Very enjoyable read, lots of stories relating to the professionals who aren't in the top percentile of super players. To anyone who thinks this may be a glamorous and a fun way of life, read this and you'll soon be thankful for a dull 9-5 routine.
June 13, 2013
Best poker......story ever! I would have traded places with Andy in a second. Well done. I have yet to find an equal to this book that beautifully blends stories of real life and poker action. Trust me, I have tried.
March 17, 2015
Very interesting book about the poker history, underground and side parts. The poker reviewed as never, in its human condition: poker heroes and "degenerates" , a lot of stories and side parts. Niiiiiiiiiice !!!
note: not a book to learn how to play.
note: not a book to learn how to play.
October 30, 2008
Very good book that shines a bright light into the seamy world of poker pros. A bit scary, really.
October 4, 2009
A good general book about poker which I knew little about.
February 5, 2010
A pleasant read about the different aspects of poker.
April 27, 2011
Funny poker stories
July 9, 2012
An engaging read on the game of poker from a bunch of different perspectives. You will learn little about the game itself here but it's an interesting collection of anecdotes.
November 15, 2013
Entertaining, but geared too much for someone who has never played poker before. Quick read.
March 11, 2013
This was interesting but not riveting. The author talks about playing poker, different situations he's been in or heard about, and about how to play cards.
April 19, 2013
I really enjoyed this book...lots of helpful hints as well as great stories. If you love poker, this is a good read.
June 11, 2015
Reading this for background knowledge on another project. A few pages in, I realized I already read this like 10 years ago. Entertaining and informative.
June 28, 2015
good book, but wanted a little more depth.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews