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The Cincinnati Kid
The Cincinnati Kid, first published in 1963 (and made into a feature film starring Steve McQueen in 1965), is a gritty novel of smoky back-rooms and centered on a young card-shark (“The Kid”) who eventually finds himself in a stud-poker game against the undisputed master (“The Man”). From the dust-jacket: “By the time he was twenty-one, he was a full rambling-gambling man, a three river man... . From Jolly’s Omaha Card Club on the Missouri, to Sprügi’s Emporium in Wheeling on the Ohio, down to Memphis on the Mississippi, he was known as The Cincinnati Kid, a comer, with a way about him.”
The Kid first saw Lancey Hodges in a game in Kentucky, and he did not have to be told that Lancey was The Man, the number one player who ruled the stud poker circuit from Vegas to Miami. An old pro warned him about Lancey: “You growd some, Cincinnata. You kin make his stomik ulcer bleed, but I ain’t got much faith in nothin’ that will take him.”
The Kid first saw Lancey Hodges in a game in Kentucky, and he did not have to be told that Lancey was The Man, the number one player who ruled the stud poker circuit from Vegas to Miami. An old pro warned him about Lancey: “You growd some, Cincinnata. You kin make his stomik ulcer bleed, but I ain’t got much faith in nothin’ that will take him.”
- GenresFiction
121 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1963
27 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Richard Jessup
53 books10 followersAlso wrote under the name Richard Telfair
Richard Jessup was a prolific American author and screenwriter.
Richard Jessup was a prolific American author and screenwriter.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 23, 2022
The Cincinnati Kid is a young up-and-coming card player who decides to challenge the reigning champ, Lancey Hodges, in an underground poker game. Will he win or lose? Snore.
Richard Jessup’s 1963 novel The Cincinnati Kid is a rightfully forgotten pile of garbage about tedious people doing supposedly interesting things in an uninteresting narrative.
Jessup fails to bring to life the excitement of high stakes poker matches and, unless you’re familiar with five-card stud (I’m not - and the rules are unhelpfully printed at the end of the book rather than at the start), these sequences will be totally lost on you as to what any of it means. Better authors can write about subjects readers will be unfamiliar with but still make them understand the drama behind them, like Walter Tevis writing about pool or chess in The Hustler and The Queen’s Gambit; Jessup is nowhere close to Tevis’ level though, unfortunately.
Half the novel is about the Kid and his dreary country girlfriend Christian anyway. No idea why either because there’s no drama there whatsoever - I guess it’s to add pages to this slight novel that’s basically one scene. Some of the terminology is outdated - Jessup uses the term “rambling-gambling man” unironically, which only makes it seem more lame than it probably was at the time. The wafer-thin characters have stupid names like Pig, Ladyfingers and The Shooter. Dorks.
The big match between the Kid and Lancey is so underwhelming. I didn’t feel any tension in their encounter, they’re much too cordial with one another, exchanging the most pointless, boring dialogue you’ll ever read, stopping and starting before the anticlimax.
It looks like this rubbish got made into a Steve McQueen movie judging by the cover - definitely won’t be watching that! The Cincinnati Kid was the dullest drivel from start to finish. If you want to read a fun novel about card players, check out Jim Dodge’s Stone Junction instead.
Richard Jessup’s 1963 novel The Cincinnati Kid is a rightfully forgotten pile of garbage about tedious people doing supposedly interesting things in an uninteresting narrative.
Jessup fails to bring to life the excitement of high stakes poker matches and, unless you’re familiar with five-card stud (I’m not - and the rules are unhelpfully printed at the end of the book rather than at the start), these sequences will be totally lost on you as to what any of it means. Better authors can write about subjects readers will be unfamiliar with but still make them understand the drama behind them, like Walter Tevis writing about pool or chess in The Hustler and The Queen’s Gambit; Jessup is nowhere close to Tevis’ level though, unfortunately.
Half the novel is about the Kid and his dreary country girlfriend Christian anyway. No idea why either because there’s no drama there whatsoever - I guess it’s to add pages to this slight novel that’s basically one scene. Some of the terminology is outdated - Jessup uses the term “rambling-gambling man” unironically, which only makes it seem more lame than it probably was at the time. The wafer-thin characters have stupid names like Pig, Ladyfingers and The Shooter. Dorks.
The big match between the Kid and Lancey is so underwhelming. I didn’t feel any tension in their encounter, they’re much too cordial with one another, exchanging the most pointless, boring dialogue you’ll ever read, stopping and starting before the anticlimax.
It looks like this rubbish got made into a Steve McQueen movie judging by the cover - definitely won’t be watching that! The Cincinnati Kid was the dullest drivel from start to finish. If you want to read a fun novel about card players, check out Jim Dodge’s Stone Junction instead.
February 15, 2022
One of the very rare times I have to admit the movie is better than the book.
July 23, 2011
Jessup shows us one man's reach for the brass ring of poker glory in a brisk 154 pages. Similar to the movie only in the broad strokes, the details of this novel make it vastly different work. Unencumbered by the minor characters and sub-plots larded onto Norman Jewison's film, the novel makes The Cincinnati Kid a character, not a caricature.
June 25, 2013
Great American writing.
“Good crowd," Lancey said.
"Yeah," the Kid said.
"Nice groceries, too."
"And good booze. My brandy must be Napoleon."
"Uh-huh."
"Yeah."
"Nice looking broads."
"That's a fact," The Kid said.
"Ain't that Shooter something? Love to see him skin a deck."
"It's downright sexy," The Kid said.
"He loves 'em."
"Like stroking a beautiful tit," The Kid said.
"That's it - that's it," Lancey said, nodding.
"Yeah."
"You seen him yet?"
"No. You?"
"No."
"I dint hear he wasn't coming," The Kid said.
"He'll come, Kid," Lancey said, almost, but not quite, warmly and reassuringly.
"I sure hope so," The Kid said. "I like Nig."
"Well, I do too."
"I heard talk."
"Long time now."
"It ain't hard to like Nig."
"Not at all."
"Him sitting down yonder in Memphis and he knows it all."
"Everything."
"They oughta take him into the intelligence."
"They ought."
"Pig shouldn'ta done that."
"No," Lancey said. "He was wrong. Dead wrong."
"I ain't apologizing."
"I know it - I know it."
"It's just - "
"Kid, I know all about it," Lancey said.
"Yeah, you been around."
"Long time."
“Good crowd," Lancey said.
"Yeah," the Kid said.
"Nice groceries, too."
"And good booze. My brandy must be Napoleon."
"Uh-huh."
"Yeah."
"Nice looking broads."
"That's a fact," The Kid said.
"Ain't that Shooter something? Love to see him skin a deck."
"It's downright sexy," The Kid said.
"He loves 'em."
"Like stroking a beautiful tit," The Kid said.
"That's it - that's it," Lancey said, nodding.
"Yeah."
"You seen him yet?"
"No. You?"
"No."
"I dint hear he wasn't coming," The Kid said.
"He'll come, Kid," Lancey said, almost, but not quite, warmly and reassuringly.
"I sure hope so," The Kid said. "I like Nig."
"Well, I do too."
"I heard talk."
"Long time now."
"It ain't hard to like Nig."
"Not at all."
"Him sitting down yonder in Memphis and he knows it all."
"Everything."
"They oughta take him into the intelligence."
"They ought."
"Pig shouldn'ta done that."
"No," Lancey said. "He was wrong. Dead wrong."
"I ain't apologizing."
"I know it - I know it."
"It's just - "
"Kid, I know all about it," Lancey said.
"Yeah, you been around."
"Long time."
June 6, 2016
Great read
I don't know much about cards, but I found this book impossible to put down. The time, the people, sounds,smells, tastes...I was drawn right into this rich world. This book is destined to be one of those I will set aside, only to pick it up again over time when I feel the need to travel to a friendly place. I expect to enjoy it for the rest of my life.
I don't know much about cards, but I found this book impossible to put down. The time, the people, sounds,smells, tastes...I was drawn right into this rich world. This book is destined to be one of those I will set aside, only to pick it up again over time when I feel the need to travel to a friendly place. I expect to enjoy it for the rest of my life.
January 4, 2020
This is a story about more than just card sharks, it is a look at anyone who is the best, waiting for someone to challenge them and knock them off their seat.
November 14, 2019
This is tale about an up and coming star, The Cincinnati Kid, in the informal world of stud poker players during the 1950s. He decides to take on the man recognized as the king of these stud poker players. The book goes into detail describing this rambling, gambling world and the people who inhabit that world. The story includes the Kid’s relationship with the woman in his life. It is an interesting world of gamblers and a great read. The story fills with tension as the big showdown game occurs and each turn of a card can bring victory or complete defeat.
May 14, 2022
The book alright…solid story…I can see how he was inspired by The Hustler written by Walter Tevis. However, The Hustler was a much better novel.
Thought the Cincinnati Kid lacked tension where it was necessary. There didn’t seem to be much character development in The Kid or Lancey…I kept asking myself why is he facing off against Lancey who is known as The Man…why do I care about this poker game?
I’m glad I saw the movie before reading the book…I could definitely see McQueen playing this character.
Movie was better than the book, which is hard to do.
Thought the Cincinnati Kid lacked tension where it was necessary. There didn’t seem to be much character development in The Kid or Lancey…I kept asking myself why is he facing off against Lancey who is known as The Man…why do I care about this poker game?
I’m glad I saw the movie before reading the book…I could definitely see McQueen playing this character.
Movie was better than the book, which is hard to do.
January 4, 2024
better than the movie
I saw the movie many times.
Always enjoyed it with the family too.
Great actors and reflection on a time long past.
The insight of a real poker game played by the pro’s of that time period
The book has more details and the ending is so well done.
Not only the lifestyle of a card player. But the respect they had among other players and the community itself, much different than today!
If you enjoyed the movie, you’re going to enjoy the book.
It was written well and worthy of reading!
I saw the movie many times.
Always enjoyed it with the family too.
Great actors and reflection on a time long past.
The insight of a real poker game played by the pro’s of that time period
The book has more details and the ending is so well done.
Not only the lifestyle of a card player. But the respect they had among other players and the community itself, much different than today!
If you enjoyed the movie, you’re going to enjoy the book.
It was written well and worthy of reading!
May 4, 2019
The Cincinnati kid is a gambling man in the Midwest,by the time he’s 16 he is in St Louis at the age of 26 he is ready to take Lancey Hodges ,the man to beat.
The game is stud poker,there are a few days which build up to the showdown in a scene which is full of unnerving tension which remind me of the movie ,the hustler,
This is a close,tight story with the riffle of the deck and the cold fever of the gambling man.
The game is stud poker,there are a few days which build up to the showdown in a scene which is full of unnerving tension which remind me of the movie ,the hustler,
This is a close,tight story with the riffle of the deck and the cold fever of the gambling man.
December 3, 2024
This was just okay for me. I am not a huge fan and know little about playing poker, so it was kind of boring for me. I also had a hard time imagining a person could give up everything to make cards and gambling their main priority and obsession. I guess that what professional gamblers need to do. The overall story was pretty good, but the long part about the game was kind of long and boring. That is why I gave it a 3.
December 26, 2025
A Great Yarn for the Guys
A very entertaining character study set in the immediate post-WWII midwest - before TV, air conditioning, low-fare jet airliners, and women’s lib. Guys can get into it. Gamblers will love it. Women should best stay away. This is not a story for the modern woman.
Significantly different from the Steve McQueen movie of the same name - including the St. Louis, as opposed to New Orleans, setting - but each has its good points.
A very entertaining character study set in the immediate post-WWII midwest - before TV, air conditioning, low-fare jet airliners, and women’s lib. Guys can get into it. Gamblers will love it. Women should best stay away. This is not a story for the modern woman.
Significantly different from the Steve McQueen movie of the same name - including the St. Louis, as opposed to New Orleans, setting - but each has its good points.
February 25, 2024
Jessup's novel about a young up and coming poker player facing down the best stud player was written four years after the Hustler, and follows a similar story arc.
Jessup's writing is not as good as Tevis, and the final showdown lacks the tension of the Hustler.
It is a quick read however.
Jessup's writing is not as good as Tevis, and the final showdown lacks the tension of the Hustler.
It is a quick read however.
October 9, 2021
Milton
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2023
This is a very similar story to that of “The Hustler” except with poker instead of pool, but the writing isn’t quite as good and the characters are less well-developed.
November 11, 2023
A short story about a guy who’s really good a cards but isn’t quite the best. He plays a really long game with the Man. It would be better if I understood the lingo of stud poker.
November 29, 2023
Quality prose and a solid story about talent and ambition. Would recommend.
August 19, 2013
I saw the film many years ago. It was wonderful reading the novel with cast members flashing in my mind:
Steve McQueen as Eric "The Kid" Stoner
Edward G. Robinson as Lancey "The Man" Howard
Karl Malden as Shooter
Ann-Margret as Melba
Tuesday Weld as Christian
Joan Blondell as Lady Fingers
Rip Torn as Slade
Theodore Marcuse as Felix
Midge Ware as Mrs. Slade
Jack Weston as Pig
Cab Calloway as Yeller
Jeff Corey as Hoban
Milton Selzer as Sokal
Karl Swenson as Mr. Rudd
Émile Genest as Cajun
Ron Soble as Danny
Dub Taylor as the first dealer
Sweet Emma Barrett as the blues singer
Steve McQueen as Eric "The Kid" Stoner
Edward G. Robinson as Lancey "The Man" Howard
Karl Malden as Shooter
Ann-Margret as Melba
Tuesday Weld as Christian
Joan Blondell as Lady Fingers
Rip Torn as Slade
Theodore Marcuse as Felix
Midge Ware as Mrs. Slade
Jack Weston as Pig
Cab Calloway as Yeller
Jeff Corey as Hoban
Milton Selzer as Sokal
Karl Swenson as Mr. Rudd
Émile Genest as Cajun
Ron Soble as Danny
Dub Taylor as the first dealer
Sweet Emma Barrett as the blues singer
December 8, 2020
As good as it ever was
I read this book over fifty years ago and it resonated then. Something made me revisit it this week and the tightness of the storytelling stands the rest of the years. What a classic.
I read this book over fifty years ago and it resonated then. Something made me revisit it this week and the tightness of the storytelling stands the rest of the years. What a classic.
October 1, 2016
It's set in St. Louis whereas the movie was set in New Orleans. So far the best poker novel I have ever read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews