Review of Play Poker to Win

Title:

Play Poker to Win

Author:

"Amarillo Slim" Preston with Bill G. Cox

Publisher:

Grosset & Dunlap

Date:

1973

ISBN:

0-448-02134-X

Pages:

175

Price:

Out of Print

Reviewed by Nick Christenson, npc@lvrevealed.com

March 8, 2003

Without a doubt, Thomas Austin "Amarillo Slim" Preston is one of the most colorful characters in a business that is filled with remarkable personalities. While he was well known among serious gamblers before his World Series of Poker win in 1972, he became a public fixture afterwards, arguably the most famous gambler on the planet. Capitalizing on his WSOP victory, Slim went on a publicity blitz, including writing (with Bill Cox) his first book in 1973, Play Poker to Win.

Play Poker to Win begins with a description of Slim's win at the 1972 WSOP and then moves into some background about poker psychology and the odds of events occurring in the game. Slim just doesn't strike me as much of a numbers person. In many cases, some players with which I've played it's apparent that they're solving mathematical equations in their heads while deciding how to play a hand. Anyone suspect of Slim's intellect would be quite the fool, nonetheless, I would be quite surprised to find out that he has solved a mathematical equation at a poker table in his life. Through experience and careful consideration away from the table, Slim has honed his knowledge of the game to such an extent that his instincts almost always will lead him to a mathematically correct decision. The problem is, that it's difficult to translate this experience to the written word.

Next, in successive chapters the book covers several forms of poker: Draw, Hold'em, Draw Lowball, Five Card Stud, Seven Card Stud, Razz, and wild card games. Much as is the case for the mathematical sections of the book, by today's standards these sections are quite light on specifics. Only a sketchy description of starting hand requirements are provided, and little is said about what one needs to play after a raise, the effects of position, etc.. Also, most of the information provided is geared toward Slim's favorite form of poker, no-limit. The book concludes with a few chapters on poker etiquette and the life of a professional gambler, although these are primarily an opportunity for Slim to regale us with more of his great tales.

Despite the lack of specificity, there is some good poker advice buried in this text, especially when one considers that the book was written well before the recent explosion in poker information. While not discussed in depth or in mathematically rigorous terms, Slim does provide a description of what David Sklansky would later come to call "implied odds". On occasion, he talks about the importance of position in various forms of poker. He also shows his willingness to raise when on a strong draw, a concept referred to these days as the "semi-bluff". While these strategies are all explained more thoroughly in other books, most notably, Theory of Poker, the fact that all of these advanced concepts are mentioned in a single book published 6 years before Super/System is worthy of note.

In truth, the poker advice isn't the primary reason a person would want to read Play Poker to Win. While 30% of the book might be poker advice, the balance is Slim recounting his most memorable gambling exploits. Since the primary author is a giant in a community replete with colorful characters, one might bet that these stories will be pretty entertaining, and that would be an awfully safe bet. Just some of these great stories include Slim telling us about his days as a pool hustler playing against the likes of Minnesota Fats, betting on who can jump the furthest at a golf course, and even playing table tennis with a frying pan -- or even more exotic paddles. Anyone who is paying attention and has run in to Amarillo Slim Preston in any setting will come away knowing three things: (1) The man has had some amazing experiences, (2) The man knows how to communicate them to an audience, and (3) The man is full to the brim not only of wit, but of wisdom as well. This is the essence of Amarillo Slim Preston, and this essence is captured well in this book.

The stories Slim tells are simply astounding. While he may project the air of a country bumpkin, he is nobody's fool. While he never makes any bones about his aptitude at wagering, the combination of his affable manner and seeming lack of sophistication mask a mind that is razor sharp. While most of these stories are retold in Slim's second, forthcoming book, Amarillo slim in a World Full of Fat People (written with Greg Dinkin), there are some that aren't, and these are worth reading.

While the poker advice is sparse, for its day there were a few nuggets that an attentive reader might have found quite valuable. At this point in time, all of these concepts are certain to be familiar to the well-read poker enthusiast, so if one were to measure the poker content of Play Poker to Win by contemporary standards, it doesn't come out so well. Further, those who want to hear Slim's great stories will definitely want to check out his more thorough 2003 book. Because of this, I wouldn't recommend that someone shell out boku bucks or scour the ends of the earth to find a copy of this out-of-print book. Still, poker enthusiasts who pick up this volume at a reasonable price will almost certainly be pleased they did. Play Poker to Win is a great deal of fun.

Capsule:

While Play Poker to Win contained some insightful, albeit brief, advice for it's time, the state of poker strategy literature has outpaced this book. While there are more stories in the forthcoming book, Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People, there are still some that are recounted only in Play Poker to Win. Therefore, I expect poker enthusiasts who can obtain an inexpensive copy of this out-of-print book will be entertained enough to feel that going through it was worth their time and money. Play Poker to Win is entertaining and occasionally enlightening, and I enjoyed reading it.