Depicts a subculture rich with legend - from the no-limits Hold'em game to the late 20th-century World Championships in Las Vegas. Its terminology underpins modern life: Alvarez tells us "passing the buck" came from the baize table, as did "bluff", "above board", and "something up your sleeve".
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Depicts a subculture rich with legend - from the no-limits Hold'em game to the late 20th-century World Championships in Las Vegas. Its terminology underpins modern life: Alvarez tells us "passing the buck" came from the baize table, as did "bluff", "above board", and "something up your sleeve".
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Add this copy of Poker: Bets, Bluffs and Bad Beats to cart. $7.99, fair condition, Sold by Ladylisabooks rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Chester, , UNITED KINGDOM, published 2001 by Bloomsbury.
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Used: Acceptable. Hardback with D/J in like new condition. Amazon In Poker Bets, Bluffs, and Bad Beats, journalist, poet and novelist Al Alvarez looks back on a lifetime's immersion in the business of playing cards for money, and quantifies the emotional and intellectual pot into which he and millions of other players past and present have been tossing their chips for nearly 200 years. For the past 40 years or more I have played poker regularly, once or twice a week, except when I am in Las Vegas, when I play all day every day for a couple of weeks on end. Poker changed my life, and sometimes I think it may even have saved it. From the card-sharps on the Mississippi steamboats, to the thrill-seeking octogenarians playing for $5 jackpots in corporate Las Vegas, Alvarez explores the history and mythology of the game, the legends and the also-rans, arguing that the legacy of poker is far greater than sum of its losers and winners. Alvarez gauges how far the language and underlying attitudes of the game have become interwoven with American-led culture; how the bluffing and dollar-bullying that are key to winning are writ large across the history of power brokering in the USA, from the days of the "wild frontier" to the ongoing struggles for supremacy in the White House; how the professional players' maxim, "never give a sucker an even break", is the guiding principle of a me-first consumption-fixated society. Or as Walter Matthau put it: "The game exemplifies all the worst aspects of capitalism that have made our country so great." A witty, intelligent study, lavishly and eclectically illustrated with images of the ephemera and iconography of the game, this is a gorgeous book-product of one pipe-smoking poet's turbulent, enduring love affair with poker, with risk and reward, and the men and women, both real and imagined, who have marshalled the qualities of high thinking and low cunning that mark out the true card player. Alex Hankin.
Add this copy of Poker: Bets, Bluffs and Bad Beats to cart. $6.42, very good condition, Sold by Halcyon Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from LONDON, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2001 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.
Add this copy of Poker: Bets, Bluffs and Bad Beats to cart. $6.99, very good condition, Sold by Brit Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milton Keynes, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2001 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.
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Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Add this copy of Poker to cart. $12.76, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Bloomsbury Pub Ltd.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Poker to cart. $15.62, very good condition, Sold by Half Price Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Bloomsbury.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Poker: Bets, Bluffs and Bad Beats to cart. $38.68, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.
