Poker Nation by Andy Bellin

Poker Nation by Andy Bellin

"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.

Andy Bellin made the terrible mistake of falling in love with poker while pursuing a master's degree in astrophysics. He has been playing semipro poker for ten years since graduating from graduate school at the age of twenty-two. His work has appeared in Esquire, Details, and Maxim, among other publications, and he is an editor at the Paris Review. Bellin lives in New York City, where four underground poker clubs are located within a mile of his home. On practically any given night, you can find him at one.