In Reading Gambling Can Work

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

There are I think about four types of reader a writer on gambling games  (as opposed to a writer who tries to teach you how to play one) has to satisfy at exactly the same time.

One: The Professional player

Two: The Wannabe Professional Player. Whose dreams are hampered by real life and a lack of talent.

Three: People who dabble in such things as online poker but have no dreams of taking things further.

Four: People who have absolutely no idea of the rules of Poker etc and still wont after they've finished the book. People who think risk is an extra sweetener in their cup of tea but who are intrigued by this world need the writer to be like a nursery teacher leading a bewildered infant into a different world before guiding them out again into their bright safe inside the box existence (and nothing wrong with that. Boxes are secure).

I think you can guess which category I fall into. Being World Professional Poker Champion...no I'm only kidding on that one. .....as I think I've mentioned before my poker face is one of extreme panic wondering what the hell to do next.

But the point is that being ignorant in card games does not matter. As long as the writer is a good translator into what is going on then we the ignoramases can join the ride.

I liked Victoria Coren's autobiography, For Richer,For Poorer, in which poker takes a major role but on finishing I'd no more idea of it's rules let alone a desire to participate. On watching The Cincinnati Kid as a teenage boy my ambitions had nothing to do with what happened on the table,more in being as cool as Steve Mcqueen and having a torrid love affair with Ann Margaret (both in which I failed miserably).

And having finished Breaking Vegas I can add Ben Mizrich to the list of writers where the reader without any knowledge is given a helping hand whilst I'm sure the other categories of reader mentioned earlier are just as happy too.

This book tells the story of how a group of mainly young people were able to win money from the blackjack tables in Vegas through various systems and the "response" of the casino world to their success.

It must be stressed that this is a gambletainment and claims to be nothing else, It will not give you deep insights into the human condition unless you're such an innocent to be surprised that people will seek to get money from casinos with full proof systems and the casinos will do everything in their power to stop you. But if you just sought to be entertained then I would recommend it highly.

Wikipedia suggests that some of the characters are composite and that some of the events are not facttually accurate. Looking at their list I don't believe this matters here. Films/TV does this all the time. The important point is that the central character is not composite and the main storyline/events are not questioned so I don't consider it an issue.

And now I'm going to make myself a cup of tea before going to bed...with added sweetener.

Until the next time.