Book Review: "The Godfather of Poker"
lawh...@hiwaay.net
a restaurant last night reading this book. Before I knew it, a waiter
interrupted me saying, "Sir, I'm sorry but we're closing ..." I had
sat there for three hours straight turning page after page. Doyle's
recollections of his memorable encounters with Tony "the Ant" Spilotro
(portrayed by Joe Pesci in the movie "Casino") as well as big time
drug kingpin Jimmy Chagra are fascinating. (Not to give too much
away, but Spilotro actually threatened to kill Doyle. Talk about a
tough neighborhood ...)
There are (many) other fascinating and colorful stories in this book,
but rather than going into them here I'll sum up my review as follows:
Go buy this book! It's a damn good read.
Alan C. Lawhon
Huntsville, Alabama
chandler
A podcast interview with Brunson that touches on this book. Scroll down
to Dec. 1... also an interview with Negreanu if you scroll down to August
20.
Chandler
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chandler
Guess the link might help.
http://www.stevefriess.com/podcast/
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chandler
http://www.stevefriess.com/podcast/
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Gary Carson
than the kind of guy who made empty threats.
I'm not convinced that Spilotro was as weak as Doyle seems to protray him.
Charles is the kind of guy who makes threats that he isn't going to follow
through on, not Tony Spilotro.
On Jan 3 2010 7:46 AM, lawh...@HiWAAY.net wrote:
> This (just published) book is Doyle Brunson's autobiography. I sat in
> a restaurant last night reading this book. Before I knew it, a waiter
> interrupted me saying, "Sir, I'm sorry but we're closing ..." I had
> sat there for three hours straight turning page after page. Doyle's
> recollections of his memorable encounters with Tony "the Ant" Spilotro
> (portrayed by Joe Pesci in the movie "Casino") as well as big time
> drug kingpin Jimmy Chagra are fascinating. (Not to give too much
> away, but Spilotro actually threatened to kill Doyle. Talk about a
> tough neighborhood ...)
-----�
K9way
this was exactly my first thought when I read this .. he didnt NEED to
threaten anyobne
he frequently took small "pieces" of poker players who did business with
him ..business other than poker .. he did this to keep them from being
cheated at the Dunes .. there are stories that the "CREW" at the Duned
didnt dare allow those they knew to be in partners with Tony to lose ..
even on the up and up
I am not sure if Gary Phillips and Razzo knows this or not but Tony's best
friend and also his older brother were regulars at the Dust. His brother
went by the name of Vince James and died a few years ago.. he played 5-10
stud at the Dust every day .
One of his best friends worked at the Dust before going to the Bingo
Palace
Recession .. when IMike's neighbor loses his trailer
Depression .. when IMike loses his trailer
Recovery .. when IMike accepts public assistance funded by Obama
______________________________________________________________________�
Paul Popinjay
news:6it617x...@recgroups.com...
>
> this was exactly my first thought when I read this .. he didnt NEED to
> threaten anyobne
> he frequently took small "pieces" of poker players who did business with
> him ..business other than poker .. he did this to keep them from being
> cheated at the Dunes .. there are stories that the "CREW" at the Duned
> didnt dare allow those they knew to be in partners with Tony to lose ..
> even on the up and up
>
> I am not sure if Gary Phillips and Razzo knows this or not but Tony's best
> friend and also his older brother were regulars at the Dust. His brother
> went by the name of Vince James and died a few years ago.. he played 5-10
> stud at the Dust every day .
>
> One of his best friends worked at the Dust before going to the Bingo
> Palace
>
I'm just now reading Oscar Goodman's book, Of Rats and Men, I got it last
week. It's pretty good.
By the way, Dave Keiser once posted a cute story about calling Spilatro's
brother an asshole when he was needling Keiser about losing a big pot. I
think he said it was at the Golden Nugget. Apparently, Keiser said, his
brother came around the table and "whispered sweet nothings" in his ear.
Dave said he almost shit in his pants. lol
RazzO
when it was just him and I sitting at the big game table. All the other
players took a small break. I asked specifically if he ever knew Tony. He
said he never spoke to him.
I haven't read the book, which I will buy at Amazon, but Doyle must have
heard this second hand, if was telling me the truth.
On Jan 3 2010 5:46 AM, lawh...@HiWAAY.net wrote:
> drug kingpin Jimmy Chagra are fascinating. (Not to give too much
> away, but Spilotro actually threatened to kill Doyle. Talk about a
> tough neighborhood ...)
>
> Alan C. Lawhon
> Huntsville, Alabama
RazzO
________________________________________________________________________�
risky biz
> This (just published) book is Doyle Brunson's autobiography. I sat in
> a restaurant last night reading this book. Before I knew it, a waiter
> interrupted me saying, "Sir, I'm sorry but we're closing ..." I had
> sat there for three hours straight turning page after page. Doyle's
> recollections of his memorable encounters with Tony "the Ant" Spilotro
> (portrayed by Joe Pesci in the movie "Casino") as well as big time
> drug kingpin Jimmy Chagra are fascinating. (Not to give too much
> away, but Spilotro actually threatened to kill Doyle. Talk about a
> tough neighborhood ...)
Spilotro ended up in a cornfield in Kansas which is where he should have
been 30 years earlier.
>
> There are (many) other fascinating and colorful stories in this book,
> but rather than going into them here I'll sum up my review as follows:
> Go buy this book! It's a damn good read.
>
> Alan C. Lawhon
> Huntsville, Alabama
____________________________________________________________________�
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risky biz
> This pretty weird. In 1990 I talked to Doyle, years before we came close,
> when it was just him and I sitting at the big game table. All the other
> players took a small break. I asked specifically if he ever knew Tony. He
> said he never spoke to him.
> I haven't read the book, which I will buy at Amazon, but Doyle must have
> heard this second hand, if was telling me the truth.
Book promotion and sales.
> On Jan 3 2010 5:46 AM, lawh...@HiWAAY.net wrote:
>
> > drug kingpin Jimmy Chagra are fascinating. (Not to give too much
> > away, but Spilotro actually threatened to kill Doyle. Talk about a
> > tough neighborhood ...)
>
> >
> > Alan C. Lawhon
> > Huntsville, Alabama
>
>
> RazzO
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La Cosa Nostradamus
must have some crazy second hand stories.
I trust Doyle's accuracy. I have read his bio's before at sites and in
books. He tells stories well. A whole book of his adventures must be
pretty neat.
Sounds like a good book. Supersystem left a lot to be desired as far as
his personal history goes, for me
On Jan 3 2010 8:46 AM, lawh...@HiWAAY.net wrote:
Music
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7CBC79A5A43EA115&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL
Dec 21, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=BEACDF838531C36C&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL
------�
mary in vegas
> On Jan 3 2010 6:46 AM, lawh...@HiWAAY.net wrote:
>
> > This (just published) book is Doyle Brunson's autobiography. I sat in
> > a restaurant last night reading this book. Before I knew it, a waiter
> > interrupted me saying, "Sir, I'm sorry but we're closing ..." I had
> > sat there for three hours straight turning page after page. Doyle's
> > recollections of his memorable encounters with Tony "the Ant" Spilotro
> > (portrayed by Joe Pesci in the movie "Casino") as well as big time
> > drug kingpin Jimmy Chagra are fascinating. (Not to give too much
> > away, but Spilotro actually threatened to kill Doyle. Talk about a
> > tough neighborhood ...)
>
> Spilotro ended up in a cornfield in Kansas which is where he should have
> been 30 years earlier.
>
> >
> > There are (many) other fascinating and colorful stories in this book,
> > but rather than going into them here I'll sum up my review as follows:
> > Go buy this book! It's a damn good read.
> >
> > Alan C. Lawhon
> > Huntsville, Alabama
nope it was a field in indiana. if i remember right, a connected guy
owned the field. also...my husband lived in the same neighborhood as tony
s. back in chicago. you didn't want to cross this guy..
mary in vegas
------�
Paul Popinjay
news:qoe717x...@recgroups.com...
> On Jan 3 2010 11:37 AM, risky biz wrote:
>
>>
>> Spilotro ended up in a cornfield in Kansas which is where he should have
>> been 30 years earlier.
>>
>
> nope it was a field in indiana. if i remember right, a connected guy
> owned the field. also...my husband lived in the same neighborhood as tony
> s. back in chicago. you didn't want to cross this guy..
> mary in vegas
>
That's right, it was Indiana. And I'm SURE Risky Biz woulda talked that to
his face. lol
Paul Popinjay
news:hhr27a$351$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
In fact, I read that they were murdered somewhere else, and then buried in
Indiana. Either way, it was not Kansas, and Risky Biz is WRONG again!
Also, if I remember, someone was convicted for the murders just about a year
ago. I know that Culotta wrote a book about everything, and he has been
promoting that book for the last year or so in connection with Las Vegas
Advisor. I still have not bought the book or read it, but it should be a
pretty good read. As I mentioned elsewhere in this thread, I am currently
reading Oscar Goodman's "Of Rats and Men", just got it last week. Already
got through the Jimmy Chagra chapter. His main client is Spilotro, or Tough
Tony. So far, pretty good read.
-PP
Puppytoes
I read "Of Rats and Men" several years ago, when it first came
out, and thought it was very good. Oscar is a hoot and very personable
and approachable. I said hello to him at McCaren one day and he stopped
and chatted for a moment. I'm half way thru "The Godfather of Poker" and
am really enjoying it.
--------�
risky biz
> "Paul Popinjay" <paulpo...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
> news:hhr27a$351$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> > "mary in vegas" <mar...@cox.net> wrote in message
> > news:qoe717x...@recgroups.com...
> >> On Jan 3 2010 11:37 AM, risky biz wrote:
> >>
> >
> >>>
> >>> Spilotro ended up in a cornfield in Kansas which is where he should have
> >>> been 30 years earlier.
> >>>
> >
> >>
> >> nope it was a field in indiana. if i remember right, a connected guy
> >> owned the field. also...my husband lived in the same neighborhood as
> >> tony
> >> s. back in chicago. you didn't want to cross this guy..
> >> mary in vegas
> >>
> >
> >
> > That's right, it was Indiana. And I'm SURE Risky Biz woulda talked that
> > to
> > his face. lol
> In fact, I read that they were murdered somewhere else, and then buried in
> Indiana. Either way, it was not Kansas, and Risky Biz is WRONG again!
> -PP
Oh, grow up!
Paul Popinjay
news:vgl717x...@recgroups.com...
>
> Oh, grow up!
>
Oh, yeah, right, doo-doo face. You were WRONG, numb nuts! Admit IT! WRONG
WRONG WRONG WRONG!
Deadmoney Walking
No mention of Russ G in the index. Did he even mention RGP?
risky biz
Yeah, but I don't give a damn what field he was buried in. And what do you
mean I wouldn't talk that to his face? You act like that sack of filth was
a dear personal friend or something. Another piece of garbage who's still
on the loose is Whitey Bulger. He should be buried alive.
K9way
Jimmy Chagras GF was a floor person at the Stardust and she was in the
movie Bad News Bears .. When they go to the dance studio to talk to the
girl about joining the team .. the "bully' character hits on an older ,
rather distant woman . That is Cheryl Davis . the look she gives the kid
as he hits on her is ALLLLL Cheryl .. no mistake about it ..She was
Chagras love -of-his-life.
Chagra just died a while back . he used to play at CasAZ and very few
people knew who he was .
She could out swear and out needle any man alive .. She was a stone cold
"STEAMER" the minute she lost a pot .
She went thru a time frame when she was going with someone at the Bike ,
where part of her relationship was an agreement that she absolutely COULD
NOT associate with any of her old "friends' in or from Vegas . She would
play in the 100 dollar chip games and completely ignore the rest of the
world around her . She and I were friends for a while in the mid 80's .
As aloof as she could be , she was really really funny and at times she
could say things that would make a pimp blush .
She was getting needled in a game one time and someone asked her how she
could sleep with Puggy Pearson , as he was so ugly .. she said "he looks a
lot better with 5 one hundred dollar bills taped to his forehaed "
Cheyl gave lotsa 'action ' and never made any bones about it !!
She was the nuts !!
Recession .. when IMike's neighbor loses his trailer
Depression .. when IMike loses his trailer
Recovery .. when IMike accepts public assistance funded by Obama
______________________________________________________________________�
da pickle
Thanks for the review, Alan. Doyle was our speaker last summer at BARGE ...
actually, rather than giving a "talk" which is the usual part of the
banquet, Doyle and Nolan Dalla just sat together "interview" style and Nolan
asked questions and Doyle told stories. He told one about the guys that
showed up at his home with guns ... is that in the book?
Very personable guy, Doyle ... he was kind and considerate ... he is
definitely moving slower these days. I did not "know" any of the old names
or personalities of poker from the old days. It is interesting to hear the
stories and be entertained.
I suspect that much like "war stories" (many of which I actually do know
something about) ... such tales often get better and better with each
telling. But that does not detract from their interest. ... often it makes
them better.
I often wonder why some folks cannot see the "truth" buried in the retold
stories. It is easy to think that the older the story, the more baggage it
contains ... but why cannot some people see the nut buried in the much
bigger shell?
I would guess that Doyle's stories are only a generation removed. How about
oral folklore now reduced to writing; there is likely a lot of "truth" under
the new clothes. And maybe the "truth" is the story, not the facts.