Big Deal

by Anthony Holden

Book Overview

In 1988, best-selling biographer Anthony Holden spent one year living the life of a professional poker player. His mesmerizing account of that year went on to become a classic of the genre, an... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0349115192
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: ABACUS
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 0.9" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

A Crony, a Moll, and a stack of greenbacks

Anthony Holden gives us a look inside the globe-traveling world of high stakes poker as he chronicles his one year attempt to make a go of it as a professional poker player. His perspective is that of a well-educated british journalist, and this comes through with a score of literary references as well as with some self-deprecating wit. For the aspiring serious poker player, the book is interesting, but not necessarily helpful in guiding one's poker-related career goals. In fact, it's not so much a "How to" as a "How NOT to." Over the course of a year, Holden is obviously playing well, as his various near-money finishes demonstrate. However, he also makes a series of poor decisions, and the biggest financial moments of the year are predicated on luck and fluke rather than on skill. Playing jet-lagged and inebriated, habitually turning to the blackjack tables as a way to rebuild lost funds, Holden nails huge pots when he shouldn't, as when he catches one of two sevens in the deck to take down a big score against Johnny Moss. Conversely, he is busted out of two consecutive World Series of Poker tournaments by being extremely unlucky, falling to a "three-outer" each time. The book is generally interesting and exciting to read, although I would have liked fewer digressions into the history and culture of poker, and more information on the mechanics of the solid play that gets Holden rolling on a poker cruise. This book will teach people a lot about poker, without teaching them about how to play better poker.

A thoroughly enjoyable read

Okay, I'm not a regular poker player, but after reading Holden's delightful book, I'd like to become one. His stories jump off the page and suck you in. You'll feel like you're right there with Holden, sweating the size of your bankroll, taking on the likes of Johnny Chan, and making your way through the World Series of Poker.You don't need to know a great deal about poker to enjoy the book, but a rudimentary knowledge of Hold'Em would certainly make the poker-table anecdotes even more exciting. Either way, you'll be exhalting over Holden's wins and cringing through his bad beats right along with him.Holden is an exceptional writer with a dry sense of humour that will have your friends wondering what the heck is so funny about that book you've been chuckling your way through for the past few days.If you like poker, you will love this book. I did!

The BEST non-"how-to" book about poker ever written

If you wasted your money on Bellin's Poker Nation, redeem yourself by picking up this previously out-of-print classic. You will not be able to put it down. Holden is one of the few serious poker players who comes off like a genuinely humane and funny person in print. You'll learn quite a bit about how to play, but this is really a book about the culture of the game. And when it comes to that topic, it has no equals. Alvarez's Biggest Game in Town came first, and is also well worth buying, but Big Deal has better pacing and a more personal touch that makes it compulsively readable. I've never written a review before, but I really think this book is worth rooting for. You won't be disappointed.

One of the best books i've ever read!

This book is about one mans dream of becoming a professional poker player and for a year he does it. This book is the stories of his journey to the world series poker championship. It is book for all poker fans. But please note it is not a technical guide to poker.

It's better than seeing Ace-Ace as your hole cards!

As good as it gets! Anthony Holden takes the reader on a rollercoaster journey, allowing us to peer in and see what it would be like to just leave your job for a year to become a professional poker player. After reading it the first time you will be calling your travel agent for the next available flight to Las Vegas. I have found that re-reading it about a week prior to taking any subsequent trips to Las Vegas will put you in such a festive mood, that by the time your plane is descending to McCarron airport your excitement has reached a fever pitch. The only thing to do at that point is to head right over to Binion's Horseshoe and make your own story come to life along the green baize. It is marvelously entertaining, and very informative. Reading this book is the second best thing to actually playing in the World Series of Poker!