Poker Faces

I am in the process of reading a book titled "Poker Faces - The life and work of Professional Card Players." by David Hayano. I think the book is out of print now, and the one I'm reading, I got from a friend who found it in a used book store.


The guy who wrote it is an anthropologist, who did a study of poker players and poker playing in the Gardena card rooms of the 70's and 80's when all they had was draw poker.


Anyway, I'm about half-way through the book, and was wondering if anyone else has read it, and if so, what was your opinion of it? The writer has done a good job covering the subject, I think, but there are spots where I think he misses the mark also.


Thanks

Lancy,


I read this one years ago and it is in storage. It seemed to do a good job or portraying the poker world back then. BTW, David "the arm" Hayano is a regular in the top section at the Commerce.


Regards,


Rick

I enjoyed the book. Its is out of print and fairly hard to find. I don't remember anything I thought he was truely all wet on, but I didn't play poker during the times he is talking about either.

The book came out in 1982. I still have my copy, I should have David autograph it. Good job of describing the Gardena of those days and the regulars there. A lot of it is anthropological jargon, such as "According to principles of behavioral psychology, successful strategies and their rewarding payoffs can be described as a variable-ratio reinforcement. . ."


I understand David is on the payroll at Commerce now.

mason rates poker faces on p308 of gambing theory...i heartily recommend both books...gl

I'll read it