Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

I'm in the book shopping mood again, and browsing Amazon I came across a book called Aces and Kings: Inside Stories and Million-Dollar Strategies from Poker's Greatest Players. Now I'm not interested in the "Million Dollar strategies" part, however I am interested in the inside stories. Anyone got any reviews of this?

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

I am about halfway through. I wouldn't pay full price, it's interesting but not all that good. The book consists of short bio's of the TV players. If you are heavily into the TV star players, you will like it.

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

I'm Michael Kaplan, coauthor of Aces And Kings, and I hope to clear up a couple things about the book. Contrary to what Steamboatin says, the bios are not short (for the most part, they're chapter length--as long as 20 pages each). To say that the book's subjects are TV players is not quite accurate either. The book starts with Puggy Pearson; includes chapters on Chip Reese, Stu Ungar, and Erik Seidel (among others); and it ends with a roundup chapter on Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, and Erick Lindgren (TV players to a degree). My coauthor and I received extensive access to our subjects. The resulting profiles are deep, detailed, gritty, and loaded with insider information about how these guys live, the challenges they face, and what goes on in the world of high-stakes poker. Anyone who wants to decide for themselves on the merits of Aces And Kings should check out excerpts that have just run in Card Player and Rolling Stone:

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_maga...amp;m_id=65560

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/sto...as-player=true

Thanks.

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

This is why these forums are so great [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Steam thanks for your feedback, Michael thanks for the reply. I'll be sure to check the excerpts out tonight before I go on my book buying spree [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Contrary to what Steamboatin says, the bios are not short (for the most part, they're chapter length--as long as 20 pages each).

[/ QUOTE ]

A guy's entire career in 20 pages but that's not short. the ladies all have to share a chapter, kinda like there's never enough stalls in the ladies restroom at a bar.

It's not like I said your book sucked. It was interesting but I don't think you will be winning any awards.

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

[ QUOTE ]
It's not like I said your book sucked. It was interesting but I don't think you will be winning any awards

[/ QUOTE ]

Steamboatin, you make me laugh [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

I read thru chunks of it here and there in the bookstore, and thought it was a decent book -- better than i expected. If you go to Barry Greenstein's website and read his bio's of other players -- the amusing anecdote section -- and like that, then you'll probably like this book. It gives 15-20 page write ups of well-known poker players, sort of like mini-biography/magazine style articles on them.

--Greg

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

The articles on Ungar in cardplayer convinced me to buy this book. It seemed extremely well written, and interesting. I'm not one for poker story books, nor am I a big tv on poker follower, but the book seemed well thought out, well researched, and well written.

My books in the mail now from Amazon, I'll try post my thoughts on it when I get it and have a chance to read it.

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

Dude, don't say the bio's are little, the Co-editor might snap.

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

Amazon? What about us (ConJelCo!)

Seriously though, I don't care where you buy it...but it is a really good read. Some of the profiles are better than others, but they are all superior to excellent. (Or is that excellent to superior?)

Chuck

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

yeah, i'll be buying this as well

Kudos to you sir for putting on a VERY smart marketing campaign. The free excerpts on Ungar have me into this hook line and sinker, and i'm pretty sure i'm not alone.


i'll let oyu know when i'm done.

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

Funny....

I looked for this under books.
I looked under books by others.
I tried authors...

If conjelco has this, you certainly did a good job of hiding it.

Doc

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

Go to
http://www.conjelco.com/poker.html

Mason hasn't asked me to add it to the 2+2 ordering page.

Chuck

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

i read most of the book while browsing and its a quick travel style read. the chapters are interesting and readable, but seem to lack depth in certain ways. Its not that most of the information isn't new or refreshing to hear, its that the book seems a little weightless. Some of my favorite excerpts include the bit about a young Chip Reese losing to Robison and running into his home (where Robison couldn't beat him up) and Greenstein 'gambling' with an unnamed big game player. There's some interweaving of stories, but not enough imo. One of the reasons why Greenstein's site works is because here's a world class player giving amusing personal anecdotes that we'd otherwise not hear about. I suppose the book has quite a few enjoyable tales, but even those lack the weight that a lot of quotes and personal opinion would give. I'm being a nit, because I did sit transfixed over an hour and I will be picking up a copy soon (after finals).

Probably 3.5/5 stars or if we're talking cards, how about 8/9s on the co against 5 passive limpers...nice opportunity, but it'll be hit or miss.

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

For non strategy poker type books, I rate it a [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] out of [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

(diamond = 1/2)

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

I bought it last week, read it through over 2-3 days. Overall it was interesting and I think the general public will like it. It's about 1% strategy so don't read it for pro tips and tricks. The bios of the older player were the most interesting to me, with the Ungar and Reese chapters standing out in my mind. It did seem to crowd a bunch of info on the new generation into a small space, but then again those kids are a lot younger so there is less to write about. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

I learned a bit of poker history so I think it was worth it. It's a good read for a plane trip, sorta fluffy, easy to put down when your done.

regards,
Tim

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

[ QUOTE ]
but they are all superior to excellent. (Or is that excellent to superior?)

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe the International Units in this category range from "awesome" to "bad-ass".

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

Agreed. I just finished it last night and I say it's a must-read as far as poker literature goes - in my opinion, it has become the newest member of the Essential "Backstory" Books: "Biggest Game in Town", "Positively Fifth Street", "Poker Nation", "Big Deal", and "Aces and Kings".*

Hell, it was worth the cover price just for that story about how Daniel Negreanu made a post to RGP complaining about Annie Duke's sweaty feet and then Howard Lederer retorted by accusing him of getting drunk and snatching the toupee off a man's head.

Kudos to the authors - even the non-toupee-related content was superb. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

*Note: I don't intend to claim that this list is exhaustive; there are "pokerbios" I haven't gotten around to reading yet ("Diary of A Mad Poker Player", "Fast Company"), and ones I didnt include because they werent primarily about poker (e.g. "The Man with the $100,000 Breasts")

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

you guys made me cancel my order, this morning. I feel this book would be better read at Barnes & Noble with a coffee rather than owning this book

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

For what it's worth, I loved this book. I bought it for the plane ride to Vegas and just breezed through it. Very interesting read and insight into what the high stakes poker world is really like.

Jeff

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

This is an interesting book. Profiles of a lot of major name players, delving into their "secret origins" and current accomplishments. I decided not to buy it as it gave me an excuse to walk to the bookstore on my lunch breaks and read a little each time (a little "forced" exercise on my part) [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Amazon? What about us (ConJelCo!)



Chuck

[/ QUOTE ]
Chuck,
Do you have the book in stock now?

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

If you like reading about poker's less PC history I'd reccomend the book. These days poker wants a clean image, but there are some fun-to-read anectdotes about coke binges, cheating, the mafia, and Puggy Pearson that are certainly fun to read.

I myself love reading about the gamblers of old, so I enjoyed the book, even though teh chapters on more contemporary figures like Chris Ferguson and "the women of poker" were decidedly less interesting. The bottom line is, the stories of the newer breed of players are boring, but the stories on Chip Reese, Puggy Pearson, and Stu Ungar make the book worth reading. There's also some stuff about Brunson but it seems I'd read it before in other books.

Re: Aces and Kings: Reviews?
 

I just finished the book too and also found it quite interesting.
This book won't make you a better player but it gives you insight on how some of the top players developed their game..whether it is Ferguson learning the math or Harman playing by 'feel'. I also have new found respect for some players such as Chip Reese whom I have only heard about but never knew why he is regarded as one of the greatest poker players of all time.