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Poker Wars (Murder, Mayhem, and the Bloody History that Led to the World Series of Poker)
List Price:
$19.99
| Expected release date is Aug 11th 2026 |
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Product Details
Author:
Philip Guitar, Jim Martyka
Format:
Paperback
Pages:
336
Publisher:
CROOKED LANE BOOKS (August 11, 2026)
Imprint:
Crooked Lane Books
Release Date:
August 11, 2026
Language:
English
Audience:
General/trade
ISBN-13:
9798892426480
Weight:
10.8oz
Dimensions:
5.51" x 8.25" x 0.8"
File:
RandomHouse-PRH_Book_Company_PRH_PRT_Onix_delta_active_D20260617T230103_156642363-20260617.xml
Folder:
RandomHouse
List Price:
$19.99
Country of Origin:
United States
Pub Discount:
65
Case Pack:
40
As low as:
$15.39
Publisher Identifier:
P-RH
Discount Code:
A
QuickShip:
Yes
Overview
Murder and mayhem, bullets and bombings, carnage and corruption…and a whole lot of outlaws gambling for the highest stakes of all.
Poker Wars tells the true story of the hitmen, bandits, card sharks, and mobsters who brought about the internationally successful World Series of Poker.
The World Series of Poker, the sport’s most popular and lucrative event, had its inaugural event in 1970 and has since grown well beyond anything its founders ever imagined.
Especially considering where it came from.
Poker Wars chronicles the history of the dangerous key players and the violent conflicts that brought the game from the dark Dallas underbelly to the bright lights of Las Vegas and turned it into the billion-dollar industry it is today.
Offering an in-depth exploration of the nearly inconceivable life stories of the sport’s pioneers—especially those of “The Cowboy,” Benny Binion, an illiterate horse trader turned gambling boss who was as quick tempered as he was business savvy—Poker Wars is a thorough breakdown of the remarkable sequence of events that brought the card game into the national spotlight.
With new insights, Guitar and Martyka offer a behind-the-scenes look into some of the most well-known conflicts in poker history, including Binion’s feud with Herbert Noble, an ambitious gambler who earned the nickname “The Cat” by surviving several assassination attempts. They also present a comprehensive look at poker forefathers like Titanic Thompson and Nick the Greek, as well as the colorful personalities of the Texas Circuit like Johnny Moss and Doyle Brunson, who upped the ante by introducing a brand-new variant of the game.
At once an exposé of the darker side of the tournament’s early legacy and its consequences and a wild, colorful, outlandish tale, Poker Wars is a true crime joyride.
Poker Wars tells the true story of the hitmen, bandits, card sharks, and mobsters who brought about the internationally successful World Series of Poker.
The World Series of Poker, the sport’s most popular and lucrative event, had its inaugural event in 1970 and has since grown well beyond anything its founders ever imagined.
Especially considering where it came from.
Poker Wars chronicles the history of the dangerous key players and the violent conflicts that brought the game from the dark Dallas underbelly to the bright lights of Las Vegas and turned it into the billion-dollar industry it is today.
Offering an in-depth exploration of the nearly inconceivable life stories of the sport’s pioneers—especially those of “The Cowboy,” Benny Binion, an illiterate horse trader turned gambling boss who was as quick tempered as he was business savvy—Poker Wars is a thorough breakdown of the remarkable sequence of events that brought the card game into the national spotlight.
With new insights, Guitar and Martyka offer a behind-the-scenes look into some of the most well-known conflicts in poker history, including Binion’s feud with Herbert Noble, an ambitious gambler who earned the nickname “The Cat” by surviving several assassination attempts. They also present a comprehensive look at poker forefathers like Titanic Thompson and Nick the Greek, as well as the colorful personalities of the Texas Circuit like Johnny Moss and Doyle Brunson, who upped the ante by introducing a brand-new variant of the game.
At once an exposé of the darker side of the tournament’s early legacy and its consequences and a wild, colorful, outlandish tale, Poker Wars is a true crime joyride.









