The Poker Aficionado: An All-In Compendium of Lore & Legend, Wit & Wisdom, Tips & Techniques

Television’s popular Celebrity Poker Showdown, World Poker Tour, and World Series of Poker; the dozens of thriving online poker sites; and magazines like Card Player, whose circulation has doubled recently to 150,000, demonstrate that poker has taken the country by storm. Seventy million Americans now play the game. But the only books available for players and fans are dense, serious strategy guides. Until now.

The Poker Aficionado is a Book of Lists for poker enthusiasts. It includes information as basic as a list of the rank of hands, and as amusing as the most bizarre things used as collateral during a game. Filled with lessons learned from some of poker’s biggest names, it features:

• Phil Gordon's ten poker commandments
• Five ways to cheat—and to spot a cheater
• The eight best poker movies
• Mike Caro’s nine most common tells
• Amarillo Slim's most famous sayings
• The best snacks to have at a home game, including recipes
• Clonie Gowen on the advantages of being the only woman at the table
• Twelve famous players' good luck charms
• Six secrets to winning at online poker

A richly detailed and whimsically illustrated potpourri of poker insight, The Poker Aficionado will delight poker fans and give players, old and new, plenty to talk about around the table.

PETER THOMAS FORNATALE is a freelance writer and editor who has coauthored two books about pop culture, Who Can It Be Now? and Say Anything. He lives in New York City.