All In - The (Almost) Entirely True Story of the World Series of Poker
The World Poker Tour may have had a lot to do with the current popularity of poker around the world, but there is no denying the power and prestige that is the World Series of Poker. A new book by Jonathan Grotenstein and Storms Reback explores the storied history of the grand daddy of all professional poker tournaments in "All In - The (Almost) Entirely True Story of the World Series of Poker."
The title refers to the "all in" move used in the game of No Limit Texas Hold'em, the very game that gives poker TV its sense of drama, when a player can, at any time, push all their money to the center of the table, declaring themselves all in, and daring all the other players to call them. The move could result in a huge win, or an immediate bust, with the player out of the event for good. This is just one aspect of what makes poker so exciting, and when you add to it the stories of the people behind institutions like the World Series of Poker, the excitement grows in leaps and bounds.
The WSOP was founded by Benny Binion, the founder of the Horseshoe Casino, a legend in Las Vegas, in order to discover who the best poker player in the world might be. The first event was settled when all the players voted in Johnny Moss, who came back to win it the very next year when the current freezout model was introduced. This is just one element of the exciting history behind the WSOP, and it is all covered in the book, all the way up through the 2004 win of patent lawyer Greg "Fossilman" Raymer. For any poker enthusiast, "All In - The (Almost) Entirely True Story of the World Series of Poker" would make a great gift.
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