When I first found this book I thought it would be an entertaining look at poker written by a slightly off-center comedian. What I found is that it is actually a book that teaches you how to cheat your friends at poker. I shit you not. If you follow the lessons that are taught in this book, you can actually steal money from your friends at your weekly $20 buy-in game. He is so serious about this that Jillette actually put a bogus cover on the hardcover version. While the dustcover says 'How to Cheat Your Friends at Poker' the hardcover itself says 'The History of Playing Cards in America'. If he wasn't serious about teaching you how to cheat, he wouldn't have put a fake cover on the book.
Jillette tells the story of a friend of his, a guy he met while hitch hiking in his youth. For anonymities sake he calls his friend 'Dickie Richards'. 'Ol Dickie is a poker cheat. He will cheat anyone, any time, in a poker game, and in this book, he teaches you how to do it yourself. Now before you get visions of how you are going to rat-f the guy in your weekly cash game who raises every hand he is dealt and pushes all in on his 5-9 off suit, be aware that this is actually a pretty complicated strategy. Compared to this, counting cards at blackjack is relatively easy. But if you study this book, and practice a shit load, it will work. As Jillette says in the book's Disclaimer (which should be a hint in and of itself...) 'If you don't want to cheat, stop reading, sell this book on E-Bay for a couple of bucks, and quit playing poker for the rest of your life'. He summarizes his Disclaimer by saying 'If you're looking for honest money, get a job. If you're looking for fun, buy a hooker. If you're looking to hang out, go to a gay bar. If you're looking to make money in a home poker game...keep reading'. Seriously, it doesn't get much plainer than that.
Now I love playing poker (yes, I play Texas Hold-Em like every other douche-bag guy in the country). And yes, I host the occasional home game (which I did Friday night and cleaned out my friends). But no, I don't cheat. Frankly I'm so busy drinking and BS'ing with my boys that I don't even really pay attention to the game itself. Not only that, but I like my friends and would like to continue to have them. Combine that with my selective morality and I have never employed the strategies laid forth in this book. But trust me, they are logical, and they will work.
This book is brilliant. It is a must read for every guy. It is funny, thought provoking (of course in a bad way), dirty, and thoroughly enjoyable. If you play poker you have to read this book (even if you don't plan on f-ing over your buddies). That being said, if you do plan on stealing money from your friends, don't forget who turned you on to the ultimate 'How-To' book. After all, old Nats has kids to put through college too....
Nats
