PRO POKER SCHOOL Learn Before You Earn

Poker Review

Review by Jon Eaton

Author Andy Bellin has been through highs and lows that many poker players have been through. Of the somewhat autobiographical books about poker, Andy seems to have been through the dark times just enough times to really give you a good feel for what it's like to play poker for a living.

Often a little cynical, his own analysis of the poker world makes for a very entertaining read. This is not to be mistaken with Positively Fifth Street or other poker 'novels.' Nation is a collection of stories, anecdotes and experiences Bellin has been through in his lifetime as a poker-playing author.

Poker Nation by Andy Bellin starts discussing an intense hand in an underground club. His description of poker hands aren't quite as vivid or as thought-provoking as James McManus' in Positively Fifth Street, but then again, Bellin was never playing at the final table of the World Series Of Poker in this book.

Throughout the 200-plus page book, the reader is taken on a trip through the poker clubs of New York through his experiences in poker, including some light poker strategy (just to acquaint the reader with poker theory), as well as a little background on poker tournaments and the World Series Of Poker. There aren't many dry moments, and the writing is definitely lively enough to keep you turning pages.

Bellin doesn't exactly speak highly of the poker 'lifestyle,' as he essentially labels most poker players as degenerate gamblers. While his observations ring true in a lot of cases, the somewhat negative viewpoint he provides the reader is slightly misleading. While I can't argue with his depictions of being down-and-out and hurting because of your losses, Bellin never really gives an insight to the brighter side of poker.

This is probably as a result of having written this before the major parts of the poker boom took place. If Bellin had been able to write about the amazing stories of Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, it might have brightened up the book.

However, this is not to say I disagree with his conclusions or feel the book is in any way inaccurate. In fact, it's closer to accurate than most books that shed a much brighter light on the poker scene. There are more losers than winners, and that's what Bellin exposes.

If you're looking for a great book to read on a plane ride to Vegas, I recommend this one for your next trip. In fact, I recommend it anyway. Check it out.