The Severed Cortex

Link: http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-0060958472-3

by Andy Bellin

I know. I read too many poker books.
I was expecting this to be an expose on poker as it is played across the country. Instead it's more or less an autobiographical account of the author's poker life. Granted, Andy Bellin has played a lot of poker. I was just expecting to read more about the sociological reasons poker has exploded in the United States. It was a little bit of that, but I guess not enough for my tastes.

Bellin attacks different areas of poker by basically writing a chapter on each; bluffing, cheating, pro players, no-limit, limit, WSOP, etc. Each chapter starts off with the basics about the subject. Andy expounds his thoughts and then the chapter ends on either a poker story passed on over the years or from Andy's personal experience. This is an excellent formula to keep the reader's attention and Bellin does it very well. Since I've played a fair amount of poker, I tended to gloss over the basics. Its not that I don't think I can't learn from the sage advice of someone who has played more poker than I, its just that Mr. Bellin didn't add anything that I didn't already know. Besides, every poker player has learned that you don't give away too many secrets and Andy sticks to his guns. Doyle Brunson learned the hard way and every subsequent poker writer has learned the lesson. Instead, I looked forward to the anecdotes contained in the chapter. My favorite was the chapter on small-time pros and the story of Dicky Horvath. I've believed for a long time that I can play limit poker and consistently win money. The reason is because limit poker is nothing more than playing the mathematical odds. I'm not saying that every session I sit down at a poker table I will win money. I'm saying that over time there will be less money leaving my wallet than entering my wallet. This chapter validates my belief; sometimes too much so. What I didn't know though, is that constantly playing limit poker strictly by the mathematical odds is unbelievably mind-numbing. Dicky Horvath needed heroin and cocaine to get through it. Since I'm deathly afraid of needles I don't think I'd ever fall into that trap, but I'm sure I would fall into others that may be equally as debilitating. I guess I'll have to scratch playing limit poker for a living off my list.

The description of Dicky Horvath's trials is one of the qualities of this book however. Bellin makes sure that he doesn't over glamorize poker. He constantly reminds the reader that poker consists of characters of questionable moral fiber played in dingy basement rooms with the constant gnawing in your brain that you have no guarantee of leaving the establishment without someone robbing you. Obviously there are times when those are not concerns, but if you want to be sucked into the world of poker you will inevitably be faced with that. Walk across the Tunica Sam's Town parking lot alone at 3:00 am and you'll understand. Andy Bellin writes with a style that engages the reader and this book is a quick, easy read even if you are not all that interested in poker. Despite the fact that I set my expectations too high, this is still a good read.