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Daily Speculations The Web Site of Victor Niederhoffer & Laurel Kenner Dedicated to the scientific method, free markets, deflating ballyhoo, creating value, and laughter; a forum for us to use our meager abilities to make the world of specinvestments a better place. |
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11/08/04
Book Review by James Tar: Amarillo Slim in a
World of Fat People
"Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People," by Amarillo Slim and Greg
Dinkins, is a loose biography of the legendary pool hustler and Hall of Fame
poker player, Amarillo Slim. Other sources confirm him as the world's greatest
gambler of all time and my own research agrees. It is a loose story of his life,
but mainly is an egocentric collection of his memories of himself and his great
gambling victories, from his days as a Naval serviceman post WWII to the 1970s.
If you can stand the ego and braggish style in which the book is written, it is
a great read and well worth a few days...........
The book is full of wisdom regarding speculation and proposition making, is
rather humorous, and also has much to say about Las Vegas and the men that made
the city what it is today. He explains, mainly, that the only bets or
propositions to make in life, or gambling, are those which are won before the
fact. Tough in our world of the markets, yes, but it teaches us that sniffing
out a con, or a set up, is the best way to avoid losing. A true lesson in the
art of hustling from the world's greatest hustler of all time. Another lesson is
the importance of practice, experience, and repetition. Understanding the odds
is another must. He chronicles some of the historic wagers he made, poker hands
he played, and it is in the very least an amusing read.