Easy Money
Inside The Gambler's Mind
Published on 20. February 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-1-84344-029-1 (ISBN)
Description
In Easy Money David Spanier studies the psychological motivation of gamblers, those who beat the system and those beaten by it, portraying the personalities and legends of the gambling world of the time.
Spanier ranges widely over his subject, considering the motivations of gamesters, stressing the physical sensations they experience, the percentages and chances, heuristic principles, the differences in European and American gambling, and the criminal element in U.S. gaming, but concentrates primarily on the human side of gambling rather than the mathematical or theoretical. While he is comfortable discussing Freud's analysis of the compulsive gambler, his real emphasis is on the individuals: the mathematician who devised a way to beat the house advantage at blackjack; the London man-about-town who ran games for the upper class; the cleric who founded the British Gamblers Anonymous; the physician who established a 'gamblers' hospital' in Brecksville, Ohio.
This is an insider's analysis of the thrills, action, and intense emotional involvement that makes up the world of gambling.
Spanier ranges widely over his subject, considering the motivations of gamesters, stressing the physical sensations they experience, the percentages and chances, heuristic principles, the differences in European and American gambling, and the criminal element in U.S. gaming, but concentrates primarily on the human side of gambling rather than the mathematical or theoretical. While he is comfortable discussing Freud's analysis of the compulsive gambler, his real emphasis is on the individuals: the mathematician who devised a way to beat the house advantage at blackjack; the London man-about-town who ran games for the upper class; the cleric who founded the British Gamblers Anonymous; the physician who established a 'gamblers' hospital' in Brecksville, Ohio.
This is an insider's analysis of the thrills, action, and intense emotional involvement that makes up the world of gambling.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Harpenden, Herts
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Oldcastle Books Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-84344-029-1 (9781843440291)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
David was a man who loved life with an infectious enthusiasm. He was a journalist on The Times where he had a long and distinguished career, from 1957 to 1982, where he was Diplomatic Correspondent, later changing careers to become a broadcaster with LBC. But it was his love for Chess and Poker which were the major influences on his professional life during the past two decades.
One of his earliest books, published in 1977, was Total Poker, which was described by one reviewer as 'The complete addict's guide to poker', but it is much more than that. It pays homage to the game and to the whole poker experience which meant so much to David and many of his friends.
His other books include The Gambler's Pocket Book (1980), Easy Money: Inside the Gambler's Mind (1987), All Right, Okay, You Win: Inside Las Vegas (1992), and at the time of his death he had recently completed a new poker book, his memoirs, The Hand I Played.
One of his earliest books, published in 1977, was Total Poker, which was described by one reviewer as 'The complete addict's guide to poker', but it is much more than that. It pays homage to the game and to the whole poker experience which meant so much to David and many of his friends.
His other books include The Gambler's Pocket Book (1980), Easy Money: Inside the Gambler's Mind (1987), All Right, Okay, You Win: Inside Las Vegas (1992), and at the time of his death he had recently completed a new poker book, his memoirs, The Hand I Played.