Amarillo Slim Preston, among others, has been quoted as saying "Poker is a game of people," and to a lesser extent about cards.
If this is true, and poker players generally take this as an axiom, then we must conclude that the history of poker is much more about the people who played the game than the hands they played. Certainly, this is the approach taken by Des Wilson throughout his examination of the history of the game in his book, "Ghosts at the Table."
Wilson divides poker history into four parts: the 19th century frontier, the road gamblers of the 1940s and 1950s, and the legitimization of poker in the last half of the 20th century, and poker in the 21st century.
Wilson isn't attempting to create a comprehensive reference for poker historians; he's content to explore in depth a few especially interesting stories from each age, with a special emphasis on the human element.
My favorite story was his attempts to track down Hal Fowler, the World Series of Poker main event champion from 1979. The poker community hadn't heard of him before he showed up to play in and win the World Series title, and after his victory he all but vanished from sight. As much as anyone can, Wilson tells Fowler's story, and it's one I found especially poignant. Another story that I found remarkable is Wilson's pursuit of the facts behind "Wild Bill" Hickock's "Dead Man's Hand" from Deadwood, South Dakota in 1876. In poker rooms and online forums I have heard many people claim to know the exact cards that Wild Bill held when he was killed.
After reading Wilson's research, it's unlikely I'd give much credence to anyone who has not at least read this material.
Moreover, if someone had read what Wilson has to say and still claimed certainty, I'd probably consider him to be a fool.
These stories are meticulously researched. They would be fascinating to anyone with even a passing interest in poker history, even if they were recounted by a merely capable storyteller. Of course, Wilson is as skilled a writer as is involved with the poker world these days. His narrative fl ows effortlessly and entertains as it informs. I found the book to be spellbinding.
It was diffi cult to put it aside to attend to other matters, and while I was away I found myself trying to come up with excuses to pick it up again as soon as possible. It would be hard for me to believe that anyone who would consider reading a poker book wouldn't be enchanted by Ghosts at the Table. It's both informative and highly entertaining, and the only real fault I have with it is that we reach the end too quickly. The one upside is that Wilson has only scratched the surface when it comes to poker events worthy of his attention, so perhaps he can be persuaded to write a second volume of these stories. I certainly hope so.
Ghosts at the Table: Riverboat Gamblers, Texas Rounders, Roadside Hucksters, and the Living Legends Who Made Poker What It Is Today by Des Wilson Da Capo Press (2008) ISBN: 978-0-306-81628-4 342 pp, $26.00
