Poker Wars
Murder, mayhem, and the bloody history that led to the World Series of Poker
$65.52
- Hardcover
320 pages
- Release Date
11 August 2026
Summary
Murder and mayhem, bullets and bombings, carnage and corruption…and a whole lot of outlaws gambling for the highest stakes of all.
Poker Wars tells the true story of the hitmen, bandits, card sharks, and mobsters who brought about the internationally successful World Series of Poker. The World Series of Poker, the sport’s most popular and lucrative event, had its inaugural event in 1970 and has since grown well beyond anything its founders ever imagined. Especially considerin…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9798892426473 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Philip Guitar, Jim Martyka |
| Publisher: | Crooked Lane Books |
| Imprint: | Crooked Lane Books |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 320 |
| Release Date: | 11 August 2026 |
| Weight: | 567g |
| Dimensions: | 147mm x 216mm |
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Critics Review
Praise for Poker Wars:
“You’re going to want to go all-in on Poker Wars. Guitar and Martyka deal the rich history of the game with the colorful and deadly characters who made it what it is today. The personalities, clubs, and neon lights—it’s all here. This winning hand is must read for poker aficionados.”
—James L’Etoile, award winning author of Illusion of Truth and the Detective Nathan Parker series
“With a deep well of research and a colorful cast to rival any Damon Runyon story, it’s a safe bet that true crime fans and poker aficionados will enjoy this.”
—Publishers Weekly
Philip Guitar
Philip Guitar grew up in Abilene, Texas, spending his youth working on family ranches and participating in various athletics. He was also an avid reader and writer, with a particular fondness for mysteries, horror, and true crime mafia books. Guitar is a former professional poker player with notable wins and many stories to share about playing with renowned players and celebrities.
He is a prolific screenwriter and the founder and executive producer of Red Aces Productions, the home of “Texas Thriller.” Guitar wrote and produced the successful and award-winning short film Crude Massacre and the acclaimed documentary Water Wars, narrated by Dennis Quaid. He has several other projects currently being shopped or in development.
Jim Martyka is a multi-published author and editor with credits on over fifty books across all genres. His notable works include Closing the Gap (the autobiography of NFL Hall of Famer Willie Davis), The Eight Characters of Comedy, Towards the Moon with Fellini, Paddle Out, and The Super Bowls. Martyka is an award-winning journalist, a professional coach, and a consultant. He collaborates with various publishers, including sports publisher Triumph Books, assisting writers of all experience levels in developing, pitching, and publishing their projects.
A native of Milwaukee, Martyka currently resides in Los Angeles. He is a true crime enthusiast and a capable poker player among friends and family. He is also a former Guinness World Records holder for watching fifty-three and a half hours of movies consecutively without sleep, a record that has since been surpassed. Martyka has no plans to attempt to break this record again.
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