Hunting Fish at One stormy day …

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Hunting Fish

Published February 23rd, 2007 in Reading(t) , Recommendations(t) , Poker(t)

The full title to Jay Greenspan’s book is ‘Hunting Fish, A Cross Country Search For America’s Worst Poker Players”. Greenspan talked an editor into funding his road trip across America. The premise was that he’d play in cash games as he went and write articles about the interesting situations and characters he found along the way. Jay’s hidden agenda was to build a bankroll for the bigger cash games in California and test his skills and desire for a life as a poker professional.In cash games there is typically a range of skills arrayed at the table, from highly skilled to those who think they know what they are doing (but may not) to the amateur with cash to burn. The pros at the table make most of their money, not from each other, but from the less skilled players, known as fish. The pros’ task is to identify the fish and then wait patiently for an opportunity to land a big pot; hence the book’s title of Hunting Fish.

The book becomes Greenspan’s personal journal that lays out his experiences and his feelings as he winds his way from New York, south to Tunica and then west to Texas and finally to California. He shares his fears, and soul searching as he examines the life of a poker pro and the strength of his desire and commitment to the life. He paints a pretty realistic picture of the poker pro’s days and nights, which include loneliness, boredom, exhilaration, and poker hands from huge wins to bad beats.

The hunt for games and the players he can beat leads him to some scary places and some interesting characters. There are plenty of hands laid out so you get to relive the betting decisions and the drama leading to a win or loss. As with many hand situations, there isn’t always a right or wrong way to play so much as a perceived better choice of tactics.

Conclusion – this is a fine one-time read for amateur poker players who want a peek at the fantasy world of the aspiring poker pro.