Depending on who you ask, poker is either a game of skill or pure luck. However, the distinction is crucial when it comes to popularizing the game for the mainstream.
A study published in the International Review of Law and Economics highlights how the legality of the online poker industry depends on courts’ evaluation of the “skill dominance” criteria involved in the popular casino game. Many professional poker players argue that poker should be considered a “mind sport” along the lines of chess, bridge, or Go, in an attempt to put the popular card game on par with traditional sports.
When it comes to poker, however, another crucial factor helping boost its rising popularity is the number of success stories and superstar players that have come out of high-stakes poker tournaments. One of the household names in this movement is Chris Moneymaker, who is often credited for helping popularize the game among the general public.
This is not only because of the poker boom that coincided with his WSOP win in 2003, but because of the work he’s put in to help make the game popular — including penning insightful books on his poker journey and strategy. Our previous post, “Introducing 7 Non-fiction Books That’ll Make You Flourish”, highlights how the best non-fiction books help readers improve aspects of their lives. In this post, we’ll look at three poker books poker star Chris Moneymaker has written to help make the card game more accessible:
Chris Moneymaker
Chris Moneymaker was working as an accountant when he won a seat in the Main Event of the 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP). This was his first live poker tournament, but entering as a rookie wouldn’t deter him from eventually taking the win and bagging the $2.5 million prize. Moneymaker had qualified to the Main Event via a $86 satellite tournament hosted by online poker card room PokerStars. Moneymaker quit his job immediately after winning to serve as a celebrity spokesman for PokerStars.
In 2019, Moneymaker was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame and by 2021, he signed with ACR Poker during the online poker site’s $8 Million The Venom online poker tournament. Today, ACR Poker works alongside Moneymaker and other elite poker players to help put the card game into the mainstream. Following Moneymaker’s satellite-to-Main-Event success in 2003, ACR Poker is one of many online poker providers offering satellite tournaments in the hopes of finding the next Chris Moneymaker success story.
While Moneymaker doesn’t currently play as much poker as he used to, his poker Cinderella Story is still considered a blueprint among aspiring players and gamblers around the world. As such, imparting his wisdom through insightful books is a great way to encourage players to up their antes and sharpen their strategy. Below, we’ll look at three of his poker books:
Moneymaker: How an Amateur Poker Player Turned $40 into $2.5 Million at the World Series of Poker
One of the best ways to get into Chris Moneymaker’s story and legendary WSOP run is to check out Moneymaker. The book is filled with anecdotes of his early gambling ventures, all the way to a play-by-play of his major hands at the WSOP event where he made history. For aspiring poker players, the book is as much a detailed view of the $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold’em World Championship Moneymaker won as it is a fast-paced story for players who want to make it big — whether at a casino table or a WSOP event.
Poker Satellite Success!: Turn Affordable Buy-Ins Into Shots at Winning Millions!
Written by poker professional Bernard Lee, Poker Satellite Success! features a foreword written by Moneymaker and is a direct celebration of his 2003 WSOP run. In the book, Lee frames satellite play as an alternative means of making it big in the poker world, even with meager investments. The book includes different strategies for different levels of satellite, instructive satellite scenarios and stories, as well as different deal situations and discussions.
Jonathan Little’s Excelling at No-Limit Hold’em
Finally, the last book on this list is more a group effort than a full writing credit. Essentially, Chris Moneymaker joins other iconic poker professionals and legends like Phil Hellmuth and poker coach Jonathan Little to talk insights and strategies for mastering Hold’em poker. More importantly, Little applies lessons and insights from professional poker to things like business and real estate investment.
If you enjoyed this post but are looking for other forms of gaming, you might like our post sharing “5 Wonderful Video Game Romance Novels” across various tropes, from Conventionally Yours to How to Tell a Lie.
