David Hayano at Commerce?

[jk90029]

Some years ago, I have played with David Hayano in same table, Japanese and professor in local college and of
course a high-limit Holdem player. He wrote a book on poker players life, "Poker Faces" which I spend time to read with interest.

I haven't seen him lately at Commerce. Does anybody have some idea?

Thanks in advance.

-Jay

[BigBuffet]

I'd like to know where to get the book.

[steamboatin]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd like to know where to get the book.



[/ QUOTE ]

It is rare and pretty expensive. I read it on interlibrary loan for free. The public Libraryat Louisville, KY has a copy.

[Hipsdontlie69]

google him, maybe he has a website that u can find out how he's been doing, nothing wrong with liking Japanese men.

[jk90029]

He looks like a Japanese man, but he was born in US and American as far as I knows.

The book is one of few academic research book on poker player life, with a view of an sociologist and real player. However the book was published in 1983 at the time of Gardena and Rainbow in LA (before Commerce. Book price is $76 in amazon.com.

[jk90029]

It is noted that

Much has changed in the poker world since this book was published, and I believe that the society that surrounds the card room has changed as well, although many elements remain very familiar. Despite the fact that the research done is now 20 years old, this is still a landmark work in gambling literature, and nothing else has come along like it, much less to supersede it. This is unfortunate, as I believe this society is deserving of more and deeper study.

from site http://www.jetcafe.org/npc/reviews/g...ker_faces.html
which was googled.

[MasterShakeJr]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd like to know where to get the book.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cheapest on Amazon right now is $75. 12 copies available.

[jk90029]

I have seen someone selling the book at Commerce at the price of $100. ALthough original price was about $20 at the time of publishing, $76 might be a good deal for a used book now, since it is rare.

[I.Rowboat]

I have a copy of this book, purchased sometime in the early 1990's (for a whopping $9.95, according to the tag on the back cover). I'm looking at it now, and on a shelf full of poker books, it's the only academic study of cardoom culture I've ever come across. Hayano approaches his subject as an anthropologist, which he is, and as such he is able to give a very accuarate assessment of the poker sub-culture as it existed in the mid-70's to 1980 or so. This is the period he writes about, as the book was published in 1982. In brief, the poker players he documents are superstitious, degenerate, competitive, needy, and very egotistical. Some win, more lose, and the strong prey on the weak. I don't think it tells you anything you couldn't figure out for yourself, but it is meticulously documented, and many (many!) different sources are cited in the each chapter's end notes.

Is it worth $75 or $100? I don't know, but I can say that while poker has changed in the last 25 years, the people who frequent cardrooms haven't changed nearly as much, and this book has the proof. Poker, and cardrooms in particular, attract certain types of people, and Hayano does a great job of catalogging their traits and habits in his book.

[jfk]

[ QUOTE ]
Is it worth $75 or $100? I don't know, but I can say that while poker has changed in the last 25 years, the people who frequent cardrooms haven't changed nearly as much, and this book has the proof. Poker, and cardrooms in particular, attract certain types of people, and Hayano does a great job of catalogging their traits and habits in his book.

[/ QUOTE ]

Though dated, its a great read and offers many insights for any player who has spent a great deal of time in California card rooms. Keep in mind that in the era about which Hayno writes, players were dealing some of the games themselves.

Rather than $75, check the local library first. Its a fast read. There's no real reason to own it unless the reader is a major pker book junkie.