James McManus

Synopsis

In the spring of 2000, Harper's sent James Mcmanus to Las Vegas to cover the World Series of Poker, in particular the progress of women in the $23 million event, and the death of Ted Binion, the event's prodigal host, purportedly done in by a stripper and her boyfriend. But when McManus arrives, the lure of the tables compels him to risk his entire advance in a long-shot attempt to play in the competition. This is his deliciously suspenseful account of the tournament-the players, the hand-to-hand combat, his own unlikely progress in it-and the delightfully seedy carnival atmosphere that surrounds it.