Episode 2: The Killer Cards

Show Notes for Episode 2:

“Poker and the Written Word” by Tim Peters

Tim discusses Jesse May’s 1998 novel Shut Up and Deal. As Tim explains, May is also known for having been “The Voice of Poker” on the British TV show Late Night Poker (1999-2002). In fact, during the first season of the show May hosted the show as Mickey Dane, the name of the central character in Shut Up and Deal.

Along the way, Tim mentions a couple of other poker novels: Rick Bennet’s King of a Small World (1995) (which he recommends) & Richard Jessup’s The Cincinnati Kid (1963). (I wrote about Jessup’s novel early last year.)

For those interested in some other poker novels, Tim also provides the following list of titles (no particular recommendations intended, here): Tap City by Ron Abell (1985); Broke: A Poker Novel by Brandon Adams (2008); Lucky at Cards by Lawrence Block (2007); The Rebuy by Burto Deluchi (2007); The Prop by Pete Hautman (2006); Texas Poker Wisdom by Johnny Hughes (2007); Dead Money: A No Limit Poker Mystery by Rudy Stegemoeller (2007); Deadman's Bluff (2006) & Deadman's Poker (2006) by James Swain; The Picasso Flop (2007) by Vince Van Patten & Robert J. Randisi; and The Perfect Play (2005) (called The Big Blind in the U.K.) by Louise Wener.

You can read Tim’s reviews for CardPlayer along with other writings at his website, “The Literature of Poker.”

“Who Played Poker With Pocahontas When John Smith Went Away?” (1919) sung by Fanny Watson
(Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young / Fred Ahlert)

From the musical Monte Cristo Jr. Here are the lyrics (again, as well as I can make ’em out):

Looking through my history
I find a little mystery
About a certain dame.

How did little Pocahontas
Take John Smith for all his wampus?
There! I know her game!

He taught her how to play poker --
She sent him home without his dough.
But every time that John came back
He found her with a larger stack.
Here’s what I’d like to know . . .

Now, who played poker with Pocahontas when John Smith went away?
She always dressed up so pretty.
Somebody must have spent the kitty.
She wore a bluff just like every Indian that led John astray.

Johnny’s pipe of peace goes out the day he quit.
When he came home he found his piece of pipe was lit.
Now, who played poker with Pocahontas when John Smith went away?

Now, who played poker with Pocahontas when John Smith went away?
She always dressed up so pretty.
Somebody must have set the kitty.
She wore a bluff just like every Indian that led John astray.

He called on her one cold night in an awful storm.
She had no coat but still he kept her always warm.
Now, who played poker with Pocahontas when John Smith went away?

“Tales from the Tables” by Bob Woolley
(a.k.a. Rakewell, the Poker Grump)

The “Poker Grump” returns with a list of stupid things players say at the tables, in particular focusing on a couple of categories: "Compliments" & "Clichés."

You can read more of Bob’s tales -- of both the grumpy and non-grumpy varieties -- over at his blog, Poker Grump.

“The Killer Cards,” The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe
(originally aired January 12, 1951)

Starring Sydney Greenstreet (Wolfe) and Gerald Mohr (Archie Goodwin). Also starring Betty Lou Gerson, Jay Novello, Howard McNear, Barney Phillips, and Bill Johnston. Hosted by Don Stanley.

Here is the Wikipedia entry on the show (in all of its versions), and here are links to other episodes of The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe (the Greenstreet version).

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