Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Mirpuri
Thanks for the critique.
However, I think the most damning indictment is that the concept is not original. Viewing world events through a gambler's perspective goes back - in print - at least to Total Poker (1977) by David Spanier, where en passant, he gives such an account of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Though, I do believe, this is the only book length treatment from such a perspective.
If it brings the appreciation of history to a wider audience then I think the book will have served the world well.
Hi Al:
I'm glad you mentioned this because I knew the late David Spanier fairly well and had coffee with him on a number of occasions. He was an outstanding person and first class in every way.
I read his book
Total Poker about 30 years ago and had completely forgotten he had a chapter about the Cuban Missile Crisis. If I had remembered this, it certainly would have been referenced. But I guess it's better to be mentioned here than not at all.
However, and I'm just going by memory, I think there are differences between what is written in our book and what David Spanier wrote. In the
History of the World from a Gambler's Perspective we talk about the threat of future bets which is a no-limit concept that is especially powerful in games like hold 'em with multiple rounds of betting, and we give the book
No-Limit Hold 'em: Theory and Practice by Sklansky and Miller credit for this idea. I don't believe that David Spanier approached the Missile Crisis in this fashion.
But you're still correct. We should have recognized my old friend for linking the Cuban Missile Crisis to a poker game.
Best wishes,
Mason