Murder and mayhem, bullets and bombings, carnage and corruption…and a whole lot of outlaws gambling for the highest stakes of all.

Poker Wars tells the true story of the hitmen, cat burglars, and mobsters who brought about the internationally successful World Series of Poker.

The World Series of Poker, the sport’s most popular and lucrative event, had its inaugural event in 1970. Poker Wars chronicles the history of the gritty key players and the violent conflicts that brought the game from the Dallas underbelly to the bright lights of Las Vegas and turned it into the billion-dollar industry it is today. 

Offering an in-depth exploration of the nearly inconceivable life stories of the sport’s pioneers—especially those of “The Cowboy,” Benny Binion, an illiterate horse trader turned gambling boss who was as quick-tempered as he was business savvy—Poker Wars is a thorough breakdown of the sequence of events that dug up the sport from infamy. With new insights, Guitar and Martyka offer a behind-the-scenes look into some of the most well-known conflicts in poker history, including Binion’s feud with Herbert Noble, who earned the nickname “The Catman” when the ninth attempt at killing him was the one that finally stuck. They also present an accurate portrayal of the colorful personalities of Texas Circuit players Johnny Moss and Doyle Brunson, who upped the ante by introducing a brand new variant of the game. 

At once an expose of the darker side of the tournament’s early legacy and its consequences, and a wild, colorful, outlandish tale, Poker Wars is a true crime joyride.