Amarillo Slim

Thomas Austin Preston, Jr., known as Amarillo Slim, is a professional gambler known for his poker skills and proposition bets. Slim won the main event at the 1972 World Series of Poker and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1992.

Poker

Born in 1928 in Arkansas, Amarillo Slim is one of the few old-time poker players still around along with Doyle Brunson. He started out traveling around the country looking for games along with Brunson and Sailor Roberts. He is easily identifiable from his distinctive appearance - he is tall and thin and wears a cowboy hat and boots.

He started playing poker at age 25 and won the World Series in 1972. The 1972 WSOP was the 3rd WSOP ever and had only 8 entrants. He beat out Walter “Puggy” Pearson for the title and $60,000 in prize money.

After his WSOP win, Slim became a household name. He used his charisma to give the game of poker a lot more visibility by making appearances on TV shows like The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

In 1980 Amarillo Slim hosted the Second Annual Poker Classic (later to be known as the Super Bowl of Poker). This tournament was the second most prestigious poker tournament at the time (behind the WSOP). Gabe Kaplan became the first winner of this tournament and Stu Ungar won the title three times. This series was discontinued in 1991.

Slim went on to win three more WSOP bracelets during his career. As of 2008, Preston had a total of 4 WSOP bracelets (in his first 4 cashes), 11 WSOP cashes for a total of $436,055. Preston's most recent WSOP win was in 1990. Preston's biggest tournament play win is $590,000.

WSOP Bracelets

Year	Event	Prize
1972	$10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship	$60,000
1974	$1,000 No Limit Hold'em	$11,100
1985	$5,000 Pot Limit Omaha	$85,000
1990	$5,000 Pot Limit Omaha	$142,000

Author

Slim has written several books, including his autobiography, Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People and the poker strategy guide, Amarillo Slim's Play Poker to Win. There were rumors that his autobiography was going to be turned into a film, possibly starring Nicolas Cage.

In his autobiography, Slim wrote about playing poker with Larry Flynt, presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, and drug lords Pablo Escobar and Jimmy Chagra.

Slim also writes about his other gambling adventures and proposition bets, including beating country music legend Willie Nelson for $300,000 playing dominoes, beating Larry Flynt for $2 million playing poker, playing pool with Minnesota Fats using a broom handle, and playing golf with Evil Knievel using a carpenter's hammer. In 1970s Preston challenged former Wimbledon champion Bobby Riggs to a high stakes game of Ping-Pong, insisting only that he be allowed to choose the paddles. Riggs agreed - and was beaten when Slim showed up with two cooking skillets which Slim had been secretly practicing with for months. You can hear Slim talk more about some of his gambling stories in this NPR interview (choose the extended version).

Personality & Life

Some say that Slim's reputation as a master card player is due more to his charisma than his skill at the table. His career poker earnings are relatively meager considering the amount of recognition he has received and length of his career.

Slim always has a witty one-liner ready to keep people amused at the poker table. However, sometimes his mouth has gotten him into trouble. He is notorious for supposedly making a comment about women poker players. One year at the World Series, a lady had accumulated a good amount of chips and made the comment to Slim that "it's a certainty that I'm gonna win this World Series," and Slim said "If you win the World Series of Poker you can take a dull knife and cut my throat!" but he was quoted as saying "If a woman ever wins the World Series, I'll cut my throat." To this day, he is still mis-quoted.

In 2003, Preston was indicted in Randal County, Texas on charges of indecency with a 12-year-old child. The charges were reduced in a plea bargain and in 2004, Preston plead "no contest" to the reduced charges in order to protect his family. Preston received a fine, two years probation and was ordered to undergo counseling.

Currently residing in Amarillo, Texas, Slim was the best friend of casino owner Benny Binion and when Binion died in 1989, he left his horse to Preston.

Because of his fame and money, Slim has also been the subject of several robbery attempts over the years.

COMMENTS:

just admit he is a legend , and anybody who knows the guy properly not only met him at poker table or a hotel lobby should just shut up,he is a great guy by every meaning and an open book,and he says anything that crosses his mind without giving a shit what people think and this is what probably got him in trouble in the first place and in so many occasions .

slimfanfriend on December 13, 2009

What is it about the truth, that you dislike....
the recently deceased freak was a child molester, and a certain dentist took a multi-million payoff
from that piece of garbage,after he had sex with the child.....the dentist likely sent his child there on purpose, so as to get the $$$$..

As for slim, I don't know what he did to the child
but it got him charged, until the cash started coming in.

????? on August 27, 2009

To the moderators,

Can we please just take this thread off of the page? I really don't think many people have much constructive to say about this and comments like the last one are just disgusting. I would hate to see this forum devolve into a place where all people do is cuss each other out and make distasteful sexual jokes like pretty much every other poker forum I've ever been to.

VA Poker on August 6, 2009

He is a piece of garbage; And the "family" has changed their story, for the $$$ he is giving them, LIKE THE PUKE DENTIST THAT TOOK MICHAEL JACKSON'S $20,000,000 AND LET HIS CHILD BE MOLESTED BY THE FREAK!...Was Slim caught [deleted] ...I don't know.

????? on August 4, 2009

The only "fact" is that no one knows what went on except for the parties involved.

HPG ADMIN on May 27, 2009

So, now that the new interview with Slim is out telling his side of the story, where are all you haters?

Some of you talked all about how someone needs to fry this guy with the rest of his relatives (donâ€™t really understand you wanting his relatives fried seeing as they are the ones who brought him up on the charges)

I am not saying that he is being totally honest but lets look at the Texas justice system and how there are no cases just dropped you either plead out on lesser charges or go to court and 9 time out of 10 off to prison.

Lets also look at the fact that his family has done a 360. they recanted their story as a â€œmisunderstandingâ€ his grand daughter is still in his life and all is okay with him family wise.

People need to KNOW the FACTS

The man may have cheated and lied (and I am not saying he is innocent in the true sense of the word) but in this case he plead guilty to 3 counts of assault NOTHING to do with child molestation NOTHING

The poker world is accepting him back (slowly and carefully) and as far as I am concerned EVERYONE who labeled this man a pedophile owes him an apology. Read the interview and do so with an open mind. He may not be the nicest most honest man to walk this earth but that gives nobody the right to label him without him being convicted of the crime. So call him an assaulter but a child molester? NO PROOF NO CONVICTION and HIS FAMILY HAS RECANTED THEIR STORY

Nuff said

Full Tilt on May 26, 2009

Finally someone tried to kill this molesting piece of garbage last week in Texas...but the old piece of shit excaped...he didn't even have the balls to have his own gun to shoot it out with the hijackers.

????? on October 29, 2006

Desi,

I knew your husband, your daughter and your son. I too unfortunately missed the funeral and I am sorry. I only met your husband a couple of times, but he lived up to everything i heard about him. He was extremely smart and talented at pool. I am sorry for the loss of your husband and sorry for the loss of your son. I remember seeing him at Knights practicing at pool. I played with him a couple of times and gave him a green McDermott pool cue.

I agree with your opinion of Amarillo Slim.

Good Luck and I am Sorry

Unregistered on August 11, 2006

I have personally gambled with Amarillo Slim on numerous occasions. At first I was impressed with his intelligence. A quality that noone can take away from him. Unfortunately I no longer think of him as a legend. The more I got to know about him the more i was disgusted with him. I personally caught him cheating at a $5 domino game in which he was probably going to win without cheating. I also learned of how he made his big break. This story has been confirmed by many of the poker players in Amarillo who have been betting on poker far longer than Amarillo Slim. Him and a local bookie setup a holdout table ( a poker table in which the cards can slide under the cusion into the players lap for future use.) on probably the best poker player from Amarillo, Louis Sade. Louis was tipped off of the scam and continued to play as he thought he could still win. Him and the bookie which I will not reveal the name of as he is not proud of his past actions, split a $2 mil jackpot. Which he was on the verge of losing until he later met up with the LEGEND Doyle Brunson.

There has been a long standing game in Amarillo which he has always known that he has a personal invitation to. A legend scared of a simple house game? Don't be fooled this is in my opinion one of the hardest consistent poker tables in the world. Anybody with enough money is welcome to give it a shot.

P.S. Slim if you read this you know where the game is at. Feel free to give it a shot. And remember you cheat with a beginner but cannot slip anything past us.

Unregistered on August 11, 2006

I don't know any real details about the case. I'm aware of the basic facts but thatâ€™s about it.

He pled guilty to some misdemeanour charges. The felony charges were dismissed.

Maybe Slim subscribes to child porn sites and travels to Thailand to fuck 11 year olds. Maybe. I don't know

However...

He pled guilty to three misdemeanours. He copped a plea.

Facing serious charges is a scary thing. It really is.

I would like to think that if I was accused of something, like, child molestation that I would fight my corner and endeavour to prove my innocence no matter what. However, and I'm being honest here, if I was seventy-five years old and someone offered me an out I think I'd take. At seventy-five I wouldnâ€™t need the stress and expense of a trial. I would not want to spend my last days in a Texas prison. That's for sure.

I saw a figure somewhere, I can't recall where, that the government wins 97% of the cases that go to trial. Think about that.

I'm 75 years and they offer me an out. No jail. It all goes away. I think I'd take it. It's very easy to sit here and say, "I'd never admit to anything that I didn't do especially if it involved a child." It's easy. However, really think. Ask yourself.

Your 75. There's an out. An easy out.

If it's a choice between people thinking the worst of me or leaving my last years as I free man I'd take the freedom.

Don't get me wrong, Slim could be as guilty as sin. I don't know. I really don't. I'm just saying think about the situation.

Unregistered on March 25, 2006

whether he is a peadophile or not no1 can deny his talent for poker and gambling

* I do not agree with peadophiles or child molesters

matto89 on January 2, 2006

And he got busted for using some type of electronical devise
in a gambling scheme around early 70's. In Amarillo....
AND REMEMBER BRONSON WAS HIS RUNNINGMATE FOR YEARS.

????? on November 25, 2005

Thats weird about him being a child molester, I had friends that new him back in the 70`s. He took me friend and brother out camping to Palo Duro Canyon.
Makes me think if he did anything to them.

Unregistered on November 21, 2005

A foul mouth piece of garbage!...and a child molester!

????? on November 13, 2005

"In August, a Randall County grand jury indicted him on three felony counts of indecency with a child by contact, accusing him of touching the girl on three dates in early 2003." How long had they been dating? (But seriously, folks) Her "outcry" probably was as follows: "My grandpa likes to play poker with me. That's all he wants to do. Most of the time he makes me fold my hands. Then later, he'll say 'Look baby, now you have the nuts! Right there, in your hand!' And sure enough, I've woken up with a hand. Then he'll go all-in. And then he'll draw out on me. Sometimes I cry. He tells me that's called a 'bad-beat'" Then some child protective services worker who didn't know poker mistoook all the talk about "pocket rockets" and "sixty-nine" and "coming in over the top" and "position play" and began an investigation. What a dirty game.

JetsFan315 on August 16, 2005

hey wheres David Williams, Josh Arieh, and all them other good pros who r not on here, including Brad Doughtery who had 1 chip left and came back to win the whole thing

JetsFan315 on August 12, 2005

Without a doubt the greatest proposition gambler of all time. He and Titanic Thompson were truly the hustler of hustlers.

Unregistered on August 7, 2005

I met him in an Oklaoma card room this weekend and he was wife. He was hitting on my wife.

Unregistered on August 7, 2005

Slim didn't win all of his bets, he actually played Gin Rummy against Stu Ungar for money. Bad move. He would have had a better chance of beating Michael Jordan in basketball.

Vegas Mike on August 1, 2005

he beat bobby riggs with frying pans. he beat the world champ with 6 oz coke bottles

loveland on July 19, 2005

i dont like child molestars nor am i trying to justify what he did but i am saying he is a good poker player.

JetsFan315 on July 10, 2005

He's retired. no shit, he's older than dirt. You like child molesters jets? you sure seem to. On that ping pong bet I heard he used frying pans for paddles not coke bottles. Speaking of frying someone needs to fry slims' ass then dump him a landfill with the rest of his relatives.

Amarillo Sham on July 8, 2005

Slim is the goddfather of table talk. He is one of the best poker players i have seen. and he already is retired u idiots.

JetsFan315 on July 7, 2005

poker wasnt evenhis first or best game he was a pool hustler for years until he couldnt get a game the greatest proposition gambler ever. dont make a bet w amarillo slim, cause he will win. he beat a world champion ping pong player at ping pong. the hitch? he got to pick the paddles. he used a 6 oz coke bottle that hse practiced with for months. he skunked the champ. read his book and you ll flip out over some of these bets

loveland on July 7, 2005

They are considering making a movie about this guy. Nic Cage has the title role of Slim. They will probably glam it up and leave out the fact the Slim was a fucking pedofile.

Unregistered on July 6, 2005

Yes it is true about Slim(e). He is the guy who parks his car in an elementry school parking lot with a box full of puppies and a bowl full of candy in the car.

avoid this man on July 5, 2005

CHILED SPOONER!!!!!!needs a boot up his ass(BADLY)

angry hard on on July 5, 2005

Is it true what people are saying about him? Jesus he had a legacy and threw it away if he did.

Hey on July 3, 2005

This site is funny as hell, but nowhere did i find he molested kids. statutory rape, or was it real child molesting? Was she like 17 1/2 or like 7 1/2?

i think on June 16, 2005

12 years old. She was 12, He is like 80. Child molester for sure.

Unregistered on June 16, 2005

He is a sick fuck for sure. As if cheating in poker was not enough, he had to start "giving chocolate" to little girls. I hope he wins a no return ticket to hell for his efforts.

Little Johnny on May 13, 2005

still a molester

u wack on May 5, 2005

Slim and Brunson are old timers and if it wasn't for them there wouldn't Texas Hold em...they are the ones that actually brought the game to Vegas...Slim hats off to you!!

Unregistered on May 3, 2005

Great character. Donates much of his time to childrens' causes. Class human being, loves the kids, maybe too much.

loser on April 30, 2005

Amarillo Slim' pleads guilty in assault case Legendary poker player "Amarillo Slim" has pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor assault charges in a case involving a 12-year-old girl. Thomas Austin Preston Jr., 75, was sentenced Tuesday to two years deferred adjudication and fined $4,000 by a judge in Amarillo, Texas. In August, a Randall County grand jury indicted him on three felony counts of indecency with a child by contact, accusing him of touching the girl on three dates in early 2003. The plea to the less severe charges means the felony counts will be dropped and Preston will not be required to register as a sexual offender.

pedophile killer on April 28, 2005

not funny this guy is a child molester very sick sick man

bitchkiller on April 27, 2005

It's amazing to see people stick up for a pedophile just because he can play cards. I bet you losers think that Michael Jackson 'is just a little different but only cares about the well-being of children.'

Im surrounded by idiots on April 23, 2005

Exactly. I think when other people here win some WSOP titles, then they can talk...

Unregistered on April 22, 2005

i went to wsop in 2004 paid 350 to enter a satellite to win an entrance fee for a 1500 event and low and behold amarillo slim sat to my right verry funny man

Unregistered on April 21, 2005

he had that hat on with the rattlesnake head n it and his buttons and cufflings were just how he described it when he said he was kidnappe by that pablo escobar guy

Unregistered on April 21, 2005

hes a legend, made some mistakes but i would never want to see him to the left of me on any table, not even a dinner table..might steal my meal

atal on March 21, 2005

There's something creapy about the guy, and it's telling that while poker is exploding in popularity that he's not around.

Vegas Mike on February 15, 2005

who gives a fuck if he is a legend (in your tiny mind) The guy is a fucking criminal and should get the death penalty.

Unregistered on February 9, 2005

All of you are fags SLANDERING Slim........it's just not right. He is a legend and should be treated as such!!

Dan on February 8, 2005

slim aint no poker player. He's a hustler and a pedo

Unregistered on February 4, 2005

Im dissapointed in Slim. But he does have alot of gamble and is a very entertaining guy.

Hellmuth99 on January 13, 2005

Slim was a okay gambler, but he had nothing on THE GREAT JOHNNY MOSS or TITANIC THOMPSON. Them guys where true gamblers.

nate j on January 7, 2005

fuck amarillo slim..im glad phil ivey took his old racist ass out!!

richardeum on November 22, 2004

I checked that link, it says he plead guilty but all charges may end up dropped. And the child was a girl, not that it makes any difference. If it is true I hope the man gets what is coming to him, but even that will not change the fact that Slim has been a great ambassador for poker. If he is guilty it just means he is a shitty human being.

Shaun/thechosenone1975 on October 22, 2004

hate to hear that'bout ol' slim, he really brought poker to the masses. i knew him when he was running cattle down there by groom, texas.

bob briggs/roaddog/bobbriggs10 on October 3, 2004

this guy is really a child molester dude thats gross man, im sorry to hear that desi that sucks ass

pocket7s on September 24, 2004

Slim got busted for some type of "electrical" equipment being used in a gambling scam around inthe early 70's.It was somewhere around this time, as I understand that he and Doyle Brunson stopped running together.He is nothing more than a foul mouth piece of garbage; and he displayed that when playing in theinaugural World Heads Up Poker Championship in 2001,in Vienna Austria.

researcher/secondbase1961 on September 7, 2004

slim is god. all pepole making fun of him have never talked to him and prolly just read a diffrent internet article.

pgriffin on August 19, 2004

if you can possibly say that slim had no poker skills, than it becomes very hard for me to believe all you say about him molesting children. true he beat out only one table of players in '72. but its about quality not quantity. guys like phil hellmuth nowadays could go through 150 shitheads at the WSOP before they get through one doyle brunson or johney moss.

some guy on August 12, 2004

What a dirtbag

Offsuit on August 12, 2004

Slim isnt a good poker player even varkonyi got farther the him in the 2003 wsop..Lock up your kids the news reported him being seen with Micheal Jackson and R.Kelly at daycare centers

Slim Sucks/Watch Your Kids on August 1, 2004

Awsome player.. Doyle brunson is no match to you. stay clean

Markdoh on July 13, 2004

No Slander. look it up for yourself

tommy on June 23, 2004

Here's one for you. My husband, Benny Edwards, was a sick man.. He suffered from BiPolar disorder with mania (schitzophrenia). Slim took advantage of him at his darkest hour. Gave him some dope and then proceeded to beat him out of every last penny that he had. A month later, Benny was found dead in a hotel room in Amarillo and not one of you sorry SOB's who paid your bills at his expense showed up at his funeral nor paid any respect!! He died scared and alone in a hotel with not a penny to his name and every one of you that took advantage of him KNEW THAT HE WAS ILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Desi.. Better Hope You Don't See Me Again!! on June 23, 2004

P.S. He's not the best at anything except screwing people in the backside.. He's a ruthless, sick, demented person who would put his penis in his own mother's mouth if it paid a buck!!!

Desi on June 23, 2004

Anybody bet on golf?

Slim on June 22, 2004

which tourney did he win? 1905? old bastard

flush80 on June 17, 2004

sick fuck molested his OWN GRANDAUGHTER!

Unregistered on June 1, 2004

You've gotta be pretty sick in the head to molest a child. Slim is a convicted sex offender...a true detrement to poker. He's always pulling the wool over the public's eyes.He ought to be casterated!!

JT_thebrick on May 25, 2004

You child molesting SOB! Screw you slime ball!

Nate71 on April 26, 2004

slim is the bomb digity he can still play with the young guns he has all the expierence, WORD

claudy clauderton on March 29, 2004

I'm not sure about all this stuff that I've heard about Slim. But you're definitely right about Juanda and Seidel being good for poker.

Matt on March 24, 2004

If all of that stuff about Slim being a child molestor is true...I have no respect for him whatsoever. He may be the best gambler of all time, but these kinds of other traits give poker a bad name, it makes it sound like all gamblers are wastes of money and time--and are completely immoral. Now, a man like John Juanda or Erik Seidel will totally change that mindset. Anyway, shame on you Slim.

Gman on March 12, 2004

overrated is right. He's good, and (was) a great ambassador for the game, but he's also a cheat, a child molestor, a grandstander, a bigot, and nowhere NEAR the top of the heap among players all-time.

pokerdali on March 11, 2004

gardner if you like him so much why dont you let him babysit your daughter

fatboy on March 9, 2004

if you won a tourney with ace high you wouldn't be complaining.

courvoisier on March 1, 2004

if ur trashing slim you can get out cus hes one of the legends i dont care if hes best friends with the devil hes still damn good

gardner on February 27, 2004

Slim For President

BISCUIT FEIND on February 23, 2004

Rookie -- Are you retarded? Seriously? You've criticized every professional player on this list which I suppose is easy for you as you sit behind your mommy's computer playing with play money on pokerstars while popping pimples and picking the popcorn from your braces.

Player on February 16, 2004

No Slim. No poker world. Fellas think about that before you slander a legend

poker king on February 13, 2004

over-rated; he won the tourney with 8? people. come on!

Rookie on February 12, 2004

He pleaded "no contest" to assault charges (against a 12 year old).

Dustin on February 11, 2004

The bio left out the parts about Slim pleading guilty to molesting a 12 year old, slurring Jews during a radio interview, and how poker players call him "Amarillo Slime."

Ian on February 10, 2004

you cloutier and brunson should just quit poker, yall too old for us young guns!

shaun on January 30, 2004

Worm

Amarillo Slim

Poker

WSOP Bracelets

Author

Personality & Life

COMMENTS:

Famous Players

Poker Personalities

Business & Industry

Poker Groups

Online Players

Celebrities

Poker Authors

WPT Amateurs

Fictional Players

Login

Casino & Poker