POKER INFO - PROILE - James McManus

I just want to make clear to everyone that I didn't tell Ellix Powers he was disrespecting the game simply because he bet in the dark a couple of times. He'd just spent two hours aggressively taunting the likes of T.J. Clouier and David Chiu, two of the best players ever. (No, he wasn't taunting me, in case you were wondering.) He also left the table during the action several times, muttering to himself, claiming anyone who wanted to finish higher than sixth was crazy or greedy. He also was betting in the dark on a regular basis. The last thing I wanted was to get into a beef at a televised WSOP final table, of course, but anyone who was there can tell you Ellix was 186,676 miles out of line.

Mr McManus, i thought you were right on in telling that fool off. He was acting like an idiot and pissing me off just watching him. Your book is amazing, not just for your story but the writing and interweaving of the murder...fantastic. It was great to see you at another final table. (By the way, what did your wife say when she read the book and found out you weren't entirely honest about the lap dance?)

called me with a jack high!!!

To the Kranz: thanks for your kind words, my brother. My wife heard about the incident long before it was in the book, because (1) I told her about it as soon as I got home from that trip, and (2) she is the first reader of the early drafts of my articles and books. Her first comment was, "I thought that we had--that you had more class than that," and it went downhill from there for a while. But then she began to forgive me.

Mr McManus,I believe you were correct, Powers was way out-of-line. WSOP editing of the final table made it sound like you were on his ass about betting in the dark...some people should realize that those final tables are not only 1 hour long, they take a long, long time and if he was doing HALF of the things through the final table than what is shown on ESPN then he was MORE than out of line. My hats off to you for taking the high road and acting like a professional player!!!!!!I liked your book...next year @ WSOP 2005, I'll buy the lap dances ...lol

Mr. McManus, you seem like a class act to me. Good luck in your writing and your poker. (Any new literature in the works?)

I have an assignment now from the New Yorker to cover the huge game between Andy Beal and Team Brunson. I'm also writing about collusion in tournaments today, cheating on Mississippi riverboats and Badlands saloons, and the history of poker in general.

Im in the middle of reading "5th Street" after having read the screenplay, and I'm loving it. Perfectly woven. I have a friend that considers the book to be the poker players bible, he's playing tournaments in Europe quite successfully. I want to gift him with a signed first edition copy as a surprise. Are there any fans here willing to sell theirs?

Just got done with '5th Street', did some google searches out of curiousity and wound up here. Good to know your still involved in the poker scene Jim, Im really looking forward to some more poker works from you in the future. Its also really cool to see you had that 5th place finish this year in Limit, I saw the standings of that event and noticed that TJ placed behind you. The student takes down the teach again Just wanted to express yet again how much I enjoyed the book!

hey jim, really enjoyed the book, positivly fifth street. so much more enjoyable than all the how to books combined.

Thanks, guys. I really, really appreciate the kind words about the book. Most book-writing isn't terribly fun, but that book sure was, and it makes me very happy that people seem to enjoy themselves reading it.

Hey Jim, Just finished your book, fantastic! Thoroughly enjoyed reading it and watching you in action in the WSOP...so what if you called with a Jack High? Keep up the good work.

Hate to sound like a broken record...enjoyed watching you play with style and class at the 7 card stud final table...really enjoyed your book a lot (finished reading it last month)...looking forward to future publications or novels...wondering if you teach a "summer" course for science of poker...would love you take it sometime before staring my career...other than that, congratulations on your success and hope that "Higgins" understands your poker skills today...best of luck in the future

yo jimmy what up g unit. almost finished your book, have like 90 pages to go, i wanna know what it was like playing the first hour in the big one i also wanna know what you think about the big poker splurge thats been going on. thank dude

he set out to get you on tilt and thats exactly what he did dont you see the logic in raising in the dark phil helmuth rights about it in his book play poker like the pros.

Fan Man: my book goes into a lot of detail about the first hour of the WSOP big one, and about many other hours thereafter. The splurge or the boom caught just about everyone by surprise, but the power of well-made television, especially the WPT's use of the lipstick (or Lipscomb) cameras, has probably made the biggest difference, I think.

Jim -I am not quite finished with your book. I just couldn't wait any longer to see if I could find your email address somehow, and stumbled across this site in the process. It's hard to know where to begin. First of all, I wish I had known that your book covered far more than just the two topics of the WSOP and the murder trial. If I did, I would have read it a LOT sooner. I just wanted to tell you that I have read a LOT of books on a LOT of different subjects in my 55 years, and your book is one of the best I have ever read, in any genre, by anyone. Your style is unlike anyone else's (of whom I am aware) and I absolutely love the way you go off on a tangent, deal with a variety of subjects, then bring it all back together to make your point. That you are well-educated, and well-read comes across without cramming it down the reader's throat, and the way you write directly to your reader hits just the right mark, as far as this reader is concerned.You come across as a genuine human being, as well as an excellent author, and I hope, at some point to say hi in person.I doubt that we will meet in a final table anywhere, although I do try to play some poker every time I get to Las Vegas. Holdem has done a lot to kill my favorite games of 7 stud high/low and omaha high/low, but I will keep a lookout for you, just to be able to say hello in person.I look forward to your next book with much anticipation. Good luck to you! Bud IzenKeizer Oregon

Thanks for the VERY kind words, Bud. I'll be at most of the WPT, PPT and WSOP events, so look for me if you happen to play in any of them.

Mr. McManus - do you hit Harrah's or Trump's in Indiana or stick to your private game in chicago? Are you strictly a Hold 'Em player, or do you delve into other games? --Kev in Chicago

Jim,Did you see the NY Times today. If not, pick it up. It mentions the Binion Case. Enjoy.ddaly - Bronx, NY

You can get the article on nytimes.com!

I saw it, D. Daly. Best way to follow it, of course, is web sites of Las Vegas Sun and LV Review Journal.To Kevin: I sometimes play PLO at Harrah's, but usually it's home games in Park Ridge and Glenview, or flying to WPT tournaments.

JimI have read your book and thought it was on a par with Tony Holdens which got me into poker 10 years ago...One question...do you ever play in england? if so when?i'd love to buy you a beer next time you are over...Lucky Le Ru

Mr. McManus (which is how you address someone you don't know) - I'd like to hear your comments on the verdict of Murphy and Tabish's retrial. And was also curious as to whether you were involved in any aspect of the second trial based on your research and the success of the book.

Jim, I just read your book. I read it straight through in a day and a half. It was very good. I reccommend it highly and enjoyed it very much. It takesalot of balls to risk it the way you did, I know, I risk it constantly. Best wishes, matt.

By the way, ellix powers is a dickhead. I've played him (literally) at the bicycle club.

MR. McManus what do you think about Sandra Murphy being found NOT Guilty in her second trail? I was wondering if you had anymore info about the second trail? It didn't get to much tv coverage with the Peterson case going on. I also read your book this past summer. It was awsome. I read it in 3 days. I would buy your next book in a heartbeat. Thanks for taking all of us inside the WSOP.

Mr McManus why did you call Ellix Powers on the river with Jack high? I mean Queen high. It was obscure, I thought it was situation you had to fold

Mr.McManus, I really enjoyed your book, but i heard a rumor that you cant beat your home game. In fact, I heard it is the toughest game in the midwest and have heard that it rivals the biggest games at bellagio. Is this true, and do you beat the game? Kudos.

Thanks for the kind words about PFS to Lucky Le Ru, Matt, and B MED. . . . Calling Ellix with queen high was obviously a blunder on my part; he got to me, plain and simple. . . . Mr. Silverman's suggestion that I can't beat one of the two home games I play in is absolutely true. The Thursday night Glenview Donkey Festival, sometimes known as the Juan Valdez Local, in which we play selective showdown for what amounts to pennies and nickels given the income of the players, is the one I can't beat. Another reason I can't beat it is that Mr. Silverman's blase dealing style rattles me so much that I often can't concentrate for three or four hands after he deals. I once called him down with a nine high, for example, and he showed me a bleeping straight flush.