Q: Okay. What's Las Vegas throat?
(It has nothing to do with sex.)
Check back for the answer in 48 hours.
THIEF! character, Vince Eli
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Sunday, January 7, 2007
THIEF! Fight excerpt
Jack "Doc" Kearns was one of the most famous fight promoters in the world. He rubbed elbow
s with presidents, heads of state, actors, mobsters...you name it. Slick's boyhood friend, Jack Kearns, Jr., figures prominently in THIEF!
Photo l. to r.: Mickey Walker & son, Jack Kearns, Jr. & Jack "Doc" Kearns, Sr. circa 1934. (Courtesy of Jack Kearns, Jr.)
Slick and Jack are about 9 years old in the following excerpt:
Speaking of tough, one of our gang was Jack Kearns whose world-famous father promoted and managed Jack Dempsey in bout after moneymaking bout during Dempsey’s heyday. “Doc” Kearns also handled guys like Mickey Walker and Joey Maxim to round out a card that read like a who’s who of boxing. It was a well-known fact that Kearns was the biggest fight promoter in the entire country. He was the kind of guy who made a million dollars, went broke, made another million, went broke, and so on. Someone said Doc was like one of those inflated shmoo dolls with a weighted base. It kept popping up no matter how hard you punched it.
Young Jack was a natural bullshitter just like his old man. When it came to fighting, Jack took a lot and gave a lot. He was as fearless as a male lion defending his harem.
One lucky Thursday—a day seared into my memory—Jack invited our gang over to Helsing’s to meet his father. It was the first time I set eyes on a hundred dollar bill. Doc threw money around the table like he minted it in his basement. I got a knot in my stomach the size of a man’s fist just eyeballing all that cash. If a working stiff took home a hundred bucks a month, I guarantee, he was President of the United States.
Not only did Doc treat us guys to lunch, he casually peeled off a ten spot for each of us— fifty bucks just like that. My hand shook as I reached for mine. That was more than my father made in a week. It was funny Doc Kearns was so free with his money because, rumor had it, he was in one of his broke spells. After that meeting, Jack never lost a fight.
s with presidents, heads of state, actors, mobsters...you name it. Slick's boyhood friend, Jack Kearns, Jr., figures prominently in THIEF! Photo l. to r.: Mickey Walker & son, Jack Kearns, Jr. & Jack "Doc" Kearns, Sr. circa 1934. (Courtesy of Jack Kearns, Jr.)
Slick and Jack are about 9 years old in the following excerpt:
Speaking of tough, one of our gang was Jack Kearns whose world-famous father promoted and managed Jack Dempsey in bout after moneymaking bout during Dempsey’s heyday. “Doc” Kearns also handled guys like Mickey Walker and Joey Maxim to round out a card that read like a who’s who of boxing. It was a well-known fact that Kearns was the biggest fight promoter in the entire country. He was the kind of guy who made a million dollars, went broke, made another million, went broke, and so on. Someone said Doc was like one of those inflated shmoo dolls with a weighted base. It kept popping up no matter how hard you punched it.
Young Jack was a natural bullshitter just like his old man. When it came to fighting, Jack took a lot and gave a lot. He was as fearless as a male lion defending his harem.
One lucky Thursday—a day seared into my memory—Jack invited our gang over to Helsing’s to meet his father. It was the first time I set eyes on a hundred dollar bill. Doc threw money around the table like he minted it in his basement. I got a knot in my stomach the size of a man’s fist just eyeballing all that cash. If a working stiff took home a hundred bucks a month, I guarantee, he was President of the United States.
Not only did Doc treat us guys to lunch, he casually peeled off a ten spot for each of us— fifty bucks just like that. My hand shook as I reached for mine. That was more than my father made in a week. It was funny Doc Kearns was so free with his money because, rumor had it, he was in one of his broke spells. After that meeting, Jack never lost a fight.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Don't Miss Important THIEF! events
Check out the mob speak blog for upcoming THIEF! booksignings, especially if you live in Las Vegas. My spies tell me THIEF! is flying off the shelves in "Sin City." That's to be expected considering the fact that a good part of the book takes place in the mobbed-up Las Vegas from the 1940s - 1980s.
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
Then and Now
Then: During the mob's heyday in Las Vegas, (1960s-1980s) casinos hired poker dealers by how many chips they could snatch from the pot without getting caught.
Now: Poker dealing is completely above board as are all casino games. Dealers are more likely to be hired by how many hands they can get out in an hour and how good their dealing skills are.
Now: Poker dealing is completely above board as are all casino games. Dealers are more likely to be hired by how many hands they can get out in an hour and how good their dealing skills are.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
For serious gamblers...
Slick and I were discussing all the weird gamblers he's noticed during his 40+ years spent working legit jobs and playing poker in casinos. He said, "The best way to gamble if you’re serious about increasing your odds is to watch how others are betting, keep your mouth shut and leave the table when you’re on a losing streak."
And when I was a blackjack and roulette dealer and poker room floor supervisor, I watched plenty of folks throw good money after bad...keep betting til they bust.
We can’t emphasize enough that casinos make their money by
a. capitalizing on their sizable house advantage
b. keeping you at a table long enough for the house advantage to kick in
So hit and run. Grab your winnings and head for the nearest exit. Fight the natural greedy inclination to sit there hoping for more.
May the dice roll your way, all your cards come up winners and your chips multiply!
And when I was a blackjack and roulette dealer and poker room floor supervisor, I watched plenty of folks throw good money after bad...keep betting til they bust.
We can’t emphasize enough that casinos make their money by
a. capitalizing on their sizable house advantage
b. keeping you at a table long enough for the house advantage to kick in
So hit and run. Grab your winnings and head for the nearest exit. Fight the natural greedy inclination to sit there hoping for more.
May the dice roll your way, all your cards come up winners and your chips multiply!
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Q & A ANSWER
Q: What's the house advantage in blackjack?
A: Slick just called to remind me that I forgot the most important part: The player is always in the position to go bust before the dealer, which gives the house its edge or advantage.
Also, according to John Scarne, world-renowned gambling authority, the house edge is 5.9%. But that figure can change due to several variables such as:
A: Slick just called to remind me that I forgot the most important part: The player is always in the position to go bust before the dealer, which gives the house its edge or advantage.
Also, according to John Scarne, world-renowned gambling authority, the house edge is 5.9%. But that figure can change due to several variables such as:
- The number of decks in play
- Whether the dealer must hit or stand on a soft 17
- Whether a blackjack pays at 2/3 or 5/6
and other house rules that make the house advantage or edge fluctuate. Check out www.wizardofodds.com/blackjack/house-edge-calculator to figure more exact odds.
Good luck!
Check regularly for more Questions and Answers.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Q & A
Every week we'll be posting a new question about gambling, the mob, prostitution or another equally fascinating topic such as the one below. Check for the answer within 48 hours.
Happy blogging!
Your host,
Cherie
Q. What’s the house advantage in blackjack?
Happy blogging!
Your host,
Cherie
Q. What’s the house advantage in blackjack?
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