Poker in Books; Check-Raising the Devil

Check-Raising the Devil by Mike "The Mouth" Matusow is one of the most borrowed books from my personal poker library.  To a man, the reviews from those that have read it, have been overwhelmingly positive.

Pass The Dip Review

This book is an incredible autobiography of Mike Matusow's life and poker career and doesn't pull any punches.  He details his battle with mental illness, drugs, jail and the ups and downs of a player gambling  for millions of dollars.  The story is an honest look at what some may see from the outside as a dream lifestyle, but addresses the truth behind what a professional poker player must deal with to live their dream.  This book comes in at 267 pages, but the story makes it feel much shorter than that.  This is another must-read Pass The Dip recommended book.

The Book Description From checkraisingthedevil.com 

Poker Champ Mike Matusow Offers the Inside Straight to the Highs and Lows of Living Life Full Tilt

When it comes to living on the edge, Mike Matusow is an expert.

A world-class poker player, and one of the game’s most colorful and polarizing personalities, he’s known as “The Mouth” to fans and detractors alike. A force of nature, and a force to be reckoned with, he is well known for being both wildly talented and wildly unpredictable. When it comes to reading players at the table, Matusow has few peers. But getting a read on himself and his emotions has proved to be a much tougher task, which is what makes his new autobiography so riveting.

In Check-Raising the Devil,Matusow, a three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and favorite of the ESPN cameras for his outbursts and emotions, tells a story you have to read to believe. It includes Mike’s personal experiences with high-stakes poker, sports betting, drugs, sex, and jail – all told with unflinching honesty. It also sheds light on the internal conflicts Matusow faces every day, battling often crippling depression and mental illness.