Downtown Las Vegas poker fans know this week's guest by their action. Sam O'Connor, author of How to Dominate $1 and $4 No-Limit Hold'em and Tales of Old Vegas, writes regularly for Poker Pro magazine. His favorite subject is the character known as The Duke, a tight player who has mastered the no-limit game by playing it by the book. Both men spent their afternoon discussing poker strategies, poker people, poker stories and everything else poker. Howard started the conversation with Sam, but soon the three of them were talking like old friends sitting on at a sidewalk cafe, sipping an after-dinner drink and sharing their knowledge and experience. This, the last podcast of 2009, was a fitting broadcast.

No matter which name you use, Doyle or Texas Dolly or Mr. Brunson, it’s for certain the name, Doyle Brunson is not just synonymous with poker champion but also is synonymous with poker in general. Everybody who has played the game or watched any poker on TV knows the name. Brunson, who has authored a few books, visited Gamblers Book Shop for this podcast and while he was in the store, signed books for dozens of folks who came by solely for that purpose. By the end of the two-hour visit, fully 80 people walked out with autographed copies of The Godfather of Poker, while others opted also for signed copies of the Super Systems and two other titles. Most stayed to listen to Brunson talk about his early days in poker, his view of today's poker scene, the popularity of doylesroom.com and myriad other topics.

Today's guest is Steve Bourie, the publisher of one of gaming's most popular annuals, the American Casino Guide. The book doesn't just tell readers where casinos are located in the U.S. It fills in all kinds of information --- the games, the food, the phone numbers, websites, RV facilities, and amenities such as golf courses, beauty shops, ice cream parlors and the like. Steve's background in the casino industry, coupled with his extensive knowledge about gambling make his book an award-winning effort. If you're new to the American Casino Guide or need to know exactly what's in it (including more than $1000 worth of coupons), you'll get all that and more in this interview.

A quick note: Howard has been temporarily out of commission with laryngitis so a new (and decidedly amateur) voice hosts this episode. Maryann is interviewing Eric Cybulski who has an interesting approach to craps rolls. His book, Craps Wagering Strategies Using Actual Rolls,
looks at what should happen according to statistics and compares that information to actual casino rolls to see how the values compare. Eric talks about why the game seems to be languishing in the casinos, what the resorts might do to bring back the excitement and interest, and how he came to be interested in the game. He discusses how he learned to play and how he began to formulate his unique theory.

On this episode, Howard Schwartz interviews Steve Davidowitz, internationally known race and turf writer. Originally published in 1978 as Betting Thoroughbreds, a Professional's Guide for the Horseplayer and revised in 1995, Steve’s best-selling book is now substantially revised, expanded and updated as Betting Thoroughbreds for the 21st Century -- and the information is still solid, still definitely timely. Additionally, Davidowitz has contributed to several other racing books, all of which are available from Gamblers Book Shop. In this broadcast he talks about the state of thoroughbred racing, of the availability of material for the handicapper, and about playing the races.In this broadcast he talks about the state of thoroughbred racing, of the availability of material for the handicapper, and about playing the races.

Several years back, Ed Lacki produced software to incorporate sports handicapping and biorhythms, but he was ahead of his time. People were interested in the concept, but back then few people had home computers. Lacki has now resurrected the software, updated the files and information and in this interview with Howard Schwartz, he talks about the theories, the programming and the software.

This week’s show starts with Howard’s lively and uber fascinating interview with Gene Kilroy, one-time business manager/confidante/get-the-job-done man for the great Muhammad Ali. Perhaps a quote about Ali from Kilroy best describes this guest best: "I consider myself one of the luckiest guys in the world just to call him my friend. If I was to die today and go to heaven it would be a step down. My heaven was being with Ali.''  (From an interview conducted by Tim Dahlberg, AP, January 17, 2007). Kilroy’s career covered the sports, gambling and entertainment arena, from the front office of the Philadelphia Eagles to the back lots of MGM movies to the top floor offices of some of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas. His reminiscences, thoughts, and opinions here make for a memorable broadcast.

In the second part of the show Howard talks to Las Vegas’ sports talk radio show professional John Kelly. A graduate of Northwestern University, Kelly has been a fascinated observer and participant in the life of the “most exciting city in the world.” The former commentator of the Stardust Line, the longest-running, single-sponsored sports show in the country, Kelly now hosts Leroy’s Sports Hour, available in Nevada on Fox and ESPN Radio outlets and on the Internet at www. AmericaWagering.com. Kelly provides mucho insight into the fast-paced gambling scene, with particular focus on sports wagering.

Arnold Snyder, more noted as an a professional gambler and author of numerous blackjack books (The Big Book of Blackjack and Blackbelt in Blackjack among them) as well as poker (The Poker Tournament Formula and The Poker Tournament Formula 2) has ventured into the (under)world of topless clubs in Las Vegas. Titled Sin City Advisor's Topless Vegas (276 pages, paperbound, $14.95), the book offers tips and guide lines and profiles the best and worst of the topless establishments. In this conversation with Howard, Snyder colorfully describes his research and his funny episodes in interviewing potential resources and intertwines the tale with anecdotes about his earlier days as a 21 player and author. He also explains his interesting transition to tournament poker player and poker book author.

Dale Yeazel, one of the most diverse and talented dealers (for craps and blackjack) talks about his experiences working at the tables - including customers with odd approaches to the game of craps; his opinion of whether a player can really control the dice; his opinions on good and bad dealers. Yeazel is a Las Vegas resident for more than 20 years and he's produced several electronic books geared for learning and dealing the games.

For more than two decades, Victor Royer has been a player of casino games, author of gaming books, and a consultant to the gaming industry. He has been contributing columns to various publications around the world since 1984. Colorful, entertaining, and very knowledgeable, Victor is one of Gamblers Book Shop’s favorite author of gaming guides for the casual player and in today’s super interview with Howard he covers a wide range of gambling subjects.

And the long-awaited interview with The Duke, the $1-$2 buy-in no-limit cash game expert who terrorizes the players in downtown Las Vegas … plus some good, solid poker advice from Dr. Alan Schoonmaker, not as much of a terror as The Duke (or so he says), but a force to be dealt with nonetheless.