Life’s a Gamble – The High Stakes and Low Life of a Poker Professional. By Roy Brindley.
When I told people that I was reading Roy Brindley’s new book, ‘Life’s a Gamble’, there were turned-up noses aplenty, most responding with an ignorant smirk or unjustified giggle. Admittedly, Brindley hasn’t won a WPT or don a bracelet, and can’t boast the poker backgrounds of Brunson, Slim and the like, but then again, this isn’t a book about poker, it’s about gambling, and gambling to such an extent that life turns into a series of continual ups and downs.
It’s these unpredictable fluctuations and emotional roller coasters that form the spine of the book, Brindley’s life-long sentence with gambling seeing him endure highs and lows that most never will. Fortunately, he recalls his past with such vigour that each anecdote is just about wild enough to keep us entertained, and the constant thought of which direction his life might take encourages us to reach for that next page.
His real saving grace, however, is that Brindley recognises he’s not of the status of some of the world’s greats, and so ensures that his book is slightly different, and one focussed on his addiction combined with an unrelenting, obsessive nature. Thus, after the usual Jesse May foreword and an exciting, pumped up recap of the Betfair.com Poker Masters of Europe, we are sent hurtling back to Brindley’s childhood, where it all started.
Perhaps it’s these chapters that are of the most interest, as it sights possible explanations to his addiction beyond the excuse of ‘genetics’. An inherited gene is obviously a possibility, but there’s also a case to suggest his surroundings nurtured him towards gambling, and slowly, but surely thrust him unwittingly into a world that he’d never quite escape. As someone who grew up around greyhound/horse racing, was engulfed by family members who liked to gamble and play cards, and heard of how his grandfather was once stitched up by the bookies for thousands, you begin to wonder how much a say Brindley had in how his life would shape out.
A turbulent life inevitably ensued, and Brindley captures his woes in brutally, honest detail, admitting that he’d begged on the streets, lived in a cardboard box and searched for coppers under slot machines. Similarly, he acknowledges the stupidity of his gambling, and the illogical thought process that goes into placing a bet, but simply can’t deny the buzz. “Placing the last of my money on a horse in a betting shop,” he says, “knowing I did not fancy it to win but working on the theory that his price was right in order to get back all my losses was the moment I should have known I had become a sick, addicted gambler.”
But although his times as a greyhound trainer and journalist were tainted by regular, and ultimately unsuccessful trips to the betting shop, Brindley did of course find his salvation, in the form of poker and, more specifically, the Jackpot Club. It’s here he shares his joys of a newfound love, and the ability to apply his mathematical talents in a less destructive way, taking down numerous comps and even becoming Europe’s first ever sponsored player.
But whilst his more reckless days had passed, the reader remains on tenterhooks, knowing that, in his own words, “Gambling never ends in an amicable divorce.” Resultantly, Brindley experienced the odd major slip-up, but a constant will to succeed and beat his addiction, simultaneously aided by his relationship with partner Mags and their subsequent offspring, means that the latter chapters are of a more positive nature, showcasing his numerous tournament wins, his TV appearances and his lengthy sponsorship deal as the ace of Ladbrokes Poker. It took a while, but he got there in the end.
On the whole, ‘Life’s a Gamble’ is a relatively smooth read, and rarely did I find reading Brindley’s account a mission. He may not be a modern day Shakespeare, but his level of enthusiasm for what he’s writing is just about enough to see him through, and his humour, whether you like it or not, can’t help but keep things from going stale.
There are also some great (and some not so) lines, and phrases that he drops in at every given moment, and each day I wondered what pearls of wisdom would be meeting my eyes. “Betting can be like sex; it’s best just before the end” for example. No, he may not be the most profound, but at least it allows for an enjoyable romp.
‘Life’s a Gamble’ is, inevitably, not without fault, and although I was thoroughly entertained throughout, some may be discouraged by chapters centred around the world of greyhound if not, essentially, possessing much of an interest in that particular industry. Equally, you will also have to tolerate somewhat pernickety jabs, as the book can sometimes become a vehicle for defending himself against those with whom Brindley has crossed swords. As he confesses himself, he has many insecurities, and this need to explain himself, be it a questionable play, forum abuse or even being beaten in a heads-up challenge (see Action Jack reference), is prevalent throughout.
Whatever people may think about Brindley, his poker credibility or his ability to write, there’s no denying that his story is a fun-filled, if often tragic one brimming with enough twists and turns to keep even the most action-hungry of readers satisfied. In his time, he’s slept rough whilst on the run from the police, lost £700 in £50 notes driving an open-top car intoxicated, and experienced the delights of winning $25,000 online before being told he was on the play money tables – to say there isn’t some fun to be had here, would be a lie.
In conclusion, ‘Life’s a Gamble’ doesn’t claim to be Angela’s Ashes or Super System, it’s an honest portrayal of an obsessed gambler, someone who, despite his private schooling, mathematical prowess and timely sponsorship, remained haunted by his addiction, and too often succumbed to the temptation to seek that “perverse buzz”. As someone who initially struggled with writing, this isn’t poorly written, and flows sufficiently enough that you’ll rarely be bored. Besides, any book that includes the sentence, “I’d fantasize once more about killing the Berland family in Kansas and then came up with the crazy idea of having a vasectomy,” must be worth a look, surely.