Jonny Magic And the Card Shark Kids by David Kushner

I really enjoyed this book and read it right through. It has everything that would interest gamblers and non gamblers alike. It’s the story of Jon Finkel and his transformation from an overweight geek who was unmercifully picked on by bullies to his rise to the World Champion Magic player, card counter, poker champion and professional sports bettor.

In 2004 a group of young players stormed the World Series of Poker and took home won some serious money. The top money winner was David Williams who came in second to Greg Raymer in the $10,000 final event. Many of the old school players wondered how these young guns could burst on the scene and hold their own in the Worlds biggest poker tournament. Many had never played in a live poker tournament before. What was unknown to the majority of players and spectators was that these “kids” were actually tournament veterans who had honed their competitive edge through a game called, Magic The Gathering. At the time the Magic World Champion was Jon Finkel, aka Jonny Magic.

Author David Kushner does an excellent job explaining how the game Magic The Gathering helped serve as a training ground to many of the new breed of poker players who are making their names know through out the poker world. He makes the connection between the Magic and Poker and you will recognize many of the names associated with both games.

This book is not just a story about gambling tournaments, it is the story of a young man’s coming of age and finding success after an awkward and sometimes cruel childhood as a brilliant child who was a social outcast.

Like many gifted students Jon Finkel was the favorite target for the school yard bullies, Hew was smart but overweight and picked on to the point that he made of list of why not to just commit suicide. When his family moved to England Jon one day he found himself in a games shop and was introduced to a fantasy games called Magic the Gathering, a game that would change his life forever.

Jon not only learned the game, he through himself into becoming the best player in the world. When his family moved back the United States Jon would trek from his home in New Jersey to New York City to play in the games shop. After entering and playing in his first Magic tournament Jon had found his passion

After becoming the top money winner on the Magic tournament circuit Jon set his sites on Poker. You will follow Jon from the beginning of his poker playing in the New York clubs all the way to the World Series of Poker where he and his Magic playing friends made an impact on the poker world. But Jon’s story goes beyond Poker and Magic. He became a valuable member of a successful Blackjack card counting team that took Las Vegas for millions of dollars. After Blackjack Jon set his sites on Sports betting and now makes his living a professional gambler.

This book will interest many readers on several differnt levels. I think you will enjoy it. I have to admit after finishing the book I was curious to find out more about this Magic game that spawned some tought new poker players.