Amarillo Slim and Poker

There are some names you have to know if you're a poker player and one of those names if Amarillo Slim. Amarillo Slim wouldn't be born with such an expressive name however, as his first name would be Thomas Austin Preston Jr. Born at the mouth of a new year in December 31, 1928, Amarillo Slim is known for being an excellent and professional poker player. As a member of the Poker Hall of Fame, his is a name that should be remembered.

His reputation would take off due to his activities as a rounder, or as a poker player who travels for the sole purpose of playing in various tournaments. Amarillo Slim's travels would be accompanied by personalities such as Sailor Roberts and Doyle Brunson, people who are legendary and skilled in their own right. He would help them in bringing Texas Hold'em to Las Vegas in the sixties, changing the face of poker over the span of just under half a century.

The World Series of Poker, which he would later win, would start small, with only a select number of people able to join for a variety of reasons. The year of 1972 would be momentous, as it is the year wherein Amarillo Slim would join the World Series of Poker - he would win this tournament for a heft sixty thousand dollars, making Amarillo Slim world famous. Amarillo would travel and jump from talk show to talk show, spreading the word about poker.

Amarillo Slim chose not to rest on his laurels, continuing his fantastic play and winning four World Series of Poker bracelets. In the year of 1974 he would win over eleven thousand dollars for his one thousand dollar buy in for No Limit Hold'em. This winning streak would continue through other poker variants, like Omaha. As of 2008, his winnings exceed five hundred thousand dollars, which while paling in comparison to some other players, is nothing short of spectacular itself.

His contributions and activities when it came to poker would not be limited to time at the tables - he is also an author on the subject, co-writing a book with Bill Cox called "Play Poker to Win", which would be picked up later on and is still sold side by side with Doyle Brunson's "Super/System" as a handy manual to poker players around the world. He continues to play at the tables to this day, a presence that still demands respect.