Amarillo Slim

infobox poker player
firstname=Amarillo Slim
lastname=Preston
nickname=Amarillo Slim

---

caption=Amarillo Slim at the 1974 WSOP.
hometown=Amarillo, Texas
wsop bracelet count=4
wsop money finishes=10
wsop main event best finish rank=Winner
wsop main event best finish year=1972
multi-year wsop winner
wpt titles
wpt final tables
wpt money finishes

Thomas Austin Preston, Jr. (born December 31, 1928 in Johnson, Arkansas), known as Amarillo Slim, is a professional gambler, famous for his poker skills and proposition bets. He won the main event at the 1972 World Series of Poker. He has been a member of the Poker Hall of Fame since 1992.

Poker career

Before becoming a well-known tournament player, Preston was a rounder, touring the United States looking for gambling action along with Doyle Brunson and Sailor Roberts. [ [http://www.pokernews.com/news/2005/05/poker-legends-brian-sailor-roberts.htm Pokernews.com: Legends of the Game - Brian "Sailor" Roberts] ]

Following his WSOP victory he appeared on several talk shows, including "The Tonight Show", and had a bit part in the 1974 Robert Altman movie "California Split". [imdb name|0696378|'Amarillo Slim' Preston] He appeared on "I've Got a Secret", where his secret involved losing $190,000 in one night of poker.fact|date=July 2008

As of|2008, Preston has a total of four WSOP bracelets, including two in Omaha, with his most recent WSOP win in 1990. He has won over $590,000 in tournament play. [ [http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=8 Amarillo Slim Preston tournament results] from The Hendon Mob website]

uper Bowl of Poker

In January/February 1980 Amarillo Slim hosted the "Second Annual Poker Classic" which became the second most prestigious poker tournament during its time. This series would eventually be called the "Super Bowl of Poker" and would continue until 1990. Gabe Kaplan became the first tournament winner of this series. [ [http://www.pokernews.com/news/2005/05/poker-legends-gabe-kaplan.htm Pokernews.com: Gabe Kaplan] ] , and Stu Ungar won the title three times. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=Vzotce35pUoC&pg=PA178&lpg=PA178&dq=stu+musta+won+a+jillion+dollars+in+my+tournaments&source=web&ots=CqaQnSAYoB&sig=xJPsZmZ0cWPtNna0715xXKjnk1E One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey] from Google Books]

World Series of Poker bracelets

Career as author

In 1973, Preston and Bill G. Cox authored "Play Poker to Win", published by Grosset and Dunlap. a revised edition was published by HarperCollins in 2005 as "Amarillo Slim's Play Poker to Win" (ISBN 0060817550),

In May 2003, Preston published his autobiography "Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People", where he revealed tales of playing poker with Larry Flynt, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon, among others. The book is the basis for a biopic under development by Nicolas Cage since 2004; Cage will reportedly play Preston, and Miloš Forman is scheduled to direct. [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000770085 Forman bets on Cage-led 'Slim' biopic] from a January 2005 article in "The Hollywood Reporter"]

In April 2007, Preston opened a website and released an E-Book "All In: An E-guide To No Limit Texas Hold'em", by Amarillo Slim Preston with Brent Riley.

Personal life

Preston is divorced, has three children, and currently resides in Amarillo, Texas. Preston was the best friend of casino owner Benny Binion; when Binion died in 1989, he left his horse to Preston.fact|date=July 2008

Encounters with the law

Since 2003 Preston has had several encounters with the law, both as convicted misdemeanor and as robbery victim.

In August 2003, Preston was indicted on three charges of indecency with a 12-year-old family member. The charges were reduced to misdemeanor assault in a plea bargain and on February 10, 2004, he pled guilty to the reduced charges, receiving a $4,000 fine and two years deferred adjudication. [ [http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Aug-12-Tue-2003/news/21921214.html Indictment might silence bluster of famed hustler `Amarillo Slim'] , from the "Las Vegas Review-Journal" website]

Early on the morning of October 4, 2006, Preston was approached on a street by a would-be robber. He sped away, but not before the gunman fired three bullets at his car. Preston was not injured. [ [http://www.amarillo.com/stories/100506/new_5737696.shtml Don't mess with Slim] from the "Amarillo Globe-News" website]

On January 28, 2007, Preston was robbed at gunpoint in his own home. [ [http://www.amarillo.com/stories/013007/new_6682210.shtml Slim robbed] from the "Amarillo Globe-News" website]

Notes

External links

* [http://amarilloslim.org/ Official site]
* [http://www.poker-babes.com/bio/amarillo-slim/ Poker Babes profile]