1. Maxims and methods of pittsburgh phil Whatever is Asked The ability to defeat rival competitors under any circumstances, to overcome setback or disadvantage; poor start, pace duel, wide trip, shuffled, bumped, forced to steady, a wall of horses, whatever; any horse that holds a meaningful Class advantage - true Thoroughbred Class, will do.
2. Find 438 Racing maxims and methods of. Racing maxims and methods of 'Pittsburgh Phil' (George E. Smith): Condensed wisdom of twenty years experience on the track from the most successful. Interviews ever given by the famous horseman.

Maxim Racing Inc

Racing Maxims of 'Pittsburgh Phil' 'Gambling is a disease of barbarians superficially civilized.' Dean Inge, Wit and Wisdom of Dean Inge. If he plays being young and unskillful, for shekels of silver and gold, Take his money, my son, praising Allah, The kid was ordained to be sold. Celebrated by the press, feared by bookmakers, the legendary Pittsburg Phil scored spectacular riches with methods that resonate more than a century later. Pittsburgh Phil would wager as much as $50,000 on a single race. Pittsburgh Phil eventually moved to New York and plied his trade at the New York racetracks where he made considerable sums of money. His earnings were large enough that he decided to purchase a few racehorses for himself.

George Elsworth Smith lived between 1862 and 1905. He was a reputable American Thoroughbred horse racing aficionado and gambler. He rose to the level of multi-millionaire in late 19^th century and 230^th century. He was christened `Pittsburgh Phil’ by William `Silver Bills’ Riley, a Chicago gambling veteran, in 1865 to distinguish him from other regular gamblers at Riley’s pool halls. Pittsburgh Phil is recognized by many handicappers as a professional strategist with capability to amass incredible winnings in times when racing stats publication like Daily Racing Form were not readily available. Phil succumbed to tuberculosis in 1905. By this time, he had accumulated a fortune worth $3,250,000. Adjusted value of this value would be US 84,066,667. Many of his racing maxims that were published posthumously forms the cornerstones of the contemporary handicapping skills and concepts.

Elsworth was born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. He was the child of Christian and Elizabeth `Eliza’ Smith. He also had siblings: Elizabeth and Annie (sisters) and William C. Smith (brother). His brother was younger with a few years. Eliza was an immigrant from Ireland while his father came from Baden, Germany and was a carpenter by profession.

Initially, Smith and his family lived in a small farm in Sewickley. They later moved to Allegheny in 1872 when George was only 10 years. They finally settled at Peasant valley, Pittsburgh across the Ohio River in the current California-Kirk bride area. Just a year after they moved in the area (around 1872 or 1873), Elsworth’s father passed away. This led to Phil’s mother experiencing dire financial strains. This compelled Elsworth to start working at a local Cork company, presumed to be Armstrong Cork Co., for income of $5.

In as much as he had to retain the job, he had ambitions of getting in better paying profession. He decided to be deducting some little amount of money from his weekly wages after giving his mother most of the money to purchase the basic supplies. He used the little cash he managed to hide to purchase gamecocks that he used to train with. He hid the content from his sisters and staunch catholic mother who strongly disapproved anything to do with gambling. He also wagered in Pittsburgh pool halls’ National League Baseball games. He attributed his often sizable triumph to pay raises at the cork factory.

Back in 1870s, the horse races were broadcast via telegraph. The event used to be so colorful such that it soon captured the attention of young Elsworth. He started compiling a crude racing chart composed stockpiled names and times for a year. It was not until the fall of 179 when Smith wagered fop the first time in the horse races and won $38 for his first bet.

The event motivated him to concentrate in gambling. He quit his job at the cork factory convinced that gambling was better paying. In the following two years, he had accrued above $5,000. By 1885, Elsworth was a very reputable gambler but the problem came in that he could not retain his favorable odds since everyone wagered like him.

Tags and Categories:

Gambler's Book Club / GBC Press is a bookstore & small press dedicated to gambling. Now located at 5473 S Eastern Ave in Paradise, Nevada, it was originally located in the Huntridge area of Las Vegas. The company has operated for over 40 years. Along with original books on various forms of gambling, the company engaged in the reprinting of 'classic' works related to gambling that had long passed out of copyright, furthering Founder John & Edna Luckman's vision of Gambler's Book Club as a place of learning for gamblers.

History[edit]

The shop began as Gambler's Book Club in 1964, with Luckman envisioning 'not just a bookstore, but a library of gambling and a forum for gamblers to gather and visit, argue, gossip, lie, and - most of all - learn from each other'.^[1] After 45 years the shop moved from South 11th to 1550 Tropicana which instantly expanded their retail space and improved their location with better parking and access just 2 miles from the Strip.

Among the works kept in print by the bookshop:

• 'Stud Poker Blue Book', originally published in 1934
• 'Racing Maxims of Pittsburgh Phil', based on the only interview of the famous horseplayer, George E. Smith^[2]
• The 1928 'Handbook on Percentages', republished in 1976 by GBC with the '...firm belief...that the library of any gamblephile[sic] is incomplete without this classic work.'^[3]
• The 1906 'Stealing Machine' by Eugene Villiod, the French detective^[4]

Among other notable works published: the first book on the now popular poker variantTexas hold'em, Hold'em Poker by David Sklansky. Although the role of publishing in the company sharply declined with the passing of John Luckman in 1987, printing and other services are still offered to authors leading to a roster of book titles available exclusively through the store.

The company registered Gambler's Book Shop as an alternate name in 1988^[5] to clarify that this was a brick and mortar which did not require a membership card, and to underscore its retail business.

The company produced two quarterly magazines, Casino and Sports and Systems and Methods. Luckman hired Howard B. Schwartz in 1979^[6] as editor of these publications. Howard Schwartz, who was born in Brooklyn and earned degrees from the University of Montana, Kansas State and the University of Northern Colorado, has an education and newspaper background, he became the owner of the store after the death of Edna Luckman (co-founder, and wife of John Luckman). The bookstore, now led by Schwartz, continues to be honored by designations and awards.^[7][8]

The store has been selling online for 11 years,^[9] and frequently updates its web site^[10] with new products. The store also has a podcast.

Notes[edit]

Magazine Articles[edit]

Maxim Racing Logo

In addition to appearances in and references by newspapers Gambler's Book Shop has been the subject of numerous magazine articles. In one high-profile instance in the August 1967 issue of Playboy Magazine, Maurice Zolotow wrote a ⅔-page piece titled High Rollers, for which he interviewed and referenced (then marketing director) Howard Schwartz regarding the lifestyle of serious gamblers. Schwartz lightly joked about the number 'commas' in the bankroll, or gambling budget, of a high roller. Other notable articles:

• GQ Magazine, August 1992
• Entrepreneur Magazine, February 1984
• Nevada Magazine, November/December 1996
• Sport magazine, March 1987
• Publishers Weekly May 11, 1990
• Book Magazine, July/August 2001
• Nation's Business, November 1991

Pittsburgh Phil Maxims

References[edit]

1. ^Hopkins, A.D. (1999). The First 100: Portraits of the Men and Women Who Shaped Las Vegas. ISBN9780929712673.
2. ^'The Legend of Pittsburgh Phil'. www.oddjack.com. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
3. ^Shampaign, Charles (1976). Handbook on Percentages.
4. ^'Timeline 1901-1910'. ratmmjess.tripod.com. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
5. ^Nevada Secretary of State: Entity Details^{[permanent dead link]}
6. ^'First 100 Persons Who Shaped Southern Nevada'. 1st100.com. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
7. ^'Best Bookstore'. reviewjournal.com. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
8. ^'Winner of Best Bookstore in the Staff poll'. reviewjournal.com. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
9. ^whois.ws cache
10. ^web.archive.org

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 36°05′25″N115°07′09″W / 36.0903°N 115.1192°W