Victoria Coren is well recognized as one of the more successful female poker players. That's likely to her chagrin however, as she states clearly in her book that when it comes to poker, women need no special distinction. In fairness, Victoria Coren is an accomplished pro poker player by any measure. As someone who stumbled into the game, this writer, commentator, and all-round poker celebrity has an impressive career behind her name. On Sunday 24 September 2006, Coren won the main event of the EPT in London and earned a prize of £500,000. As of 2008, her total live tournament winnings exceed $1,200,000! She also has a colourful background as someone who in 2003 published a book about her attempt to make the best hard-core porn movie ever!

This auto-biography starts at the point when poker first enters her life. Like several other players, her presence at the casino was as a typical gambler; she later admits that craps and other games have got her into a lot of trouble. Poker was a side attraction, a sort of club in which she didn't belong and one which she wasn't sure if she wanted to belong. From here the book unfolds with various tales bringing Victoria Coren from that uncertain start to her eventual win at the 2006 European Poker Tour London.

Readers familiar with the world of poker will recognize several of the people in the book. The Hendon Mob being regulars here, but other random with encounters with the likes of Amarillo Slim and Phil Helmuth. Poker celebrity was still quite limited at the time, as were the available games. Encounters with renowned players were more of an eventuality than a rarity. And like all those players Coren can regale one with stories of bad beats and fearful tribulations in her career -- though nothing near as harrowing as the stories from the classic Texan players.

The book invites a more casual enjoyment than a cover-to-cover thorough reading. You could pick at any point in the book and not really miss . The emphasis is on the poker anecdotes rather than a detailed view of Coren's life.

For Richer, For Poorer is a good book overall. There are many interesting encounters and a good glimpse at the world of poker. In a still male dominated game, Coren's viewpoint is certainly refreshing.