Poker Wars focuses on a wide collection of intense characters on all sides of the law who
came together and clashed both on the felt and in the streets to tell this story.





















THE ANTI-HEROES

Benny Binion – “The Cowboy” - An illiterate horse trader from the prairies of Pilot
Point, Texas who rises to become a cut-throat businessman and THE boss gambler of Dallas,
heading up the powerful Southland Syndicate, and eventually becoming the driving force behind
the World Series of Poker. 

Herbert Noble – “The Catman” - An ambitious and savvy man who rose from the slums
of West Dallas to become a force in the Texas underbelly, earning the nickname “The
Aristocratic Gambler,” and becoming both a rival for Benny Binion and a determined survivalist.

THE MENTORS

Warren Diamond – A brilliant risk-taker and kingpin in the Dallas policy numbers
racket, working out of the notorious St. George Hotel; the man who gives Benny his start
and his influence.

Sam Murray – A rough-and-tumble adrenaline junkie who rises up to take control of all
South Dallas gambling, also providing mentorship and opening the door for Herbert Noble.

Mr. Wade – Proprietor of the Otter’s Club private poker club in Dallas who recognizes
the talent of a young Johnny Moss and teaches him the game.

THE CRIMINALS

Arnold Rothstein – Infamous and brilliant crime boss and racketeer, known mostly for
rigging the 1919 World Series, and a friend of Titanic Thompson.

Al Capone – “Scarface.” “Public Enemy Number One.” Legendary gangster who weaves
his way in and out of the lives of many characters in our story.

Paul Roland Jones – A mid-level associate from the Chicago Syndicate who comes to
Dallas to try and influence local politicians and crime bosses to lay stakes for the Mob.

Raymond Loudermilk – A tough guy from the streets of Dallas who works his way up
in Benny Binion’s operation, becoming his right-hand man … for a time.

Ivy Miller – A street-smart, cold-blooded killer and an associate of Benny Binion.

Bob Minyard – A low-level petty criminal who becomes a loyal member of Benny’s
outfit, earning trust through violence.

Lois Green – Thief, bodyguard, sharpshooter, and a nemesis of Herbert Noble who
would later lead The Forty Thieves gang.

Johnny Grisaffi – Homicidal maniac known as Brazil and an associate of Benny Binion.

Jack Darby – A young and inexperienced hired gun in Dallas trying to make his way in
Benny’s orbit.

Eddie Gillihand – An incompetent gambler and even worse thief who squares off with
Noble.

Sonny Lefors – An untrustworthy thief who readily flips loyalties between crime bosses
at the first threat of violence.

R.D. Mathews – A lethal enforcer and trusted bodyguard of Benny Binion.

Harold Shimley – A disgraced and despised gambler who somehow finds himself trying
to negotiate peace between two deadly rivals.

Franklin Strong – A member of The Forty Thieves gang who encounters Noble on more
than one occasion.

Leroy Gross – Another member of The Forty Thieves with a score to settle with The
Catman.

Jack Todd – Known as “Gentleman Jack,” a strategic racketeer who also has a
dangerously violent side.

Blackie – An immoral degenerate gambler who dresses like a pimp and loves to cheat,
leaving an early impression on a young Johnny Moss.

THE LAW

Smoot Schmid – A seasoned sheriff, once known for helping track down Bonnie and
Clyde, who is as willing to turn a blind eye to any Dallas gangland violence as he is to share a
cup of coffee with his “friend” Benny Binion.

Steve Guthrie – a young former Army sergeant who defies odds to win the Dallas
County sheriff election in an upset, reshaping the landscape of the Dallas gambling scene.

Bill Decker – A Dallas police captain with close ties to Benny Binion.

George Butler – A lieutenant with the Dallas Police Department and a friend of Herbert
Noble, who, more than once, has to reign in The Catman.

Estes Kefauver – A U.S. senator from Tennessee who launches the Subcommittee on
Organized Crime and sends gangsters of all shapes and sizes scrambling.

Henry Wade – Dallas district attorney who has a hard-nosed appreciation for law and
order, and a desire to get The Cowboy behind bars.

THE PROMOTERS

Vegas Vic – A cool and confident manager and promoter who helps build up both Reno
and Las Vegas into entertainment capitals.

Tom Moore – Vic’s protégé who comes up with a grand idea to attract business to a
struggling casino through connections with the Texas Circuit.

THE PLAYERS

Nick Dandolos – “The Greek” - A gambling legend, an enigmatic personality, and the
forefather of the traveling gambler, who spends most of his life jumping from city to city
building fortunes and losing them only to build them up again, and earning notoriety everywhere
he goes; a true “action” man.

Titanic Thompson – Another of the first true professional players, and also a master
manipulator and prop bet artist that tours the country, building his bankroll and garnering the
fame and acclaim that comes with it.

Johnny Moss – “The Grand Old Man of Poker” - A nine-time WSOP winner (including
the first two) who takes part in a legendary event that lays the groundwork for the ultimate poker
tournament.

Doyle Brunson – “The Texas Dolly” - The expert card player and legend of the Texas
Circuit who becomes the first face of the WSOP with his warm, Southern charm, his devil-may-
care play and his willingness to be an ambassador for the sport.

Amarillo Slim – One of Doyle’s early playing partners on the Circuit who is always
looking for action, be it poker, pool, or anywhere he thought he could find an advantage.

Sailor Roberts – Another of Doyle’s early playing partners, and a master poker player …
when he isn’t busy chasing skirts on the Circuit.

Corky McCorquodale – The elder statesman of the Texas Circuit and the man credited
with helping spread the game of Texas Hold ‘Em to Vegas and beyond.

Crandall Addington – A self-made rich oilman and member of the Texas Circuit who is
both patient and deadly at the table.

Treetop Straus – A 6’6” lanky Texan, intimidating in size and a world-class bluffer …
and someone who often finds clever ways out of paying his debts.

Bob Hooks – A backwoods gambler who grew up poor and saw poker as his one chance
to change his fortune.

Doc Ramsey – A traveling partner of Hooks despite a sizeable age gap, and an expert
card player with the heart of a philanthropist.

Cowboy Wolford – Cheerful and charismatic poker player on the Circuit who gets you
laughing while draining your chip stack; also a mainstay on the pro rodeo tour.