Poker has been on a boom for almost a decade now, and writer Sean Chaffin's new book Raising the Stakes: True Tales of Gambling, Wagering and Poker Faces offers up stories of gambling and poker's unique history and lore. From underground games in Dallas to tales of the World Series of Poker to crazy stories like wagering at a Puerto Rican cockfight, Raising the Stakes features something for everyone interested in gambling, poker, or history in general. "There is just such a unique history and lore to gambling and poker," he says. "Some of these stories are really out of the mainstream and not too well-known. I just know there is an audience out there like me, who love that unique poker culture." Some of the book's features include: The Top O' the Hill casino, an underground casino in Arlington, Texas, that was a forerunner to today's modern casinos. The story of how it was raided by law enforcement and eventually turned into a seminary is one of a kind. Jack Strauss - his comeback story at the World Series of Poker spawned the phrase: "All you need is a chip and chair." Many know the phrase, but not the larger than life story of this amazing poker player, gambler, and big game hunter. The Amvets Club in Dallas - an underground poker room where many of the World Series of Poker's greatest players got their start. That history includes a gripping robbery and raid by law enforcement. And many more. In recent years, Sean's work and coverage of the industry have appeared in many publications including Poker Pro, World Poker Tour magazine, American Cowboy, Hooters magazine, Fort Worth magazine, H magazine in Houston, Poker Europa, Poker Player Newspaper, and more. He has interviewed and covered some of the biggest names and events in the poker world. For the last year, he has been a contributor to Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Canadian Poker Player magazines. For several years, Sean has served as monthly crime writer for Advocate magazines in Dallas. He also owned a weekly newspaper in Rockwall, Texas, for five years. Chaffin grew up in Crandall, Texas, playing poker in his father's regular poker games. He is a native Texan who attended Texas A&M University, majoring in journalism and English. He now lives in Rockwall, Texas, with his wife Kathy and daughters Marie and Chloe. Beyond his magazine writing, Sean is editor of www.PokerTraditions.com, a site all about poker history, lore, and people. The site is re-launching with the book's release. ***** "Raising the Stakes takes readers from the saloons and back rooms of poker's early days to the high-stakes tables and televised tournaments of today. Its entertaining anecdotes and insider's perspective will leave even casual players itching to play a few hands." - Tom Wilmes, Deputy Editor, American Cowboy magazine "Sean's writing offers a unique insight into poker's past, present, and future." - Antonio Esfandiari, poker pro and ESPN World Series of Poker commentator "Sean Chaffin has a unique insight into casinos and gambling and is one of the go-to writers in the poker world." - John "Johnny Quads" Wenzel, Editor-in-Chief, Poker Pro magazine "Sean Chaffin is a lot more than a journalist. He's an incredible writer who understands the casino and gaming industry on a very deep level. When I need to assign a big story, I contact Sean." - Rob Wiser, Editor, Casino Player magazine "Sean Chaffin is one of my favorite writers for many reasons but mostly because he's a great story-teller. Lots of people can write but only the best can tell stories as if you were sitting around the campfire." - Paul K. Harral, Executive Editor, Fort Worth, Texas magazine "Sean has a unique voice that captures the seriousness of stories while also injecting bits of humor and irony. He does a good job of collecting oodles of information and condensing it into easily digestible short articles." - Christina Hughes Babb, Managing Editor, Advocate magazines-Dallas