High-stakes poker professional. Author of Beneath the Cards. Everything a producer, journalist, or podcast host needs, on one page.
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Garrett Adelstein is one of the world's most respected and feared poker players. For nearly twenty-five years, he has dominated the tables, becoming one of poker's biggest stars and winning millions of dollars along the way. After becoming embroiled in the "Jack-Four" cheating controversy, the most debated hand in poker history, he stepped away from the spotlight to write Beneath the Cards. Garrett lives in Manhattan Beach, California, with his wife Jennifer, two children, and two AmStaff Terriers. Away from the family or the felt, he trains for marathons, hikes around the world, and cheers for the Arizona Wildcats.
Garrett Adelstein is widely considered one of the world's most respected and feared poker players. For nearly twenty-five years, he has dominated the tables and won millions of dollars along the way, earning a reputation for his elite decision-making, icy-cool demeanor, and relentless competitiveness. His career has taken him from online prodigy to one of poker's most recognizable stars, appearing in some of the biggest broadcasts and highest-stakes games on earth, tables where millions of dollars can change hands in minutes. His memorable appearance on CBS's Survivor: Cagayan also introduced him to audiences well beyond poker.
In 2022, Garrett found himself at the center of the "Jack-Four" cheating controversy, the most debated hand in poker history. Overnight, the event transformed him from one of the most popular figures in poker to one of the most polarizing. He then stepped away from the spotlight to write Beneath the Cards, a memoir chronicling his successes and setbacks on and off the table. Beyond the wild gambling stories, the memoir is ultimately about the hidden costs of ambition, perfectionism, depression, identity, and what happens when winning is no longer enough.
Today, Garrett competes selectively in the world's biggest cash games and recently completed a comprehensive poker training course. Coinciding with the release of his course and book, he's also dropping an in-depth documentary examining the Jack-Four controversy and the evidence that led him to conclude hole-card information was relayed during multiple Hustler Casino Live streams.
Garrett graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona and lives in Manhattan Beach, California, with his wife Jennifer, two children, and two AmStaff Terriers. Away from the family or the felt, he trains for marathons, hikes around the world, and cheers for the Arizona Wildcats.
Whether discussing high-stakes decision-making, mental health, public controversy, marriage and fatherhood, competitive distance running, or finding meaning beyond achievement, Garrett offers a rare perspective shaped by decades of competing at the highest levels and learning life's lessons the hard way.
Cleared for editorial use. The folder includes high-resolution photoshoot images, poker table shots, book cover files, and logo assets.
What's in the folder: 10 photoshoot images, several poker table images, the Beneath the Cards cover (front and full wrap), and logo files. Web and print resolutions included.
One of poker's most feared competitors reveals the triumph, scandal, and hidden cost of obsession.
Garrett Adelstein, widely recognized as the best high-stakes cash game player on earth (and the alleged mark in "Jack-Four," the most controversial hand in poker history) flips the deck in Beneath the Cards.
This gripping memoir charts Garrett's up-and-down journey to the pinnacle of poker, from online poker prodigy to livestream superstar, until one hand threatened to destroy everything he'd built. He pulls no punches, taking readers through his turbulent career and offering a riveting insider account of underground games where compulsive gamblers, seasoned grifters, and millions of dollars collide in minutes. Garrett comes clean on drunken binges, death threats, financial ruin, and public backlash. Along the way, he shares accessible poker insights and delves into the mindset required to navigate this cutthroat, unforgiving arena.
Garrett also candidly discusses his life beyond the table. He exposes his deeply personal battles with perfectionism, depression, body dysmorphia, and even his demoralizing appearance on Survivor. Through these experiences, the book examines connection, identity, and what happens when winning is no longer enough: universal themes that resonate even with those who've never played a hand.
Powered by the perceptiveness and humor that endear Garrett to poker enthusiasts worldwide, Beneath the Cards is an unforgettable ride appealing to poker fans, business professionals, sports and true crime readers, and anyone intrigued by the price of extreme competition.
Themes from the book that work as standalone conversations for most shows and podcasts.
How Garrett worked through the Jack-Four controversy and the destructive patterns behind it, and why he's a better husband, father, and professional for it.
Rebuilding a sense of self after tying it to false idols: prodigy, world-class player, wealth, fame, physique. How to recover when those personas are largely stripped away.
Randomness is easily recognized in poker; life just hides it better. How to acknowledge luck without letting it excuse you from relentless effort.
The personal cost of a tireless work ethic. And why in poker, specialization, politics, and connections are more powerful forces than hours logged. Lessons that transfer well beyond cards.
Marriage, fatherhood (kids are 3 and 1), and knowing when it makes sense to go all-in professionally versus when life dictates otherwise. How to find that balance and excel in both.
Get up to speed in minutes instead of hours. See also recent media and interviews below.
A series of short videos telling stories from the book. Each runs a couple minutes and gives hosts a feel for the material without hours of reading.
For interviews, podcast bookings, and press requests, reach out directly. Include your show or outlet and target dates.
