Diary of a Mad Poker Player

Poker is booming. It's everywhere, from card rooms and home games to TV and the internet.

When Chris Moneymaker paralayed a $39 buy-in at an online tournament into the 2003 World Championship and $2.5 million, it set every recreational player thinking - "If he can do it, anyone can."

This is one such player's journey through cyberspace to Las Vegas.

As with all journeys, it is not just about the destination: it's about getting there, and the sights seen and people met along the way.

Meet top props and angry amateurs, cheats and cons, industry insiders and internet moguls. Go behind the scenes at card rooms and poker websites, and inside the ropes at the World Series of Poker itself.

And see why poker is the hottest game around.