Tickets to the Devil

Tickets to the Devil takes readers into the competitive world of duplicate bridge during a high-stakes national tournament at Miami Beach's Xanadu hotel in the late 1960s. The novel follows multiple characters whose paths cross and intersect throughout the event. The cast includes fictionalized versions of real bridge champions from the era, alongside invented characters who bring their own ambitions and personal dramas to the tournament. Powell captures the technical aspects of championship bridge while exploring the relationships and tensions between players. The setting of the luxurious Xanadu hotel serves as both backdrop and gathering point, where professional rivalries, strategic partnerships, and private conflicts play out between matches. The story structure mirrors the game itself, with multiple plot lines that connect and influence each other. Through its portrayal of competitive card playing at the highest level, the novel examines themes of ambition, gamesmanship, and the psychological intensity of tournament play. The bridge table becomes a stage where larger questions about human nature and competition emerge.

Limited reader reviews exist online for this 1968 bridge-themed novel, making it difficult to gauge broad reception. The few available reviews mention: Liked: - Accurate portrayal of competitive bridge tournaments and culture - Character development of the bridge players - Integration of bridge strategy into plot - Setting details capturing the 1960s bridge scene Disliked: - Technical bridge sections confusing for non-players - Plot pacing drags in middle sections - Some dated cultural references and attitudes Available Ratings: Goodreads: 3.83/5 (6 ratings, 2 reviews) Amazon: No ratings/reviews found LibraryThing: 3.5/5 (2 ratings, 0 reviews) One Goodreads reviewer notes: "Great for serious bridge players but might lose other readers in the technical details." The book appears to have a small but dedicated following among bridge enthusiasts, though few current reader reviews exist to analyze broader reception.

The Devil You Know by Richard Matheson A contract bridge tournament becomes the stage for supernatural manipulation and psychological warfare between players and demonic forces.

Hell's Angels by Hunter S. Thompson The immersion into a dangerous subculture parallels Powell's exploration of the high-stakes bridge world's darker elements.

The Last Call by Tim Powers A poker game in Las Vegas transforms into a supernatural battle where players gamble with their souls.

The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis The competitive world of chess becomes an arena for personal demons and obsession in ways that mirror Powell's bridge players.

The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte A rare book dealer's search leads to a complex game involving the devil and ancient texts, featuring similar themes of games and diabolic influence.

🎲 Duplicate bridge, the type featured in the book, was invented in 1891 by John T. Mitchell and ensures all players compete with identical hands, making it truly a test of skill rather than luck. 🏨 The book's setting of Miami Beach in the 1960s coincided with the city's golden age, when it was known as "America's Riviera" and hosted countless celebrities in its glamorous hotels. 📚 Richard P. Powell was not only a novelist but also served as an intelligence officer during WWII and later became a successful advertising executive in Philadelphia. 🏆 The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL), which hosts the type of national championships depicted in the book, was founded in 1937 and remains the largest bridge organization in North America. 🌟 During the 1960s, when the book is set, contract bridge was at its peak popularity in America, with an estimated 40 million players, compared to around 15 million today.