Poker Writer
Poker cash game player Garrett Adelstein announced a book release that details his full thoughts on the infamous J-4 hand involving Robbie Jade Lew. In a video teaser posted on his X account, Adelstein promotes the upcoming book, Beneath the Cards, promising the full story on the day of the hand.
The book will also have a lot more than just the J-4 hand, as he says it is “only a sliver of what the book is about.”
J-4 Hand Remains a Heated Debate
The infamous J-4 hand occurred on Sept. 29, 2022. The hand generated a plethora of reactions in the days and weeks following it. Countless poker influencers and voices made videos breaking down the details of the hand. Everything from the strategy of the hand itself to the way Adelstein and Lew acted before and after the hand was under the microscope.
The reverberations of the hand were significant as Adelstein did not play any streamed poker for well over a year following the incident.
It remains a hot-button issue to this day with various opinions on whether or not it was a case of poker cheating. The issue still hasn’t been settled one way or the other. A WPT X post about the hand on Wednesday got more 3 million impressions and 500 replies, showcasing the ongoing interest in the incident. The replies revisit the debate about the hand and discuss the exact details as if the hand happened last week.
Adelstein and Lew’s Popularity Boom Since the Hand
Even though the hand happened 3 1/2 years ago now, it still remains a big part of poker culture, thanks in large part to how both players involved have continued to talk about it. Neither player shies away from discussing it.
Both have become known for the hand first and foremost. That’s certainly true of Lew, who was relatively unknown before that fateful day. But it is also true for Adelstein, who, despite being already known as one of the best live cash game players in the world, has become unendingly tied to the hand.
Lew’s X account mentions it in the first line of her description: “Poker player known for J4 ‘The Robbi.'” She trolled Adelstein on the first anniversary of the hand with a post wishing him happy anniversary. She has also used the hand to promote her own brand, leading to things like a feature profile in Hollywood fashion and culture magazine Flaunt.
Adelstein was initially more defensive and tight-lipped about the hand in the couple of years after the incident. Since then, he has opened up and spoken about it on several occasions, leading to this book. He trolled back at Lew in the replies to his book post. The two exchanged quips about the hand in a seemingly good-natured manner, which led some people to wonder if they are both just enjoying the spotlight that the hand still brings.
