01-21-07, LearnTexasHoldem:

1971 WSOP

While it may seem to many new players as if the World Series of Poker is as old as the game itself, in fact, the first WSOP main event was held less than forty years ago, in 1971. While today's World Series of Poker main event features thousands of players in a beautiful and enormous poker room on the Las Vegas stripe staged specifically for this event and hosted by a huge casino corporation, that first main event was held in a small room in the family owned Binion's Casino in downtown Las Vegas. While today's World Series of Poker stars are celebrities who can earn a fortune in endorsements just by making the final table, in 1971, no one outside the small poker fraternity even knew the event was taking place, let alone who the players were. Today, the main event attracts thousands of players, from all over the world and all walks of life. The number of players in that first main event? Six, five of whom hailed from Texas.

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H.O.R.S.E.: The Player's Championship

$30,000 Winner Take All Prize

Those who played largely did so as a favor to Benny Binion, the well connected host of the event who, like many of the players, was a displaced Texan. Poker players didn't like publicity back then, for a number of reasons. The game was far less respected back then, and no one expected to be hailed a hero for winning a poker tournament. Also, it was very difficult for the government to keep track of cash winnings for taxation purposes, but winning a publicized tournament was much more likely to get the government's attention. Also, the $30,000 winner take all prize (that first event had a buy-in of only $5000) was less than many of these seasoned pros could make in the same amount of time.

Juicy Side Games

What the pros did like was the idea that the game would attract a lot of "fish" weaker players who thought they could hold their own against the pros and would give away their bankroll in cash games after the tournament trying to do so. For years since, one of the main attractions of the World Series of Poker for professionals has been the opportunity to participate in these juicy side games.

Johnny Moss Wins Again

The six players in that 1971 World Series main event included Doyle Brunson "the Godfather of Poker" as well as one of his road gambling partners, Sailor Roberts (his other partner, Amarillo Slim, would win the event the following year). Also present were "the grand old man of poker" Johnny Moss, who had been voted the all around champion of the World Series of Poker in the previous year, the first year of its inception, as well as rough and tumble gamblers Jack "Treetop" Strauss, Puggy Pearson, and Jimmy Casella. The game chosen was no limit Texas hold'em poker, and the winner, just as he had been the year before was Johnny Moss.

It is a testament to Benny Binion that his formula for tournament success has changed little over forty years. The main event is still no limit Texas hold'em, and the game is more popular than it has ever been. The buy-in to the main event is still $10,000, although that amount of money was worth a great deal more then than it is today. And the champion of the main event still gets to hoist a gold bracelet over his head and declare himself World Champion of poker for the year, just as Johnny Moss did all those decades ago.

1971 WSOP Tournaments and Winners

EventWinnerPrizeEntrants
$5,000 Championship Event Johnny Moss $30,000 6
Limit Ace to 5 Draw Johnny Moss $10,000 N/A
Limit 5 Card Stud Bill Boyd $10,000 N/A
Limit Razz Jimmy Casella $10,000 N/A
Limit 7 Card Stud Puggy Pearson $10,000 N/A

WSOP Year By Year

2000's

1990's

1980's

1970's

2007 WSOP 1999 WSOP 1989 WSOP 1979 WSOP
2006 WSOP 1998 WSOP 1988 WSOP 1978 WSOP
2005 WSOP 1997 WSOP 1987 WSOP 1977 WSOP
2004 WSOP 1996 WSOP 1986 WSOP 1976 WSOP
2003 WSOP 1995 WSOP 1985 WSOP 1975 WSOP
2002 WSOP 1994 WSOP 1984 WSOP 1974 WSOP
2001 WSOP 1993 WSOP 1983 WSOP 1973 WSOP
2000 WSOP 1992 WSOP 1982 WSOP 1972 WSOP
  1991 WSOP 1981 WSOP 1971 WSOP
  1990 WSOP 1980 WSOP 1970 WSOP

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