01-21-07, LearnTexasHoldem:

1984 WSOP

Due in part to the new popularity of tournament poker satellites- smaller tournaments the prize for which was entry into the main event - the 1984 World Series of Poker's main event had its most entrants ever, 132. It was also the year that boasted more amateurs in the tournament than ever before. The player who stood to benefit the most from this was probably Jesse Alto.

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Alto's Tragic WSOP Story

Jesse Alto probably had one of the most tragic stories in World Series of Poker history. He had finished second to Doyle Brunson in the 1976 WSOP, against the now famous ten deuce hand where Doyle hit a ten on the river to make a full house and snatch the championship from Alto. He was back two years later, but could finish no higher than fifth in 1978.

1984 looked to finally be Alto's year. He entered the final table with the chip lead, and when three players remained, Alto faced not a legend like Doyle Brunson or a dynamo like Stuey Ungar, but two players with much less tournament experience, Jack Keller and Byron "Cowboy" Wolford. The line on Alto was that when he was on his game, he was one of the toughest poker players in the world, but he had a tendency to go "on tilt," letting a bad hand affect him emotionally, causing him to play recklessly and lose. If Alto could avoid tilt, he might well be the 1984 World Series of Poker champion. Alto seemed poised to do just that when this fateful hand arose.

Bluff of the Century

Alto raised before the flop, using his big chip stack to bludgeon the other players as he had been doing throughout the final table. This time, Wolford decided to take a stand and called. Alto couldn't know it, but Wolford made this call with a lowly 53. The flop came Ac Kd 9c, and Wolford, who clearly had decided before the flop that he was going to try to steal this pot, fired in a bet. Alto called. The turn brought a scary card, the Kh. Now if Alto had called with an ace, he was way behind. Wolford threw in another big bet. Alto hesitated, but called again. Finally, the 2s came on the river. Wolford fired the third bullet, moving in all his chips. Alto struggled, clearly debating calling with a strong hand, but ultimately decided he had the worst of it, and threw his hand away. Then the truly great play of the hand commenced, as Wolford turned up his stone cold bluff, showing Alto and the crowd his two meaningless cards.

Just as Wolford had hoped, Alto immediately went on tilt. Unfortunately for Wolford, the beneficiary of Alto's blow up was not the Cowboy, but Keller. Alto pushed all his chips into the pot blind on the next two hands. Both times Keller called and won, and Alto was gone in third place.

Jack Keller Wins

With Alto out of the way, Keller and Wolford were able to reach a final confrontation. Keller held pocket tens and Wolford the 6h 4h. The flop came 5d 6s 9c and Wolford decided to make a move, pushing all in with his pair. Keller liked his overpair and called. The 8s on the turn gave Wolford some outs, but a harmless jack on the river made Jack Keller the 1984 WSOP champion.

Alto returned to the final table the next two years, but was unable to muster better than a 6th place finish in 1985 and a 4th place finish in 1986, making him the ultimate World Series of Poker bridesmaid.

1984 WSOP Tournaments and Winners

EventWinnerPrizeEntrants
$,10,000 Championship Event Jack Keller $660,000 140
$1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Todd Baur $133,500 N/A
$5,000 Seven-Card Stud Jack Keller $137,500 N/A
$1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Dick Albano $117,000 N/A
$1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha William Bennett $84,000 N/A
$1,000 7-Card Stud Split Norman Berliner $50,000 N/A
$1,000 A-5 Draw Paul Fontaine $54,500 N/A
$1,000 Razz Mike Hart $40,000 N/A
$1,000 7-Card Stud Split John Lucas $74,500 N/A
$1,000 Limit Hold'em Bob Martinez $135,000 N/A
$1,000 Seven-Card Stud Mike Schneiberg $65,000 N/A
$10,000 2-7 Draw Dewey Tomko $105,000 N/A
$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Dewey Tomko $135,000 N/A
$500 Women's 7-Card Stud Karen Wolfson $15,500 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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