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The 1985 World Series of Poker brought yet another record field to the main event, this time with 140 players putting down $10,000 or winning their way in through satellite. The final table promised a great battle, with the esteemed Johnny Moss, one of the game's all time greats and three time World Poker Champion, earning a seat, as well as Jesse Alto, the prior year's odds on favorite and third place finisher. Also present was 1981's fifth place finisher Bill Smith and T.J. Cloutier, one of the most prolific tournament poker champions and tournament poker writers in the world.

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Legend Moss Busted

Moss would exit seventh, when his AT ran into Scott Mayfield's AJ. Mayfield continued his run at the title by knocking out poor Jesse Alto, whose top pair of aces was run down by Mayfield's pocket threes when another three came on the turn, giving Alto a sixth place finish to go with the second, third, and fifth place finishes he amassed in previous years. Alto would complete his WSOP runner-up collection the following year by finishing fourth. Hamid Dastmalchi went next, and Mayfield was finally stopped in fourth place, leaving Berry Johnston, T.J. Cloutier, and Bill Smith.

Bad Beat for Berry

Johnston had finished third in the 1982 World Series of Poker main event, and was determined not to repeat that finish, but T.J. and Smith had other ideas. Fate played a role as well. T.J. got all in against Johnston with AJ against Johnston's AK. The flop looked good for Johnston, K J 4, but another J on the turn made it look like this would be T.J.'s day.

Bill Smith Beat T.J.

Although T.J. started the final match-up with the chip lead, he was dealt a devastating blow when he got Smith all in with 99 against Smith's KK. The kings held up, and T.J. was in trouble. He battled back, but when Smith raised pre-flop and T.J. looked down at an ace, he got desperate and moved all-in. Smith called with pocket threes, and T.J. was dismayed to discover his kicker was also a 3, meaning T.J. was essentially dead to the three remaining aces. A board of 5 5 9 5 gave T.J. Some more hope, a 9 on the river would result in a split pot, the last 5 and T.J. would actually win the pot with quad fives ace kicker. A harmless king fell on the river, however. Bill Smith would be the 1985 World Series of Poker champion. Don't feel too bad for T.J. though. While Bill Smith remains little more than a footnote in poker history, T.J. Cloutier has gone on to win millions in tournament poker and has become one of the most well known poker players in history.

1985 WSOP Tournaments and Winners

Event	Winner	Prize	Entrants
$,10,000 Championship Event	Bill Smith	$700,000	140
$1,000 A-5 Draw	Mark Mitchell	$63,500	127
$1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha	Zoran Smiljanic	$105,000	210
$1,000 Seven-Card Stud	Don Williams	$85,500	171
$2,500 A-5 Draw	Dick Carson	$50,000	N/A
$1,000 Limit Hold'em	Johnny Chan	$171,000	N/A
$10,000 2-7 Draw	Tommy Fischer	$95,000	N/A
$1,000 No-Limit Hold'em	Rick Hamil	$152,000	N/A
$500 Women's 7-Card Stud	Rose Piter	$18,500	N/A
$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha	Amarillo Slim Preston	$85,000	N/A
$1,000 Limit Omaha	Tony Thang	$55,500	N/A
$5,000 Seven-Card Stud	Harry Thomas	$122,500	N/A
$1,000 Razz	Edwin Wyde	$83,500	147

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