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If you asked a poker player in the know what the most famous World Series of Poker main event in history was, you'd probably be treated to a few good possibilities. Chris Moneymaker heralds the poker explosion in 2003. Stuey Ungar's miraculous comeback to win a third title just before passing on in 1997. Doyle Brunson's 1977 win for the second time in a row with ten deuce. There is no doubt however, that the one World Series of Poker that almost every poker fan has seen at least part of, is the 1988 WSOP main event.

More on the WSOP:

WSOP Satellites
New 2008 WSOP Events
2008 WSOP Schedule
WSOP Player Profiles
WSOP History
WSOP Winners
H.O.R.S.E.: The Player's Championship

Johnny Chan Back for More

All eyes were on reigning champion Johnny "The Orient Express" Chan as he was poised to take his second consecutive World Series of Poker championship title in 1988. Although this would be a feat duplicated only by Doyle Brunson, Johnny Moss, and Stu Ungar, it was not what made Chan's heads up battle with gifted newcomer Erik Seidel famous. Rather it was the fact that the producers of the movie Rounders, starring Matt Damon and hailed as one of the best poker movies of all time, chose to include the final hand of the 1988 WSOP in the film. Michael McDermott, the film's main character watches the final hand over and over again as he dreams of taking on Chan and the WSOP title. Since many of the newer poker stars cite this movie as their inspiration to take a run at the World Series of Poker themselves, it's likely that this scene has been burned into their brains.

Seidel Trapped

In the hand in question, Chan had maneuvered to a 4 to 1 chip lead. Seidel limped in with Q7, and Chan decided to take a flop with a J9. Chan's heart must have skipped a beat when he flopped the holy city, a Q T 8, giving him the nut straight, but he didn't betray a hint of emotion. Chan made a small bet, and Seidel, with top pair, raised. Rather than taking his shot right there, Chan chose to simply call. The turn brought a deuce, and Chan "playing his man" as the movie explains, checked. Seidel fell for the trap. As fans of Rounders have seen over and over again, Seidel confidently pushed all his chips into the pot and Chan immediately pushed back. He turned over his unbeatable hand and rejoiced as he was crowned the World Series of Poker champion for the second straight year.

Rounders

For a long time after the movie Rounders came out, Seidel, an extremely gifted player, suffered infamy as the unwitting amateur who was helplessly, hopelessly trapped by the savvy Johnny Chan in the 1988 World Series of Poker main event. In recent years, with the popularity of poker exploding and players becoming more knowledgeable, Seidel has gained respect as the multiple WSOP bracelet winner that he is. However, Seidel, like Mike McDermott of Rounders and so many others, will probably not feel truly complete until he wins the big one himself.

1988 WSOP Tournaments and Winners

Event	Winner	Prize	Entrants
$,10,000 Championship Event	Johnny Chan	$700,000	167
$1,500 Limit Hold'em	Val Carpenter	$223,800	400
$1,500 No-Limit Hold'em	Russ Gibe	$181,800	330
$2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha	Gilbert Gross	$181,000	111
$5,000 Seven-Card Stud	Thor Hansen	$158,000	79
$1,000 Omaha Limit	David Helms	$91,200	228
$1,500 Seven-Card Stud Split	Lance Hilt	$123,600	206
$500 Women's 7-Card Stud	Loretta Huber	$17,000	85
$1,500 Seven-Card Stud	Merrill Hunt	$130,200	217
$5,000 2-7 Draw	Seymour Leibowitz	$157,500	38
$1,500 A-5 Draw	Johnny Moss	$116,400	194
$1,000 Razz	Don Williams	$76,800	192

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