World Series Of Poker

The World Series of Poker is the world’s most prestigious poker tournament attended by thousands of poker players from different places and of different skills, competing for the large championship money. The tournament is among the most awaited poker tournaments every year, and is aired live through television network such as ESPN.

Throughout the history of the Word Series of Poker, many players have earned their rightful seat at the “wall of fame” at the same time as “earning” a great amount of money. Indeed the World Series of Poker has come a long way from the time its first game was played in 1970; a time when only a few experienced poker professionals gathered in Las Vegas to find out who was “the best of the best”.

This first 1970 feat of World Series of Poker came about because of three men in 1949; Nick “the Greek” Dandalos, Lester “Benny” Binion, and Johnny Moss. “Benny” owned Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas downtown, and was asked by “the Greek” to arrange the largest poker game ever; the owner “Benny” invited Johnny Moss to take on “the Greek”, as Moss was considered the world’s best player at that time.

With a promise to be bankrolled by “Benny”, Moss agreed to the challenge; a taxing game which lasted for five months. “The Greek” and Moss played all types of poker games for large pots until finally “the Greek” decided he was beaten. This classic battle between the two sparked an idea for “Benny”.

In 1970 “Benny” invited every top poker player he knew, as well as Johnny Moss, Puggy Pearson, Doyle Brunson, Crandall Addington, Carl Cannon, Amarillo Slim Preston, and Brian “Sailor” Roberts, to participate in the No-Limit “Texas Hold’EM” in front of a mass of people. During this tournament, as an alternative to playing till only one player won every chip, the players chose who “the best” was, and Moss still reined unanimously.

During the 1971 World Series of Poker game, the tournament was a “freeze-out, winner-take-all” competition, which was once again won by Johnny Moss. The next years paved the way for “evolution” of the tournament into a “shared purse” where not only the first-place winner had the prize money, but other “top finishers” also took a share of the pot.

Registration became open for everyone who had $10,000 to place up; the number of entrants grew, but not until the launching of satellite tournaments that the numbers really soared high. Today, instead of placing down the entire $10,000 amount, players can win a $10,000-seat by winning through a field of participants at lower “buy-in” tournament.

In the 2006 World Series of Poker, the tournament started on the 25th of June with “satellite events”, and the regular game beginning on the 26th with the yearly “Casino Employee” event, as well as the “Tournament of Champions” on the 28th and 29th of June. There were forty other more events that took place including Seven-Card Stud, Razz, and Omaha, plus a senior and ladies’ tournaments, which all started on the 28th of July and continuing on till the “final table” on the 10th of August.

This 2006 World Series of Poker held at the “Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino” in Las Vegas, marked the first ever tournament of World Series of Poker where a different casino other than “Binion’s Horseshoe” hosted the main event’s “final table”. The prize also held the richest prize ever in television or sport event history, a $12-million dollar pot; poker player Jamie Gold won the 1st prize.

Today, World Series of Poker holds the most impressive poker tournament with the biggest coverage in ESPN; more and more poker players are increasingly and continuously vying for the “big” pot, making it one of the most competitive and challenging poker tournament ever.