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1974 World Series of Poker |
1974 World Series of PokerA summary of 1974 world series of poker.
The year 1974 can be generally classified as a year of repeats for the World Series of Poker. This is largely because some of the more significant events that happened that year for the WSOP are more or less repetitions of the events that took place in the previous three years. One of these is the continued rise in the number of participants at the main table. Specifically, a total of 16 entrants gained entry to the championship round, an increase of three from the previous year's record of 13 participants.
The buy-in for the 1974 WSOP championship round was still placed at $10,000, although the prize at stake was significantly higher. Additionally, the tournaments available for play at the preliminary table were generally the same as those played the year before. These included the Five-Card Stud, the Seven-Card Razz, the Seven-Card Stud, the No Limit Holdem, and the Deuce to Seven Draw.
The grand WSOP winner that year was also a repeater. Johnny Moss, who had initially won the ultimate WSOP title in 1970 and in 1971, again displayed his savvy at the poker table in 1974 to eventually bag another tournament bracelet and a cool $160,000 in cash prize, a reward that is about twice the amount that he bagged in 1971.
More than the victory though, what is more significant for Moss was his place in the WSOP history. His 1974 conquest of the tournament forever sealed his distinction as the first WSOP poker player to hold three different titles namely first WSOP grand winner, first WSOP repeat champion, and first WSOP three-time victor.
Aside from Moss, several other poker 'repeat' winners also made their presence felt in the 1974 WSOP, landing in first place in the various games set at the preliminary table. In particular, Bill Boyd took home $40,000 in the $5,000 Five-Card Stud. Meanwhile, Thomas Amarillo 'Slim' Preston snagged $11,100 in cash reward at the $1,000 No Limit Holdem game.
Still, not everything can be said to be a repeat for the WSOP in 1974. On the contrary, there were also several first-time events that happened that year, particularly when it comes to the many players who took part in the tournament. For one, the runner-up in the championship table was a relative unknown, at least to poker newbies. He was Crandall Addington, and although he regularly got to appear in many WSOP final tables, he never got to finish even up to the runner-up status until 1974.
Several other first-time events that occurred that year at the WSOP included the entry of new players who shone brightly in the games featured at the preliminary table. The likes of Jimmy Casella and Brian 'Sailor' Roberts were relatively unknown, at least to most WSOP fans, prior to their stints in the tournament. Nevertheless, they were able to prove their true worth by figuring prominently in the preliminary round. Jimmy Casella, in particular, won two preliminary games -- the $1,000 Seven-Card Razz and the $10,000 Seven-Card Stud, where he walked away with $25,000 and $41,225, respectively. For his part, Brian 'Sailor' Roberts was able to bag first place at the $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw, eventually taking home $35,850.
It might have been a year of repeats, but 1974 will also be remembered as a year when the WSOP allowed little-known, but excellent poker players to have a shot at the poker glory.
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