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1981 World Series of Poker |
1981 World Series of PokerA summary of 1981 world series of poker.
Promptly a decade after Benny Binion took over the concept of the World Series of Poker, it already evolved into an event that is nothing short of prestigious. What was initially an invitational event to an elite bunch of poker pros now became an open tournament to almost any skilled poker player. Each year, the number of players grow, and in 1981, the WSOP player population rose from seventy-three to seventy-five. While most of these players were the same familiar faces in the poker circuit such as Johnny Moss, Chip Reese, and Walter "Puggy" Pearson, there are also a few new names that found their way into the tournament.
During the 1980 WSOP, many poker enthusiasts were shocked when a young poker player named Stu Ungar emerged as the victor, grabbing the title of World Champion and pocketing a whopping $365,000. Being the youngest player at that time to win the title, quite a lot of people think that Ungar's win was achieved by sheer luck. However, the following year, Stu Ungar once again found himself in the final table with legendary poker professionals like Ken Smith and Jay Heimowitz. Whether or not it was luck that wound him at the final table for the second time around, one thing is certain: Stu Ungar already carved a name for himself in the world of professional poker.
Held once again in Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas, the first day of the 1981 World Series of Poker saw the rise and fall of various poker players. Out of the seventy-five skilled players, only thirty-eight of them made it to the second day of the event. The second day also witnessed the elimination of more players, with only a handful of former WSOP champions to survive. Among those who were lucky (and skilled) include Bobby Baldwin and Doyle Brunson.
However, the third day proved to be a fateful day for Doyle as he was the first of the remaining former champs to go. Only two ex-WSOP champs managed to make it on the fourth day of the event along with seven other players. All in all, the remaining players who competed for the World Championship were: Sam Petrillo, Andy Moore, Bobby Baldwin, Jay Heimowitz, Bill Smiths, Ken Smith, Gene Fisher, Perry Green, and Stu Ungar.
On May 22, with only nine players competing, the battle for the WSOP title became fiercer. However at exactly 1:20, Sam Petrillo was knocked from the running, followed by Andy Moore at 1:30. Bobby Baldwin was the third to go at 2:30, then Bill Smiths and Jay Heimowitz were both eliminated at 4:15. Ken Smith was not eliminated until 7:00; meanwhile Gene Fisher held on until 8:00. Finally, it all came down to a tight competition between Perry Green and Stu Ungar.
At the final table, Stu had an ace and a Queen, both of the heart suit, while Perry had a 10 of spade and a nine of diamond. With a favorable hand, Ungar went for a raise, which was called by Perry. After the initial betting, the flop showed an 8 of hearts, a 7 of diamonds, and a 4 of hearts. At this point, Stu already had the perfect outs. The turn showed a 4 of spades, prompting him to went all-in, which was called by Perry. However, the river revealed a Queen of diamonds, making Stu the only WSOP champion for two consecutive years.
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