Thursday, 28 August 2008


1986 World Series Of Poker

A summary of 1986 world series of poker.



A game for the skillful and the luckiest, poker is undeniably one of the most popular card games in the planet.  To be a successful poker player, one must know how to calculate the odds if it is in favor of, or against you.  A player has to be aggressive, tenacious, yet versed in the art of poker-face, to make sure that the opponent wouldn't get insights from your game.  For poker players from all over the world, everything they worked hard for all comes down to that moment, the day when they join the World Series Of Poker (WSOP).  This tournament is the pinnacle, the final hurdle that must be surmounted before being crowned as the best poker player in the world.  To win in the WSOP is to be recognized by peers and to gain fans from different parts of the world.  Aside from the cash prize, and the bracelets, every poker player wants to be seen as the next big threat in poker tables wherever it is in the world or in cyberspace.

It is of no surprise then that the 1986 World Series Of Poker tourney was, once again, received enthusiastically by different poker players from all over.  Once again held at Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas, Nevada, the 1986 WSOP was once again besieged with top poker personalities and hopeful novice players who aim to become the year's poker champion.  When the tournament started in May 18, 141 players signed in to join.  Many who joined were popular celebrities and poker enthusiasts like Gabe Kaplan, Bill Smith, Roger Moore, Berry Johnson, Barbara Freer, Amarillo "Slim" Preston, Aubrey Day, Jack Straus, and Stu Ungar.  However, as the day went on, the number of players were cut down by more than forty.  It soon became apparent that this tournament was going to be as difficult and as cut-throat as last year's.  By the next day, another good number of players were dropped out of the running as they gave in to the pressure and to the more advance skills of the other players.  On the third day of tournament, 36 players assembled at 1:00 pm to start the next round of contests.  Of these players, four former World Series Of Poker champions were able to make it.  It was during this day that Roger Moore lead the pack, with $151,400 of prize money.

During the final day of the tournament, surprising events occurred.  Roger Moore, the player who held the top spot the previous day was immediately demoted from his spot, as he lost most of the money from the third day of the tournament.  Of the remaining players, it was Berry Johnson who won the grand prize and the title as WSOP's best poker player for 1986.  Berry Johnson is a good poker player, who is often typecast as a weak opponent, and he is quick to take advantage of that.

Poker is a fun and exciting game where wits and luck are used as weapons for attacking enemies.  Poker players continue to improve their game regularly, so as they can join the next WSOP tournament.