While poker enthusiasts often recognize the names of notable champions like Johnny Chan, who achieved consecutive victories in 1987 and 1988 before Phil Hellmuth thwarted his bid for a third title in 1989, there are other winners who remain in the shadows.
Those with a grasp of poker's rich history would recall Johnny Moss, a triple champion from the early days, or 'Amarillo Slim' Preston, who won in 1972 and dramatically elevated the game's profile with his memorable appearances on shows like The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Doyle Brunson's consecutive wins in the 1976 and 1977 events, both secured with a 10-2 hand, are iconic moments in the chronicles of the game.
In today's poker landscape, successful players are well-celebrated, thanks to extensive media coverage on networks like ESPN, making these champions easily recognizable. However, what about the uncelebrated figures who have also laid claim to poker's top honor? What made their victories special, and what has their journey in poker looked like since then?
Let’s delve into the stories of some of these Main Event champions and the paths they've traveled in the world of poker.
Table of Contents
- 1970s: Sailor Roberts and Hal Fowler Capture the Title
- 1980s – Bill Smith: Beer and a Bracelet
- In the 1970s, many of the Main Event champions transformed into poker legends, including Moss, Brunson, Preston, Puggy Pearson, and Bobby Baldwin. Some were true road gamblers, scouring Texas and the southern states for poker action.
- However, a few winners may not ring a bell for many poker fans. Brian 'Sailor' Roberts , hailing from San Angelo, Texas, clinched the Main Event title in 1976, at a time when the tournament was winner-takes-all, defeating 21 opponents for a prize of $210,000. Two years prior, in 1974, he secured his first bracelet in the $5,000 No Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw. His nickname came from his service in the Navy during the Korean War. Along with Preston, he forged a close friendship with Brunson as they traveled across the state playing cards together.
Brunson reflects fondly on his bond with Sailor Roberts in his autobiography, The Godfather of Poker, describing him as not only a treasured friend but also a reliable companion on the Texas poker circuit.
After his death in 1995, Roberts was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame posthumously in 2012.
One of the great opportunities presented by the WSOP is that amateur players can test their skills against top professionals. Occasionally, these players break through to take home a bracelet. In 1979, Hal Fowler made headlines as the first amateur poker player to win the Main Event.
Originating from Vermont and eventually residing in California, Fowler worked in public relations before his remarkable win. He triumphed over Bobby Hoff in a head-to-head match, making his victory one of the most surprising outcomes in WSOP history. At the time, Hoff was regarded as one of the finest No Limit Texas Hold'em players in the game.
Jim McManus describes Fowler’s improbable victory in his book Cowboys Full: The History of Poker: 'In an astonishing twist of fate, the PR executive made it to the final table with merely $2,000 of the total $540,000 at stake. With the odds stacked against him, he faced legendary players like Moss, [Crandell] Addington, Bobby Baldwin, and the young, troubled poker talent Bobby Hoff from Houston.'
''Yet Fowler managed to ride a wave of fortune, hitting multiple inside straight draws, backdoor flushes, and performing well in major hands, all while managing his anxiety with as many as twenty Valium tablets, ultimately leading to a showdown with Hoff.'
Fowler claimed a prize of $270,000 and his one and only bracelet after overcoming a field of 54 players. He passed away in 2000 at the age of 73.
The 1980s saw a list of Hall of Fame players join the ranks of the Main Event winners, including Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Stu Ungar, and Tom McEvoy. Yet one less recognized player stands out from this decade.
Bill Smith emerged victorious in the 1985 Main Event after an intense heads-up battle against T.J. Cloutier, another Hall of Famer. Smith took home $700,000, while Cloutier later earned the runner-up spot in the 2000 Main Event against Chris Ferguson.
Many who knew Smith regarded him as a formidable force at the poker table. He was born in 1934 in Roswell, New Mexico, and, like many of his peers, took to the road to play poker after his service in the Navy during the Korean War.
Mike Sexton, a former commentator for WPT, recalls him vividly as a player who enjoyed a beer while playing and possessed a more aggressive style than most of his contemporaries.
1980s – Bill Smith: Beer and a Bracelet
'He wasn't afraid to take a big risk,' Sexton recollects. 'He was full of heart.'
Smith was often seen at the table dressed sharply, with a cigarette typically dangling from his lips. He also reached the final table of the Main Event on two other occasions, finishing fifth in both 1981 and 1986.
Tragically, Smith passed away in Las Vegas in 1996 at the age of 61, after a life devoted to poker. Cloutier, a close friend, indicated that his death was due to health issues stemming from chronic alcoholism.
Remembered fondly by many poker legends, Smith was not a complete unknown in poker circles, possessing considerable skills to match his reputation.
1990s – Mansour Matloubi and Hamid Dastmalchi Rise Above the Americans
Among the standout players of the 1990s is Mansour Matloubi , who made his mark as the first non-American champion of the Main Event in 1990. The Iranian-English player from London triumphed against a formidable final table that included notable players such as Berry Johnston, Stu Ungar, and John Bonetti, securing a prize of $835,000.
Although Matloubi was primarily known as an Omaha player, his success at the final table took even him by surprise.
'I thought I'd reached the pinnacle when I got to the final table,' he shared in the book All In: The (Almost) Entirely True Story of the World Series of Poker. 'I had no expectation of winning the championship; I just hoped to win a portion of the prize but ended up taking it all.'
Matloubi also finished in fourth place at the Main Event in 1993 and has accumulated over $2 million in live tournament earnings. He still dabbles in tournament poker, with his most recent cash occurring in 2016, following a gap since 2006.
Little is publicly known about his background, and he seemed to prefer maintaining an air of mystery. Co-authors Jonathan Grotenstein and Storms Reback remark in All In: 'Mansour was somewhat of an enigmatic figure. He claimed to have worked in both hospitality and restaurant sectors, but when a reporter inquired about his profession, he notably refrained from commenting, taking the Fifth Amendment.'
In 1992, Iranian-American Hamid Dastmalchi claimed the Main Event prize of $1 million. The series saw significant development during this period, and Dastmalchi’s win marked the second of his three bracelets. Having learned poker in Iran during his early years, he moved to San Diego, California, when he was just 12.
Primarily known for cash games, Dastmalchi gained recognition after winning the $2,500 Pot Limit Hold’em at Binion's in 1993, but he largely receded from tournament play afterward. He shifted his focus to real estate investing in the San Diego region, with his final tournament cash coming during a WPT event in 2002.
Dastmalchi's story took a twist in 1999 when he became embroiled in a legal conflict with Binion's after the casino refused to redeem $865,000 worth of $5,000 casino chips. The issue arose after Becky Binion Behnen, Benny Binion's daughter, took over management of the casino from her brother, Jack.
'The $5,000 chips became the focal point of significant controversy when the new owner, Becky Behnen, denied millions worth of casino tokens due to her allegations that adequate records of the chips’ circulation weren't maintained by the previous management,' reported the Las Vegas Sun at the time.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board eventually ruled in favor of Dastmalchi, allowing him to recoup his funds.
The wins by Matloubi and Dastmalchi marked a pivotal moment, hinting at the international expansion of poker. The coming years would see a rising number of champions born outside the United States.
2000s: Robert Varkonyi Transitions from Banking to Bracelet
The 2000s heralded noteworthy expansion not just for the WSOP, but for the global poker scenery as well. The success of the WPT broadcasting hole cards attracted widespread attention, and ESPN followed suit in 2003. The timing aligned perfectly with the burgeoning online poker boom, culminating in Chris Moneymaker’s surprising victory at the Main Event, all of which propelled poker’s popularity to unprecedented heights. counterfeit scheme.”
The poker realm was a far cry from its state just a year prior to Moneymaker's impact. The 2002 Main Event recorded 631 entrants (a number that dramatically increased to 839 the following year). Like Moneymaker, Robert Varkonyi was also an amateur player who managed to navigate the competition, ultimately overcoming rivals like Ralph Perry and Minh Ly at the final table.
An investment banker from Brooklyn, New York, Varkonyi didn’t fit the emerging stereotype associated with the poker world. He was neither the intense young player donning hoodies and sunglasses, but rather a family man with two children, who dabbled in poker as a hobby, inspired by his studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
'Varkonyi’s appearance is unassuming – he’s short, bald, and somewhat awkward, as noted in the book All In.'
Despite being an amateur, he found success during the tournament, aided by some fortunate situations. Following a dramatic come-from-behind moment against Phil Hellmuth , the famous 'Poker Brat' seemingly underestimated Varkonyi's chances, even as 90 percent of the original field was already eliminated.
888poker shines a light on some of the lesser-known champions of the World Series of Poker Main Event throughout its history, bringing their remarkable stories into the limelight.
While many poker enthusiasts are well-acquainted with legendary figures who have clinched the $10,000 World Series of Poker Main Event, such as Johnny Chan, who impressively captured consecutive titles in 1987 and 1988, only to be thwarted by Phil Hellmuth in his pursuit of a third title in 1989.
Those who delve into poker history will remember Johnny Moss, who claimed victory in three of the first five tournaments, or perhaps Amarillo Slim Preston, whose 1972 win helped elevate the game’s profile through his notable appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Doyle Brunson's memorable consecutive wins in 1976 and 1977, achieved with the same 10-2 hand, are forever etched in the chronicles of poker history.
In today's era, contemporary players garner significant recognition, aided by extensive coverage on ESPN and various media outlets. Yet, what about those names that remain under the radar, who have also donned poker's most prestigious crown? What makes their victories noteworthy, and how have their poker journeys evolved since then?
Let’s explore the stories of some of these Main Event champions and their distinct paths in the world of poker.
1970s: Sailor Roberts and Hal Fowler Claim the Title
1990s – Mansour Matloubi and Hamid Dastmalchi Rise Above American Rivals