WSOP 1971 – The First Series of Tournaments and Johnny Moss’s Second Victory
The idea for the World Series of Poker had emerged a year earlier. The best players of the time had gathered at Binion's Horseshoe casino. They competed for the championship cup with the winner determined by a vote.
The concept of a tournament to determine the best player already existed but had not yet been implemented. After two rounds of voting, the finalists named Johnny Moss as the winner, and he was awarded the first championship cup.
Los Angeles Times reporter Ted Thackrey, Jr. summarized the results of the 1970 WSOP, stating that the game was so dull that the organizers should make it more competitive:
“You’ve got to find a way to make it a contest… If you want to get the press involved and turn the World Series into a real sporting event, you need to give it some structure, create some drama, and make it a real tournament.”
Poker star of the time, Amarillo 'Slim' Preston, agreed with this view. He helped formulate new rules for the World Series of Poker, introducing a freezeout tournament that determined the winner. The following year, in 1971, Jack Binion once again gathered the best poker players in Las Vegas.
The series ran from May 1 to May 15, 1971. The key change was the introduction of a freezeout tournament, replacing the cash game held the previous year. The series included 5 tournaments, featuring 4 qualifiers in different types of poker and the Main Event.
Qualifying Tournaments
| Tournament | Buy-In | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Limit 7-Card Stud | $1,000 buy-in | Walter 'Puggy' Pearson |
| Limit Razz | $1,000 buy-in | Jimmy Casella |
| Limit 5-Card Stud | $1,000 buy-in | Bill Boyd |
| Limit Ace-to-5 Draw | $1,000 buy-in | Johnny Moss |
Each tournament had a prize pool of $10,000.
The main tournament of the series was held with a $5,000 buy-in. The game was played in No-Limit Texas Hold'em, where Johnny Moss was considered the clear favorite. It was no coincidence that in 1970, participants in the legendary cash game named him the best Hold'em player.
Only 6 players participated in the Main Event. In addition to the three winners of the qualifiers, Doyle Brunson and Bryan 'Sailor' Roberts paid the $5,000 buy-in. Bill Boyd did not participate in the tournament, and instead, Jack Straus — a towering giant and future WSOP champion — took his place at the table.
According to the tournament rules, the winner took the entire prize, which amounted to $30,000.
Results of the Main Event WSOP 1971
| Place | Player Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnny Moss | $30,000 prize money |
| 2 | Jack Straus | - |
| 3 | Doyle Brunson | - |
| 4 | Jimmy Cassella | - |
| 5 | Walter 'Puggy' Pearson | - |
| 6 | Bryan 'Sailor' Roberts | - |
Johnny Moss confirmed his title as the best player by winning both the 1970 and 1971 WSOP. Doyle Brunson later said:
“It does show we voted for the right guy”.
The Runner-Up
In the history of the series, not only is there no information about the final hand of the tournament, but the information about the player who finished second also varies.
Most websites name 'Puggy' Pearson as the player who lost to Johnny Moss in the decisive heads-up match. However, there is a high probability that these data are confused with the results of the WSOP 1972, where Pearson finished second.
According to players' recollections, Jack Straus finished second in the Main Event. This mention is found in the book "Amarillo Slim in a World of Fat People" and "All In: The (Almost) Entirely True Story of the World Series of Poker" by Jonathan Grotenstein and Storms Reback.
There are also discrepancies in memories about the prize money. Some participants point to a $35,000 prize awarded to Johnny Moss. This figure arises from an erroneous version that involves the participation of 7 players in the tournament. However, considering the $5,000 buy-in and the number of participants (6), the prize is more commonly referred to as $30,000.
Why Were There So Few Participants?
The final tournament had only 6 players, three of whom had won qualifying tournaments and could play for prize money without risking their own wallet. What happened to the dozens of participants from the WSOP 1970 and Amarillo 'Slim', who devised the format for this series?
Moreover, it is known that Jack Binion, who managed Binion's Horseshoe Casino, was prepared to buy out shares from Main Event participants, but they still refused to participate in the tournament.
The reason was that during the WSOP 1971, an expensive cash game was being held simultaneously, and its appeal to professional players was higher than the chance to win a cup that at that point meant nothing. Today, we understand the incredible significance of WSOP titles in the early stages of the series, but for the real players of those years, the opportunity to play in Las Vegas with poker amateurs for big money was noticeably more attractive.
Conclusion of WSOP 1971
To attract poker enthusiasts to the casino, Jack Binion invested a lot of money in treats for the casino visitors. Throughout the WSOP 1971 series, players and spectators could enjoy the best delicacies available in Las Vegas at that time.
After the series ended, Jack held a banquet for all the players. During this banquet, an award ceremony was held for the best players in several categories.
| Award Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Texas Hold'Em Player | Johnny Moss |
| Best Low Ball Player | Johnny Moss |
| Best 5-Card Stud Player | Bill Boyd |
| Best 7-Card Stud Player | Puggy Pearson |
| Best Razz Player | Jim Casella |
| Best Non-Professional Player | J.J. Donohue |
| Best Lady Player | Alice Young |
| Most Congenial Player | John Tyler |
| Most Respected and Best Liked Player | Sid Wyman |
Each winner received a small trophy. Awards for Johnny Moss, Jimmy Casella, Bill Boyd, and Walter 'Puggy' Pearson were given for victories in qualifying tournaments, so they are currently equated to the WSOP bracelet, but in reality, the players received trophies.
