Originally Published: May 14, 2009, 08:11 AM

The WSOP History

Posted By Diego | WSOP News | May 14, 2009, 08:11 AM |

It’s hard to believe that when the World Series of Poker began back in 1970, there were fewer than 50 poker tables in the entire city of Las Vegas. There were only 70 poker tables in the whole state of Nevada. Binion’s Horseshoe, the host casino, did not even have a poker room. The contest that would come to decide poker’s first world champion was held inside an alcove about the size of an ordinary hotel room. Thirty or so gamblers shoehorned themselves around a few poker tables. They didn’t know it at the time, but they were making poker history.

Horseshoe Casino patriarch and poker icon Benny Binion is widely credited with dreaming up with the championship format. But laurels should probably go to two lesser-known men – Tom Moore and Vic Vickrey. Moore, a Texan, was part-owner of the Holiday Casino in Reno. Vickrey was a gambling insider, a visionary man with grand ideas and big dreams. In 1969, Moore and Vickrey jointly invited several poker aficionados to Reno to attend the first (and what turned out to be only) Texas Gamblers Reunion. Among those who played in several high-stakes cash games spread over several days were Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, Rudy “Minnesota Fats” Wanderone, and Benny Binion. A few notable poker players made trek as well, including Doyle Brunson, “Amarillo Slim” Preston, Johnny Moss, and Puggy Pearson. The seed that would eventually blossom into the World Series of Poker was planted.

Indeed, one must wonder if and how poker might be different today had Moore and Vickrey sustained their annual get-together. Instead, they passed on the opportunity to host a poker gathering the following year. What a fateful decision that turned out to be. Inspired by what he had seen in Reno a few months earlier, Binion pounced on what he envisioned as a golden opportunity.

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Embed It’s hard to believe that when the World Series of Poker began back in 1970, there were fewer than 50 poker tables in the entire city of Las Vegas. There were only 70 poker tables in the whole state of Nevada. Binion’s Horseshoe, the host casino, did not even have a poker room. The contest that would come to decide poker’s first world champion was held inside an alcove about the size of an ordinary hotel room. Thirty or so gamblers shoehorned themselves around a few poker tables. They didn’t know it at the time, but they were making poker history.<br /> <br /> Horseshoe Casino patriarch and poker icon Benny Binion is widely credited with dreaming up with the championship format. But laurels should probably go to two lesser-known men – Tom Moore and Vic Vickrey. Moore, a Texan, was part-owner of the Holiday Casino in Reno. Vickrey was a gambling insider, a visionary man with grand ideas and big dreams. In 1969, Moore and Vickrey jointly invited several poker aficionados to Reno to attend the first (and what turned out to be only) Texas Gamblers Reunion. Among those who played in several high-stakes cash games spread over several days were Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, Rudy “Minnesota Fats” Wanderone, and Benny Binion. A few notable poker players made trek as well, including Doyle Brunson, “Amarillo Slim” Preston, Johnny Moss, and Puggy Pearson. The seed that would eventually blossom into the World Series of Poker was planted.<br /> <br /> Indeed, one must wonder if and how poker might be different today had Moore and Vickrey sustained their annual get-together. Instead, they passed on the opportunity to host a poker gathering the following year. What a fateful decision that turned out to be. Inspired by what he had seen in Reno a few months earlier, Binion pounced on what he envisioned as a golden opportunity.<br /><a href='http://www.johnnie-poker.com'>Johnnie Poker</a> | <a href='http://www.johnnie-poker.com/WSOP/The-WSOP-History'>The WSOP History</a>