Johnny Moss
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| Nickname(s) | The Grand Old Man of Poker |
|---|---|
| Hometown | Dallas, Texas |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | 9(+2) |
| Money finishes | 25 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish |
Winner, 1970 ,1971, 1974 |
Johnny Moss (May 14, 1907 – December 16, 1995)[1] was a long-time gambler and professional poker player.
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[edit] Learning the game
Moss was born in Marshall, Texas in 1907 and grew up in Dallas, Texas where he learned how to gamble as a young boy. A group of cheaters taught him how to cheat in games, but Moss put this knowledge to good use. As a teenager he was hired by a local saloon to watch over games and make sure they were played fairly. While he was keeping games safe from cheaters, he was also learning the strategy behind playing poker. Two years later he became a rounder, a player who travels the country looking for gambling action.
[edit] The World Series of Poker
From January through May 1951, Moss played with Nick the Greek in a "heads up" poker marathon set up by Benny Binion, winning between $2 and $4 million before Nick the Greek uttered what has become one of the most famous poker quotes ever: "Mr. Moss, I have to let you go."
After this match, a World Series of Poker was eventually organized. Moss won the 1970, 1971, and 1974 World Series of Poker main events. For the 1970 WSOP, Moss was actually elected champion by his peers and received a silver cup as his prize. A (possibly apocryphal) story about that election which has appeared in print several times has every one of the eight players voting for himself as the best player, and that it was only when the players were asked to vote for the second best player that Moss emerged. He played at every WSOP from 1970 through the 1995 World Series, and during his career he won nine WSOP bracelets, placing him fourth overall, behind Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson (10 each) and Phil Hellmuth (11). During his career he won $824,922 in WSOP tournament play.[1]
[edit] World Series of Poker bracelets
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | World Series of Poker Championship* | n/a |
| 1971 | $5,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship | $30,000 |
| 1971 | Limit Ace to 5 Draw | $10,000 |
| 1974 | $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship | $160,000 |
| 1975 | $1,000 Seven Card Stud | $44,000 |
| 1976 | $500 Seven Card Stud | $13,000 |
| 1979 | $5,000 Seven Card Stud | $48,000 |
| 1981 | $1,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo | $33,500 |
| 1988 | $1,500 Ace to Five Draw | $116,400 |
*In 1970, Moss was voted champion by his peers.
[edit] Legacy
Moss was sometimes called the "Grand Old Man" because of his longevity and superior play. He was one of the charter inductees to the Poker Hall of Fame in 1979.
The Texas Hold'em starting hand Ace-Ten is named "the Johnny Moss" in his honor.
[edit] Notes
- ^ World Series of Poker Earnings, worldseriesofpoker.com
[edit] External links
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