Oral history of the 2003 World Series of Poker

Eric Raskin has put together an excellent oral history of the 2003 World Series of Poker in Grantland, one of the seminal events in the poker phenomenon that has grown over the years in the US and around the world.

In 1970, Benny Binion put together a publicity stunt to promote his casino in downtown Las Vegas. He sent out invitations to Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim Preston, and the rest of the world’s greatest card players and called it the World Series of Poker. Seven of them played cash games at Binion’s Horseshoe for three straight days, and when it was over, Moss was named “champion” in a vote of his peers. The next year, six entrants paid $5,000 apiece for the right to play in a no-limit Texas Hold ’em “freezeout” tournament, in which everyone started with the same number of chips and they played until one man had all the money. A year later, the buy-in doubled to $10,000. In the four decades since, the basic rules of the tournament and the amount of money required to enter have remained constant.

But the number of participants has not. The World Series of Poker main event surpassed 100 players for the first time in 1982. It cracked 200 in ’91, the first year in which the winner claimed a seven-figure cash prize. In 2002, 631 players entered, and the payout was $2 million.

Then came 2003. The 34th-annual World Series of Poker transformed the event into a pop-culture phenomenon. The numbers — by 2006, 8,773 players vied for a first-place prize of $12 million — illustrate how exponential the growth was. Poker went from a game understood by few and played in smoky backrooms to a television staple. In this 10th-anniversary oral history, more than 30 people who were part of the event explain what happened and what it meant for the poker business.

Check out the entire article for a very informative and entertaining read.

You can see the final hand above where Chris Moneymaker wins the tournament. Movies like “Rounders” from 1998 also helped fuel that game’s popularity, but that 2003 tournament helped fans the flames.

There are so many ways to enjoy gambling and poker these days at casinos around the country and online at Metro Play Casino and other great sites that it’s hard to think back to the days when most of the action was in Las Vegas and in back room poker games. Fortunately most people can now drive to a poker room or hone their skills online, and now the World Series of Poker is dominated by guys inspired by Chris Moneymaker. If you’re heading to Vegas and want to test your poker skills, you have to try your hand at this tournament.

  

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The Greatest Poker Casinos in Vegas

poker dealer

Viva Las Vegas! Home to a veritable circus of attractions, shows, glitz and glamour, Vegas describes itself as the ‘entertainments capital of the world’. And you would be hard pressed to find a place that encompasses as much fun and frivolity as this world-famous city situated in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

Once described as “Sin City” due to its tolerance for gambling and other adult fancies, Vegas has now become a popular place for Americans to raise their family and even retire to. However, with over 30 million visitors a year, this place is also a huge tourist attraction. One thing is for sure, there is always something to do in Vegas, as it truly is a city that never goes to sleep!

Home to several museums, including botanical gardens and zoo, with over 150 species of both plants and animals, plus a school of performing arts that regularly hosts Broadway shows and a variety of performances from ballets to famous orchestras, Vegas is not without culture. However, it is on the renowned Las Vegas Strip where the vast and grandiose hotel and casinos are to be found.

The MGM Grand

Just about everything in this hotel is larger than life, grander than grand, bounteously bountiful! Lavish and bold, from the moment you step into the foyer and face the huge golden MGM trademark lion, you know that you could be nowhere else in the world other than Vegas!

The hotel has featured in many a Hollywood movie, and was once the largest hotel in the world. This does mean that getting around the building involves a fair bit of walking, but who cares when there is so much to admire along the way.

As for the casino, Texas Hold‘em is the game that the MGM Grand poker room is most famous for. With 22 tables and a relaxed non-smoking atmosphere, the MGM even offers tableside massages for those who wish to indulge completely in this relaxing environment. On the floor of the casino, there are slots galore, paying out over 750,000 dollars a day on the progressive games.

There is also a sports book area where punters can bet on whichever race or game is being shown on the huge plasma screens on the walls. There are 53 channels available, so no tournament, game or race need be missed!

The Bellagio

Perhaps the most sumptuous yet elegantly decorated casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, The Bellagio has the AAA 5 Diamond award for hospitality and service. With stunning views from the guest rooms and designer suites, this hotel is classy and sophisticated.
A strong supporter of the World Poker Tour, the casino is a host to the event when it makes its way to Vegas. There are 39 tables for plenty of poker action, and also ‘Bobby’s Room’ where the stakes are high at a $20,000 minimal buy-in to play.

Caesars Palace

With a reputation for being one of the most famous Casino resort in Vegas, Caesars style is Roman Empire-tastic! A seated Colosseum, Roman statues, sparkling fountains, and opulent ornateness are abundant in this stunning hotel and casino. Spas, Roman baths and delectable gardens – what more could a palace need? Well, there is the casino to explore of course! There are 62 poker tables offering 24-hour gaming and a full tournament schedule in the tournament room. It is also home to the NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship.

There is also a huge variety of slot machines offering massive jackpots. Players can play with a single dollar right up to 5,000 dollars.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but one thing is certain, you will never forget your time spent visiting this remarkable, unique city.

  

Fix Up and Look Sharp!

hot babe playing poker

Slowly but surely, the gaming world is becoming ever so slightly fairer, with female gamers like poker ace and BBC quiz show presenter Victoria Coren beginning to break through to the higher echelons of the industry. Give it another generation and we’ll start to see an increasingly even spread of male and female gaming stars, but for now at least, the classic image of a casino icon is that of a man; a Frank Sinatra, a James Bond, a George Clooney, an impeccably suave alpha male with class, flair, money and serious cojones.

What man in their right mind wouldn’t want to be that guy? Well, with a bit of luck, a fairly considerable amount of expenditure and a good deal of careful thought, many of us Average Joes can actually get pretty close to the mark and become something akin to those pop culture heroes of casino folklore and pick up some of the action.

Without further ado, here’s a handy guide to the three key components you need to have in place to turn heads as a casino-slaying leader of the pack:

The Get-up: You’ve really gotta nail this one. While some serious gamers can rock the casual look complete with Hawaiian shirts, flip-flops and secret fortunes, you’re not just here to have a good time, you’re here to look like a king while you’re at it. The guy in the Hawaiian shirt never gets the best hotel action post-casino play! If money’s no object then we suggest a high-end tailored suit – you can be sure there’ll be plenty of people around you who can spot an ill-fitting jacket and you can bet your bottom dollar they’re pretty merciless human beings. If you’re on a budget, go for vintage cool – Harris Tweeds are surprisingly easy to pick up cheap and can be altered to fit for a small charge.

The Game: If you think you can just walk straight into a casino and impress your peers without learning the ropes first, you’ve got another thing coming. There’s nothing further from the suave casino ideal than an inexperienced player making a hell of a lot of noise without really respecting the culture and history of the industry. Make sure you know your stuff before even setting foot in a casino. To get your game up to scratch, practice anonymously online at sites like Jackpot Capital Casino, immerse yourself in the mythology and history of the industry and learn your hard hands from your pokies.

The Girl: To feel like the complete casino king you’re going to need a dazzling queen on your arm – the Julia Roberts to your George Clooney, the Eva Green to your Daniel Craig. Whether or not you’re already attached, you’ll find that getting a lovely lady to join you on a trip to the casino is anything but a hard sell – just be sure to wine and dine her at your chosen pleasure palace’s glitziest restaurant to keep her howling at your every roll of the dice.

  

Throwing the Best Bachelor Party Ever

poker chips and cigar

Being the best man means that you’re responsible for throwing a bachelor party, but what can you do when the groom says “No hijinks, and no debauchery!” Planning a classy bachelor party that is adult entertainment-free may not seem appealing, but the truth is that it can be an even better bachelor party than you might think. Here are some great ideas for your elegant, exotic dancer-less stag night:

Read the rest of this entry »

  

Movies and Poker: Celebrating a Legendary Card Game with Four Entertaining Films

Both movies and poker have been mainstays in home entertainment for decades. If you are planning a night filled with poker games along with your friends, what could be better than watching a great poker flick while playing? There are several wonderful movies that involve this legendary card sport, but some classics are listed below. The next time you plan a poker game with your friends, try incorporating one of these titles into the night; if your friends love poker, they are sure to enjoy them.

Rounders

This 1998 film helped to turbocharge the poker craze. Here’s an overview from our review:

“Rounders” offers an inside look at the world of high-stakes gambling through the eyes of Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), a New York City law student with a natural talent for a good hand and the ability to read virtually any opponent. After dropping $30,000 one night to local poker thug Teddy KGB (John Malkovich), Mike turns away from the game forever to focus on his studies, much to the approval of his girlfriend Jo (Gretchen Mol). Working a dead-end job to pay off his school loans, Mike remains clean for nine months until his best friend Worm (Edward Norton) is released from prison with a giant gambling debt to his name. When Mike takes a stake in the debt, putting his own head on the chopping block, he must return to the card table and play the game better than he ever has before in order to meet Teddy KGB’s 48-hour payment deadline.

The poker scenes are excellent in this film, which focuses on the psychology of the game as much as the game itself. If you can’t read people, you’ll never be a great poker player.

A Big Hand for a Little Lady

In this film, Mary is the wife of a poker player who puts their entire family wealth on the line for a large poker tournament. She does not approve, but gets put into a tight situation. When Meredity (Mary’s husband) suffers from a heart attack, she steps in to play in his place. This movie is a masterpiece in poker related drama, which might strike the interest of female players.

Maverick

In this film you meet a character named Maverick, who is on a journey to compete in a large poker tournament. However, he lacks the necessary funds to pay for the entry fee. He knows he has a solid chance at winning, but must raise $3,000 before the tournament. He starts by trying to recover old debts, but this quickly turns into a nightmare. He finds himself being pursued, as certain people are out to stop him from competing. He is continuously betrayed and rivaled, so this comedy doubles over as a drama. It has several twists in the plot, making it a wonderful post-game flick. The main character in this movie is Mel Gibson, and it was released in the 1990’s.

The Cincinnati Kid

This is an older film; a classic in the poker world starring Steve McQueen as “The Kid.” Most diehard poker fans have seen this movie, due to its suspenseful climax. The Kid is an ambitious poker player that wants to try his hand at a game with a renowned poker player; who just happens to come into town. During the showdown, cheating makes for an interesting twist, but does not exactly affect the outcome. During the course of the movie, The Kid loses nearly everything, including his girlfriend. This classic poker flick will have experienced poker players on the edge of their seats, especially if they have yet to see it.