1971 World Series of Poker - Recap

The 1971 World Series of Poker was first year the tournament was a “freezeout,” meaning that the last man standing with all the chips would be crowned World Champion. This came about after the media complained about the boring nature of the first edition. According to “All In: The (Almost) Entirely True Story of the World Series of Poker,” Los Angeles Times reporter Ted Thackrey said, “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.”

Heading those words, Johnny Moss, Jack Straus, Puggy Pearson, Jimmy Casella, Sailor Roberts, Doyle Brunson, and Amarillo Slim Preston paid the $5,000 entry fee and took their seats at the 1971 WSOP. No records or notes were kept on the event, but it is known that Pearson faced off with Johnny Moss head’s-up. The “Grand Old Man of Poker” defeated Pearson and won his second WSOP titile in a row, along with $30,000. “Moss won that event…so it does show [in 1970] we voted for the right guy,” later recalled Brunson of the 1971 event.