1977 World Series of Poker - Recap
In 1977, the World Series of Poker tried a new experiment.
Eric Drache added the first women’s event to the schedule.
It was a $100 buy-in Seven-Card Stud tournament, and it attracted
94 participants. Jackie McDaniel won the inaugural edition
of the tournament. Some form of ladies event has become a
feature at the WSOP, for better or worse, ever since.
Doyle Brunson made another strong run in the Main Event,
and he picked up a huge pot with suited connectors late in
the third day of action. Brunson bounced both Buck Buchanan
and Ed “junior” Whited from the tournament, and
picked up $140,000 with trip sevens. Brunson now had the chips
he needed to defend his title.
Four players remained and they were as follows: Milo “Sioux
Falls Slew” Jacobsen, Sailor Roberts, Bones Berland,
and Brunson. Roberts pocket eights ran into the pocket cowboys
of Jacobsen and he was sent to the rail in fourth. Jacobsen
followed suit when Berland disposed of him with a straight
in third place. Brunson slow played a pair of ladies in the
hole against Berland and took out more than one of his legs.
He doubled up through Berland on the hand.
The final hand was a trip down memory lane for Brunson that
led Berland to steam for hours into the night. Brunson was
dealt 10s2h and Berland received 8s5h. The flop was dealt
10d8s5h and Berland chose to check. The 2c hit on the turn
and Brunson led out with a bet. Berland pushed all in and
Brunson quickly called. The 10c on the river added insult
to injury for Berland, and he finished in second place. The
hole cards 10-2 are now known to the poker world as “Texas
Dolly” in commemoration of Brunson’s victory in
back-to-back years with the hand. Brunson earned $340,000
for the win and used it to publish the bible of poker strategy
books, “Super/System.”
