1983 Super Bowl of Poker

The Super Bowl of Poker (also known as Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker or SBOP) was the second most prestigious poker tournament in the world during the 1980s. While the World Series of Poker was already drawing larger crowds as more and more amateurs sought it out, the SBOP "was an affair limited almost exclusively to pros and hard-core amateurs."[1]

Prior to 1979, the only high dollar tournament a person could enter was the WSOP. 1972 WSOP Main Event Champion and outspoken ambassador for poker, Amarillo Slim saw this as an opportunity. "The World Series of Poker was so successful that everybody wanted more than one tournament," he said.[2] Slim called upon his connections and friendships with poker's elite to start a new tournament in the February 1979. Slim modelled his SBOP after the WSOP with several events and a $10,000 Texas Hold'em Main Event.

One of the principal differences between the WSOP and the SBOP was the prize structure. The WSOP's prize structure was flat ensuring more people received smaller pieces of the prize pool. The SBOP typically used a 60-30-10 payout structure. In other words, only the first three places received money and generally in the ratio of 60% to first place, 30% to second place, and 10% to third.[3] This payment schedule predominated the SBOP for the first 5 years of the event, but as the event grew the number of payouts increased while keeping the payout schedule top heavy.[3]

1983 Tournament

In 1983, X Poker Hall of Famers made it to the cash in various tournaments at the SBOP. Jack Strauss lost to two time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Hans Lund in the SBOP Main Event.[4] Berry Johnston would finish third in one event[5] while Bobby Baldwin would make it to two cashes.[6][7] Billy Baxter, who would later gain fame for suing the IRS in Baxter v United States, also made it to the cash in one event.[8] Sarge Ferris, a low-key but much respected professional player who was later inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, won the No Limit 2-7 Lowball.[7]

The 1983, tournament also witnessed Gabe Kaplan from Welcome Back, Kotter win another SBOP tournament. When Welcome Back, Kotter went off the air in 1979, its lead character started a career in poker. During the early 1980s, Kaplan's success, particularly at the SBOP, led him to be considered among poker's elite.[2] Kaplan made money in two events and won one.

Key

* Elected to the Poker Hall of Fame.
Denotes player who is deceased.
Place The place in which people finish.
Name The name of the player
Prize (US$) Event prize money

Event 1: $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Hans Lund $275,000
2nd Jack Straus* $62,500
3rd Al Either $55,000
4th Gary Lundberg $27,500
5th Junior Whited $27,500
6th Ron Fielder $27,500
7th Fred Davis $27,500

Event 2: Ace-to-Five Lowball

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Gabe Kaplan Unknown

Event 3: $ 500 Limit Hold'em

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st J. C. Pearson $43,200
1st Dale Roback $21,600
1st Art Youngblood $7,200

Event 4: $ 1,000 A-5 Lowball

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Jack Niles $21,000
2nd Gabe Kaplan $10,500
3rd Bob Brooks $3,500

Event 5: $ 500 Limit Seven Card Stud

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Don Williams $23,400
2nd Elaine Booth $11,700
3rd Jeff Yass $3,900

Event 6: $ 1,000 Limit Hold'em

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Gary Lundgren $34,500
2nd Eddie Schwettman $17,400
3rd Norman Solomon $5,800

Event 7: $ 5,000 Limit Seven Card Stud

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Deacon Smith $66,000
2nd Ken Flaton $33,000
3rd Bobby Baldwin* $17,000

Event 8: $ 5,000 Limit A-5 Lowball

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Dick Carson $48,000
2nd Billy Baxter* $24,000
3rd Perry Green $18,000

Event 9: $ 1,000 Limit A-5 Lowball

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st David Baxter $13,000
2nd George Roumanis $6,900
3rd Robert Turner $2,300

Event 10: No Limit 2-7 Lowball

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Sarge Ferris* $72,000
2nd Sam Nassi $36,000
3rd Bobby Baldwin* $12,000

Event 11: $ 500 Limit Omaha

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Billy Thomas $12,600
2nd Tim Tang $6,300
3rd Berry Johnston* $2,100

Event 11: $ 500 Limit Hold'em

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Eddie Schwettman $46,500
2nd Ray Cooke $2,350
3rd Jack McClelland $7,750

Event 12: $ 2,500 Limit Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Tom Cress $36,000
2nd Austin Squatty $18,000
3rd Chris Rochelle $7,750

Event 1: 1983 Super Bowl of Poker $1,000 No Limit Hold'em

Final table
Place Name Prize
1st Curtis Skinner $80,000
2nd Jim Waltenberg $32,000
3rd Austin Squatty $16,000

References

  1. "1981 SBOP: Doubling Up". Hand of the Day. Poker Listing. Archived from the original on 2009-06-17. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Reback, Storm (2009-03-05). "From the Poker Vaults: Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker, Part I". PokerNews. Archived from the original on 2009-06-19. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Reback, Storm (2009-03-12). "From the Poker Vaults: Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker, Part II". PokerNews. Archived from the original on 15 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $10,000 No Limit Hold'em". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Archived from the original on 2009-06-19. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $500 Limit Omaha". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $5,000 Limit Seven Card Stud". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 "1983 Super Bowl of Poker No Limit 2-7 Lowball". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  8. 8.0 8.1 "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $5,000 Limit A-5 Lowball". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  9. "1983 Super Bowl of Poker Ace-to-Five Lowball". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  10. "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $500 Limit Hold'em". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  11. "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $1,000 A-5 Lowball". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  12. "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $500 Limit Seven Card Stud". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  13. "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $1,000 Limit Hold'em". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  14. "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $1,000 Limit A-5 Lowball". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  15. "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $500 Limit Hold'em". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  16. 16.0 16.1 "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $2,500 Limit Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo". Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2009-06-16.