1987 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. Before the SBOP had developed a reputation of its own, many of the most respected names in poker attended the tournament "more to support Slim and take advantage of the very fat cash games the event would obviously inspire."^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[4]

1987 Tournament

Three Poker Hall of Famers played at the final table in the $200 Pot Limit Omaha event. Johnny Chan was a relative newcomer compared to the older veterans Jack Keller and Johnny Moss, but Chan succeeded in defeating both to claim the title.^[5] Chan later made it to another final table and played against future Hall of Famer, Barbara Enright at the $200 No Limit Hold'em. Neither one won the event.^[6]

Event 1: $ 500 Limit Hold'em

• Number of buy-ins: 196
• Total prize pool: $98,000
• Number of payouts: 9
• Reference:^[7]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Ralph Johnson	$7004470000000000000♠47,000
2nd	Robert Turner	$7004188000000000000♠18,800
3rd	John Franjesh	$7003940000000000000♠9,400
4th	Richard Sargent	$7003470000000000000♠4,700
5th	Jeff Gold	$7003470000000000000♠4,700
6th	Ali Farsai	$7003470000000000000♠4,700
7th	Ken Flaton	$7003470000000000000♠4,700
8th	John Cernuto	$7003200000000000000♠2,000
9th	Steve Kopp	$7003200000000000000♠2,000

Event 2: $ 500 Limit Seven Card Stud

• Number of buy-ins: 164
• Total prize pool: $82,000
• Number of payouts: 10
• Reference:^[8]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Glenda Bridges	$7004380000000000000♠38,000
2nd	Alex Murray	$7004152000000000000♠15,200
3rd	Bill Sheppard	$7003760000000000000♠7,600
4th	Buddy McIntosh	$7003380000000000000♠3,800
5th	Mark Jacobus	$7003380000000000000♠3,800
6th	Steve Kopp	$7003380000000000000♠3,800
7th	Craig DiSalvo	$7003380000000000000♠3,800
8th	Lenny Moore	$7003200000000000000♠2,000
9th	Jack Lindsay	$7003200000000000000♠2,000
10th	Fred Sigur	$7003200000000000000♠2,000

Event 3: $ 200 Pot Limit Omaha

• Number of buy-ins: Unknown
• Total prize pool: $135,200
• Number of payouts: 9
• Reference:^[5]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Johnny Chan*	$7004607950000000000♠60,795
2nd	Berry Johnston*	$7004270200000000000♠27,020
3rd	Artie Cobb	$7004135100000000000♠13,510
4th	Terry Davis	$7003675500000000000♠6,755
5th	Garland Walters	$7003675500000000000♠6,755
6th	Jerry St. Pierre	$7003675500000000000♠6,755
7th	Eddie Scwettman	$7003675500000000000♠6,755
8th	Johnny Moss*	$7003405300000000000♠4,053
9th	Don Williams	$7003270200000000000♠2,702

Event 4: $ 1,000 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo

• Number of buy-ins: 78
• Total prize pool: $78,000
• Number of payouts: 7
• Reference:^[9]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Robert Turner	$7004390000000000000♠39,000
2nd	Ron McMillan	$7004156000000000000♠15,600
3rd	George Feher	$7003780000000000000♠7,800
4th	Mike Magic	$7003390000000000000♠3,900
5th	Al Korsin	$7003390000000000000♠3,900
6th	Scott Dick	$7003390000000000000♠3,900
7th	Barney O'Malia	$7003390000000000000♠3,900

Event 5: $ 200 No Limit Hold'em

• Number of buy-ins: 173
• Total prize pool: $214,500
• Number of payouts: 18
• Reference:^[6]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Howard Andrew	$7004864000000000000♠86,400
2nd	Johnny Chan*	$7004384000000000000♠38,400
3rd	David Baxter	$7004192000000000000♠19,200
4th	Jim Doman	$7003960000000000000♠9,600
5th	Garland Walters	$7003960000000000000♠9,600
6th	Barbara Enright	$7003960000000000000♠9,600
7th	Bob Lackhart	$7003960000000000000♠9,600
8th	Gene Fisher	$7003576000000000000♠5,760
9th	Ed Stevens	$7003384000000000000♠3,840

Event 6: $ 1,000 Ace to Five Draw

• Number of buy-ins: 80
• Total prize pool: $80,000
• Number of payouts: 5
• Reference:^[10]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Margo Marvin	$7004400000000000000♠40,000
2nd	Robert Turner	$7004160000000000000♠16,000
3rd	David Question	$7003120000000000000♠1,200
4th	Bruce Holt	$7003800000000000000♠8,000
5th	Charles Hantz	$7003400000000000000♠4,000

Event 7: $ 500 Limit Hold'em

• Number of buy-ins: 189
• Total prize pool: $94,500
• Number of payouts: 9
• Reference:^[11]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Ray Johnson	$7004425250000000000♠42,525
2nd	Kelly Samson	$7004189000000000000♠18,900
3rd	J.C. Pearson	$7003945000000000000♠9,450
4th	Bill Smith	$7003472500000000000♠4,725
5th	Elvis Russell	$7003472500000000000♠4,725
6th	Tom McGuire	$7003472500000000000♠4,725
7th	Billy Smith	$7003472500000000000♠4,725
8th	Elmer Thomas	$7003283500000000000♠2,835
9th	Barbara Enright*	$7003189000000000000♠1,890

Event 8: $ 1,000 Seven Card Stud

• Number of buy-ins: Unknown
• Total prize pool: $189,822
• Number of payouts: 3
• Reference:^[12]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Robert Turner	$7004515000000000000♠51,500
2nd	Max Stern	$7004206000000000000♠20,600
3rd	Buddy McIntosh	$7004103000000000000♠10,300
4th	Terry King	$7003515000000000000♠5,150
5th	Jim Dickerson	$7003515000000000000♠5,150
6th	Tom McEvoy	$7003515000000000000♠5,150
7th	Mike Ungurean	$7003515000000000000♠5,150

Event 9: $ 2,500 No Limit 2-7 Lowball

• Number of buy-ins: 32
• Total prize pool: $94,500
• Number of payouts: 3
• Reference:^[13]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Jack Keller*	$7004480000000000000♠48,000
2nd	Berry Johnston*	$7004240000000000000♠24,000
3rd	Seymour Leibowitz	$7003800000000000000♠8,000

Event 10: $ 200 Pot Limit Omaha

• Number of buy-ins: Unknown
• Total prize pool: $189,822
• Number of payouts: 9
• Reference:^[14]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Dolph Arnold	$7004837450000000000♠83,745
2nd	Joe Petro	$7004372200000000000♠37,220
3rd	Gene Fisher	$7004186100000000000♠18,610
4th	Ken Flaton	$7003930500000000000♠9,305
5th	Seymour Leibowitz	$7003930500000000000♠9,305
6th	Artie Cobb	$7003930500000000000♠9,305
7th	John Franjeah	$7003930500000000000♠9,305
8th	Unknown	$7003930500000000000♠9,305
9th	Jim Dickerson	$7003372200000000000♠3,722

Event 11: $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em

• Number of buy-ins: 140
• Total prize pool: $140,000
• Number of payouts: 10
• Reference:^[15]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Gene Fisher	$7004630000000000000♠63,000
2nd	George Huber	$7004280000000000000♠28,000
3rd	Yosh Nakano	$7004140000000000000♠14,000
4th	Ken Lambert	$7003700000000000000♠7,000
5th	Ron McMillan	$7003700000000000000♠7,000
6th	Curtis Skinner	$7003700000000000000♠7,000
7th	Barbara Gold	$7003700000000000000♠7,000
8th	Dolph Arnold	$7003420000000000000♠4,200
9th	Mike Cox	$7003140000000000000♠1,400
10th	Frank Henderson	$7003140000000000000♠1,400

Event 12: $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em

• Number of buy-ins: Unknown
• Total prize pool: $440,000
• Number of payouts: 7
• Reference:^[16]

Final table

Place	Name	Prize
1st	Jack Keller*	$7005220000000000000♠220,000
2nd	Chip Reese*	$7004880000000000000♠88,000
3rd	Tuna Lund	$7004440000000000000♠44,000
4th	Perry Green	$7004220000000000000♠22,000
5th	Dick Carson	$7004220000000000000♠22,000
6th	Jim Ward	$7004220000000000000♠22,000
7th	Max Stern	$7004220000000000000♠22,000

References

Major poker tournaments World Series of Poker (bracelet) by year 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 (results) 2006 (results) 2007 (results) 2008 (results) 2009 (results) 2010 (results) 2011 (results) 2012 (results) 2013 (results) 2014 (results) 2015 (results) Europe 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 (results) 2012 (results) 2013 (results) Asia Pacific 2013 2014 Circuit events[1] 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2011–12 2012–13 Other Tournament of Champions World Series of Poker Africa Poker tours World Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 European Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 North American Season 1 2 Asia Pacific Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Latin American Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UK and Ireland Season 1 2 3 4 5 Other Asian (APT) Australia-New Zealand (ANZPT) Central Europe (EUREKA) Italian (IPT) Spain (ESTRELLAS) Super Bowl of Poker 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 Late Night Poker Series 1 2 3 4 5 6 Poker Superstars Season 1 2 3 Other events PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Aussie Millions National Heads-Up FPS RPS BSOP Poker Million U.S. Poker Championship World Heads-Up Irish Open Epic Poker League Partouche Poker Tour Online events WCOOP SCOOP TCOOP FTOPS [1] Starting in 2011, a World Series of Poker bracelet was awarded to the WSOP Circuit National Champion.