We have imposed ourselves on talking to you about Poker every so often so that you do not lose weight with the news of this exciting and surprising game. As we have been telling, the King of card games par excellence has taken root in our country for some years and has a future as fresh and positive as it is worldwide. But after explaining tactics, hands, types of tables and tournaments and talking about the highlights of the short but intense history of Poker, it was time to do the same but from a global point of view. Poker has always existed, but it was from the 70s when it became popular on a social level and became professional.
Because even today many associate Poker with that game practiced by the skilled ‘scavengers’ or the typical activity of Casinos; because we have gotten tired of seeing poker in the movies but almost always in the hands of outlaws, gangsters or inveterate players and never as a sport (because yes, poker is a sport and if not now you will find out), we have to remember and teach to all the most important moments that made this exciting world what we know today.
Do you want to know a little more about that sport that you dominate so much? Are you looking for proper names to inspire you when naming your best hands or plays? Here’s a bit of history:
The World Series of Poker is born: 1970
In 1970 Johnny Moss would win the first edition of an event organized by Benny Binion of course, in Las Vegas. The story is not very precise and the legend that the first winner was because his classmates voted for him has been established as the most likely.
Over the years it has become the most important tournament in world poker during which, in addition to the main event, a multitude of tests of all possible types of poker are played and with very varied registration prices. Johnny Moss and Stu Ungar, the latter considered by some to be the best no-limit Texas player in history, hold the record for main event wins with 3 each.
2003 World Series of Poker
This is undoubtedly a key quote to understand the subsequent poker boom at all levels. In that edition, Chris Moneymaker, an amateur North American player, was victorious after qualifying for the $10,000 buy-in main event through a $39 satellite.
He won 2.5 million dollars and his life changed completely. But he also contributed to changing the history of the game, giving hope to thousands of players who would try to follow in his footsteps. The number of registrations from that moment would suffer a spectacular increase. The popularization of poker skyrocketed after what was called the “Moneymaker effect”.
Black Friday: April 15, 2011
One of the worst episodes in the history of online poker. PokerStars, FullTilt Poker and Absolute Poker were blocked by the US government due to various charges of illegal gambling, money laundering and other financial crimes on US soil. Uncertainty hung over the sector and the funds of thousands of players were blocked.
Over time, the panorama has been clearing up and most of the players recovered their money, although pending processes continue with the operators and their managers.
The Big One Drop: The most expensive poker tournament in the world
In July 2012, in Las Vegas, a charity tournament organized by Guy Laliberté, owner of Le Cirque du Soleil, started. The inscription nothing more and nothing less than 1 million dollars.
48 brave men finally signed up for the selective event. Professional players, super executives and some poker-loving millionaires gathered at this event that was included in the WSOP agenda. The winner Antonio Esfandiari pocketed the record prize to date of 18.3 million dollars. The second place would be for Sam Trickett whose prize amounted to 10.1 million dollars.
Recognition of Poker as a mental or skill sport
The IMSA (International Mind Sports Association) in March 2010 recognized poker within its list of games classified as mental sports or skill games. The equating of poker with chess, for example, is a very important step and longed for by the entire sector that has always defended it against those who classified it as a game of chance.
There is still a long way to go, but the first stone is laid to be able to see in the future, hopefully not too distant, poker within the World Mental Sports Games.