The World Series of Poker Through The Years
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has been around since the 1970s. It has been around for so long, and if things keep on going the way they are, WSOP will still be around for many more years to come. A lot of changes and improvements have been applied to the WSOP to the extent that it is hard to recognize it as the same series it was before.
The changes that the tournament went through molded it to what it is today. And as expected, poker has never been the same again. The World Series of Poker has revolutionized the game itself.
More Games and More Prizes
The World Series of Poker started with a minimum number of events. The organizers started with common poker games like Texas Hold’em, Razz, Omaha, Five Card Stud, and a few others. Currently, there are at least fifty (50) events included in the WSOP, representing more poker games than before. This further promoted the popularity of poker. Some events which were removed before are now revived.
The prizes to be won at the World Series of Poker have also improved since the silver cup was first given in 1970. Starting 1971, winners receive cash as part of the award. Aside from riches and fame, most of the participants are after the WSOP golden bracelet. The bracelet has become a status symbol for poker players. The best players collect more than one WSOP bracelet.
The Best Players
Through the years, the World Series of Poker has introduced the world to some of the best poker players. Poker legends like Phillip Hellmuth, Jr., Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan has been made known not only to fellow professionals but to anybody who cares about poker. Aside from known legends, the world was also given a glimpse of other players good enough to snatch a golden bracelet in the WSOP.
Also, it seems that even poker rookies are able to snatch victory in the World Series of Poker. Chris Moneymaker won in the Main Event in the 2003 WSOP. Moneymaker’s victory has brought about a huge change in the WSOP. The number of players who participated in the WSOP increased from 4,780 in 2000 to a whooping 23,000 in 2005.
The increase in the number of players in the WSOP led to some major alterations in the tournament. For starters, a good percentage of the players are unknown rookies. This give a good chance that the winner in the Main Event will also be another rookie, and since there are a lot of players, the prize money has also increased dramatically.
