Bob Thompson – Former WSOP Director – Dead at 80.
Bob Thompson, former director of the World Series of Poker, passed away on Sunday. He was 80. Thompson was in charge of the WSOP from 1999 through 2002, the year before Chris Moneymaker started the poker boom.
Thompson got his start in Vegas as a dealer for the Sahara casino. He then moved on to run events at the now defunct Stardust Casino during the 80’s. He also spent time working for the Golden Nugget and on several cruise ships.
Thompson will perhaps be most remembered for keeping the WSOP alive during a period of time that the future of the event was in doubt. Nolan Dalla told Card Player magazine:
“A little-known fact is that the WSOP almost did not happen in 1999. After Jack Binion left, the owners of the Horseshoe seriously considered cutting out all of the preliminary tournaments and leaving only the main event intact. But after much discussion, which involved Bob Thompson, a compromise was made and the WSOP was scaled back to something like 15 events that year. Thompson made the most of a bad situation and, in my view, shepherded the WSOP through its darkest days.”
“He held the WSOP together during its darkest days, when there were dealer strikes, player boycotts, and all kinds of problems. Bob was a real inspiration. He will be missed.”
The year after Thompson’s departure, Chris Moneymaker turned an online Satellite into $2.5 Million and sparked a new generation of poker players, both live and online. Had it not been for Thompson’s dedication and desire to keep the event alive, the “Poker Boom” may never have happened.
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