1985 Super Bowl of Poker
Encyclopedia
The Super Bowl of Poker 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."
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. 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." Slim modeled 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. 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.
rs Chip Reese
and Billy Baxter
both made runs at various titles, but neither succeeded in winning their events. The only member to win a tournament that year was Johnny Chan
in the $1,000 Omaha event. In order to win the title, he had to defeat two other Hall of Fame caliber players in Dewey Tomko
who was inducted into the Hall in 2008 and 1993 recipient Jack Keller. Dewey Tomko went on to win the %5,000 Seven-Card Stud event.
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
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."
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
Amarillo Slim
Thomas Austin Preston, Jr. , known as Amarillo Slim, is an American professional gambler known for his poker skills and proposition bets...
saw this as an opportunity. "The World Series of Poker was so successful that everybody wanted more than one tournament," he said. 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." Slim modeled 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. 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.
1985 Tournament
Poker Hall of FamePoker Hall of Fame
The Poker Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional poker playing in the United States. Founded and located in Las Vegas, Nevada, it was created in 1979 by Benny Binion, the owner of the Horseshoe Casino, to preserve the names and legacies of the world's greatest poker players and to serve...
rs Chip Reese
Chip Reese
David Edward Reese , more commonly known as Chip Reese, was an American professional poker player and gambler from Centerville, Ohio...
and Billy Baxter
Billy Baxter (poker player)
William E. Baxter, Jr. is an American professional poker player and sports bettor. He has won numerous tournament titles in his career as a professional poker player, including seven World Series of Poker bracelets....
both made runs at various titles, but neither succeeded in winning their events. The only member to win a tournament that year was Johnny Chan
Johnny Chan (poker player)
Johnny Chan rather than his Chinese birth name. born in Guangzhou, China in 1957) is a Chinese American professional poker player. He has won 10 World Series of Poker bracelets, including 1987 and 1988 World Series of Poker main events consecutively....
in the $1,000 Omaha event. In order to win the title, he had to defeat two other Hall of Fame caliber players in Dewey Tomko
Dewey Tomko
Duane "Dewey" Tomko is an American former kindergarten teacher turned professional poker player, based in Winter Haven, Florida....
who was inducted into the Hall in 2008 and 1993 recipient Jack Keller. Dewey Tomko went on to win the %5,000 Seven-Card Stud event.
Key
| * | Elected to the Poker Hall of Fame Poker Hall of Fame The Poker Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional poker playing in the United States. Founded and located in Las Vegas, Nevada, it was created in 1979 by Benny Binion, the owner of the Horseshoe Casino, to preserve the names and legacies of the world's greatest poker players and to serve... . |
| Place | The place in which people finish. |
| Name | The name of the player |
| Prize (US$) | Event prize prize money |
Event 1: $400 Ladies 7 Card Stud
- Number of buy-ins: 44
- Total prize pool: $17,600
- Number of payouts: 7
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kimberly Bye | $8,880 |
| 2nd | Betty Wagner | $3,520 |
| 3rd | Elsie Brent | $1,760 |
| 4th | Starla Brodie | $880 |
| 5th | Cyndy Violette Cyndy Violette Cyndy Violette is an American professional poker player who won a World Series of Poker bracelet in 2004.-Early life:... |
$880 |
| 6th | Lucy Bowman | $880 |
| 7th | Cheryl Davis | $880 |
Event 2: $500 Limit Hold'em
- Number of buy-ins: 207
- Total prize pool: $103,500
- Number of payouts: 7
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Rich Quakenbush | $51,750 |
| 2nd | Mark Stropko | $20,700 |
| 3rd | Dody Roach | $10,350 |
| 4th | Mike Stoltz | $5,175 |
| 5th | Dave Walden | $5,175 |
| 6th | Peter Etchemendy | $5,175 |
| 7th | Andy Myerson | $5,175 |
Event 3: $1,000 Ace-to-Five Lowball
- Number of buy-ins: 53
- Total prize pool: $53,000
- Number of payouts: 7
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Greg Wagner | $26,500 |
| 2nd | T.J. Cloutier* | $10,000 |
| 3rd | Robert Hunter | $5,300 |
| 4th | John Serpa | $2,650 |
| 5th | Dennis Horvath | $2,650 |
| 6th | Johnny Hale | $2,650 |
| 7th | Phil Morgan | $2,650 |
Event 4: $500 7 Card Stud
- Number of buy-ins: 89
- Total prize pool: $44,500
- Number of payouts: 7
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Cheryl Davis | $8,900 |
| 2nd | Artie Cobb Artie Cobb Artie Cobb is an American professional poker player, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Originally from New York, Cobb began playing poker there and moved to Las Vegas in 1976.- Poker career :... |
$4,450 |
| 3rd | Dino Bumbico | $2,225 |
| 4th | Gary Berland | $2,225 |
| 5th | David Holzderber | $2,650 |
| 6th | Peter Christ | $2,225 |
| 7th | Bob Ensley | $2,225 |
Event 5: $1,000 No Limit Hold'em
- Number of buy-ins: 80
- Total prize pool: $80,000
- Number of payouts: 7
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Art Youngblood | $40,000 |
| 2nd | Chip Reese Chip Reese David Edward Reese , more commonly known as Chip Reese, was an American professional poker player and gambler from Centerville, Ohio... * |
$20,000 |
| 3rd | Frank Hunter | $2,225 |
Event 6: $5,000 7 Card Stud
- Number of buy-ins: 13
- Total prize pool: $65,000
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Dewey Tomko Dewey Tomko Duane "Dewey" Tomko is an American former kindergarten teacher turned professional poker player, based in Winter Haven, Florida.... * |
$39,000 |
| 2nd | Rick Greider | $19,500 |
| 3rd | Frank Hunter | $6,500 |
Event 7: $2,500 Ace-to-Five Lowball
- Number of buy-ins: 34
- Total prize pool: $85,000
- Number of payouts: 5
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Austin Squatty | $42,500 |
| 2nd | Mike Markos | $25,500 |
| 3rd | Billy Baxter Billy Baxter (poker player) William E. Baxter, Jr. is an American professional poker player and sports bettor. He has won numerous tournament titles in his career as a professional poker player, including seven World Series of Poker bracelets.... * |
$8,500 |
| 4th | Rick Riolo | $4,250 |
| 5th | Seymour Liebowitz | $4,250 |
Event 8: $500 Omaha
- Number of buy-ins: 103
- Total prize pool: $51,500
- Number of payouts: 5
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Terry Fielder | $25,750 |
| 2nd | Dave Chanduloy | $10,300 |
| 3rd | Fred Bowen | $5,100 |
Event 9: $2,500 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
- Number of buy-ins: 32
- Total prize pool: $80,000
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ken Smith | $56,000 |
| 2nd | Jeff Burdasall | $24,000 |
| 3rd | Chip Reese Chip Reese David Edward Reese , more commonly known as Chip Reese, was an American professional poker player and gambler from Centerville, Ohio... * |
$8,000 |
Event 10: $1,000 Omaha
- Number of buy-ins: 154
- Total prize pool: $154,000
- Number of payouts: Unknown
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Johnny Chan Johnny Chan (poker player) Johnny Chan rather than his Chinese birth name. born in Guangzhou, China in 1957) is a Chinese American professional poker player. He has won 10 World Series of Poker bracelets, including 1987 and 1988 World Series of Poker main events consecutively.... * |
$77,000 |
| 2nd | Dewey Tomko Dewey Tomko Duane "Dewey" Tomko is an American former kindergarten teacher turned professional poker player, based in Winter Haven, Florida.... * |
$46,200 |
| 3rd | Jack Keller* | $15,400 |
Event 11: $500 Limit Hold'em
- Number of buy-ins: 176
- Total prize pool: $88,000
- Number of payouts: Unknown
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Dave Keiser | $44,000 |
| 2nd | Terry Farmer | $17,600 |
| 3rd | Hal Kant | $8,800 |
Event 13: $5,000 Deuce-to-Seven Lowball
- Number of buy-ins: 24
- Total prize pool: $120,000
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Gary Lundgren | $72,000 |
| 2nd | Billy Baxter Billy Baxter (poker player) William E. Baxter, Jr. is an American professional poker player and sports bettor. He has won numerous tournament titles in his career as a professional poker player, including seven World Series of Poker bracelets.... * |
$36,000 |
| 3rd | Jim Ray | $12,000 |
Event 14: $1,000 "Follow the stars" Hold'em
- Number of buy-ins: 157
- Total prize pool: $157,000
- Number of payouts: Unknown
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bill Strothers | $72,000 |
| 2nd | Norman Jay | $36,000 |
| 3rd | Ray Legett | $12,000 |
Event 15: $10,000 Main Event - No Limit Hold'em
- Number of buy-ins: 41
- Total prize pool: $410,000
- Number of payouts: Unknown
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mickey Appleman Mickey Appleman Mickey L. Appleman is an American professional poker player, sports bettor, and sports handicapper now living in Fort Lee, New Jersey... |
$205,000 |
| 2nd | Dewey Tomko Dewey Tomko Duane "Dewey" Tomko is an American former kindergarten teacher turned professional poker player, based in Winter Haven, Florida.... * |
$82,000 |
| 3rd | John Esposito John Esposito (poker player) John Esposito Jr is an American professional poker player who won a World Series of Poker bracelet in Limit Hold'em.Esposito a veteran professional poker player who has 25 money finishes at the World Series of Poker including five final tables and six cashes in the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Main... |
$41,000 |
| 4th | Lyle Berman Lyle Berman Lyle Arnold Berman is a professional poker player and business executive.-Business:Berman grew up in Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota where he graduated in 1964 with a degree in business administration. He then went to work for his father's leather business, Berman Buckskin. ... * |
$20,500 |
| 5th | Jack Keller* | $20,500 |
| 6th | Al Ethier | $20,500 |
| 7th | Gary Lundgren | $20,500 |