Bobby Hoff
Encyclopedia
Bobby "The Wizard" Hoff is an American
professional poker
player, based in Long Beach
, California
. According to Hoff, his nickname "The Wizard" refers to his ability to make mountains of chips disappear.
on an athletics scholarship
, where he frequently played golf
from a scratch handicap
.
Hoff learned poker in Las Vegas
three years after graduating. He worked as a poker dealer
and played regularly during his off time. He took up blackjack
after reading the book Beat the Dealer by Edward O. Thorp
and became a skilled player; however, he often got drunk and lost his winnings. He joined a blackjack team and played regularly for five years. Eventually he was banned from the majority of blackjack tables in Las Vegas, forcing him to return to poker.
Hoff became friends with Sailor Roberts
, who staked much of his poker action. Together, they drank large amounts of alcohol
and took cocaine
. Hoff regularly took two lines of cocaine before a big game and chased it with Cognac
.
(WSOP) $10,000 no limit
hold'em main event, Hoff came back from a chip count of T$1,730 early on the first day to T$225,700 early in the final table's action. He eliminated Johnny Moss
in 5th place when his outdrew when the came on the river. Hoff reached the heads-up stage of the tournament, facing amateur Hal Fowler
, whom he had eliminated from the same event in 1978
. In the final hand, Hoff's were outdrawn by Fowler's on a board of .
The heads-up match lasted over 10 hours, and was considered the original David and Goliath match of the WSOP, as Hoff was the favorite to win. This led to increased attendance in future WSOP main events, as people realised that anyone could win.
Hoff went on to have nightmare
s about the heads-up match for several weeks afterwards. During this time, Hoff accused Fowler of consuming either Valium or Methaqualone
throughout the heads-up match. Hoff's cocaine habit grew, as he began to inject it rather than snort it.
The 2006 WSOP
main event winner Jamie Gold
described Hoff as "maybe the best player in the world."
, 1993
, 1996
and 1998
. He also finished 2nd in a WSOP preliminary event in 1984
.
Hoff also appeared in Poker Superstars II
, finishing second in two heats (both times to Ted Forrest
).
As of 2008, his total live tournament winnings exceed $460,000.
His alias on UltimateBet is "DaWiz". Hoff describes Bobby Baldwin
as the best poker player he ever saw.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player, based in Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. According to Hoff, his nickname "The Wizard" refers to his ability to make mountains of chips disappear.
Early years
In 1958, Hoff studied at the University of TexasUniversity of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
on an athletics scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
, where he frequently played golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
from a scratch handicap
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...
.
Hoff learned poker in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
three years after graduating. He worked as a poker dealer
Poker dealer
A poker dealer distributes cards to players and manages the action at a poker table.-Professional dealers:Any casino with a poker room must hire a staff of dealers. Casinos generally pay dealers minimum wage. However, a dealer's primary source of income is not salary, but tips from players*...
and played regularly during his off time. He took up blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
after reading the book Beat the Dealer by Edward O. Thorp
Edward O. Thorp
Edward Oakley Thorp is an American mathematics professor, author, hedge fund manager, and blackjack player. He was a pioneer in modern applications of probability theory, including the harnessing of very small correlations for reliable financial gain.He was the author of Beat the Dealer, the first...
and became a skilled player; however, he often got drunk and lost his winnings. He joined a blackjack team and played regularly for five years. Eventually he was banned from the majority of blackjack tables in Las Vegas, forcing him to return to poker.
Hoff became friends with Sailor Roberts
Sailor Roberts
Bryan W. "Sailor" Roberts was an American professional poker player.Before becoming a poker professional Roberts was a rounder and traveled the country looking for games along with other legends such as Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim...
, who staked much of his poker action. Together, they drank large amounts of alcohol
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
and took cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
. Hoff regularly took two lines of cocaine before a big game and chased it with Cognac
Cognac (drink)
Cognac , named after the town of Cognac in France, is a variety of brandy. It is produced in the wine-growing region surrounding the town from which it takes its name, in the French Departements of Charente and Charente-Maritime....
.
World Series of Poker
In the 1979 World Series of Poker1979 World Series of Poker
The 1979 World Series of Poker was held at Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.-Preliminary events:-Main Event:There were 54 entrants to the main event. Each paid $10,000 to enter the tournament. Fowler was the first amateur to win the WSOP...
(WSOP) $10,000 no limit
Betting (poker)
In the game of poker, the play largely centers on the act of betting, and as such, a protocol has been developed to speed up play, lessen confusion, and increase security while playing...
hold'em main event, Hoff came back from a chip count of T$1,730 early on the first day to T$225,700 early in the final table's action. He eliminated Johnny Moss
Johnny Moss
Johnny Moss was a gambler and professional poker player. He was the first winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event, at the time a cash game event in which he was awarded the title by the vote of his peers in 1970, He also twice won the current tournament format of the WSOP Main Event in...
in 5th place when his outdrew when the came on the river. Hoff reached the heads-up stage of the tournament, facing amateur Hal Fowler
Hal Fowler
Harold Arthur "Hal" Fowler was an American poker player known for winning the 1979 World Series of Poker Main Event. He is considered the first amateur poker player to become poker's World Champion....
, whom he had eliminated from the same event in 1978
1978 World Series of Poker
The 1978 World Series of Poker was held in May 1978 at Binion's Horseshoe. and was the first WSOP that wasn't a winner-take-all prize.Instead the tournament had a progressive prize structure, as follows 50% for the Winner then 20% for second, 15% for third, 10% for fourth and 5% for fifth...
. In the final hand, Hoff's were outdrawn by Fowler's on a board of .
The heads-up match lasted over 10 hours, and was considered the original David and Goliath match of the WSOP, as Hoff was the favorite to win. This led to increased attendance in future WSOP main events, as people realised that anyone could win.
Hoff went on to have nightmare
Nightmare
A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...
s about the heads-up match for several weeks afterwards. During this time, Hoff accused Fowler of consuming either Valium or Methaqualone
Methaqualone
Methaqualone is a sedative-hypnotic drug that is similar in effect to barbiturates, a general central nervous system depressant. The sedative-hypnotic activity was first noted by Indian researchers in the 1950s and in 1962 methaqualone itself was patented in the US by Wallace and Tiernan...
throughout the heads-up match. Hoff's cocaine habit grew, as he began to inject it rather than snort it.
The 2006 WSOP
2006 World Series of Poker
The 2006 World Series of Poker began on June 25, 2006 with "satellite" events, with regular play commencing on June 26 with the annual Casino Employee event, and the Tournament of Champions held on June 28 and 29...
main event winner Jamie Gold
Jamie Gold
Jamie M. Gold is an American television producer, a talent agent, and poker player, based in Malibu, California. He is known for winning the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event and currently divides his time between his activities as president of production for the entertainment company,...
described Hoff as "maybe the best player in the world."
Late poker career
He also finished in the money of the $10,000 WSOP main event in 19901990 World Series of Poker
-Preliminary events:-Main Event:There were 194 entrants to the main event. Each paid $10,000 to enter the tournament.-Final table:-Other High Finishes:NB: This list is restricted to top 30 finishers with an existing Wikipedia entry....
, 1993
1993 World Series of Poker
-Preliminary events:-Main Event:There were 220 entrants to the main event. Each paid $10,000 to enter the tournament.-Final table:-Other High Finishes:NB: This list is restricted to top 30 finishers with an existing Wikipedia entry....
, 1996
1996 World Series of Poker
-Preliminary events:-Final table:-Other High Finishes:NB: This list is restricted to top 30 finishers with an existing Wikipedia entry.-External Links:*...
and 1998
1998 World Series of Poker
-Preliminary events:-Final table:-Other High Finishes:NB: This list is restricted to top 30 finishers with an existing Wikipedia entry.-External Links:*...
. He also finished 2nd in a WSOP preliminary event in 1984
1984 World Series of Poker
The 1984 World Series of Poker was held at Binion's Horseshoe.-Preliminary events:-Final table:...
.
Hoff also appeared in Poker Superstars II
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament
The Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament is a series of no limit Texas hold 'em poker tournaments. The first season is available on NTSC DVD. It airs on Fox Sports Net in the United States, Rogers Sportsnet in Canada and ftn in the United Kingdom.-Crew:...
, finishing second in two heats (both times to Ted Forrest
Ted Forrest
Ted Forrest is an American professional poker player, currently residing in Las Vegas, Nevada.- Tournament Wins:...
).
As of 2008, his total live tournament winnings exceed $460,000.
His alias on UltimateBet is "DaWiz". Hoff describes Bobby Baldwin
Bobby Baldwin
Bobby Baldwin is a professional poker player, off-road racer and casino executive. As a poker player, Baldwin is best known as the 1978 world champion, becoming the youngest main event champion at that time....
as the best poker player he ever saw.
Health problems
In December 2010, Hoff sufferered a stroke which led to his hospitalization in Houston, Texas, in a stable condition.External links
- Legends of Poker: Bobby "The Wizard" Hoff PokerNews.com article, July 12, 2005
- Bobby Hoff's tournament results from the HendonMob website