The Super Bowl of Poker (also known as Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker or SBOP ) 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."[ 1]
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.[ 2] Slim called upon his connections and friendships with poker's elite to start a new tournament in the February 1979. Slim modelled his SBOP after the WSOP with several events and a $10,000 Texas Hold'em Main Event.
One of the principal differences between the WSOP and the SBOP was the prize structure. The WSOP's prize structure was flat ensuring more people received smaller pieces of the prize pool. The SBOP typically used a 60-30-10 payout structure. In other words, only the first three places received money and generally in the ratio of 60% to first place, 30% to second place, and 10% to third.[ 3] This payment schedule predominated the SBOP for the first 5 years of the event, but as the event grew the number of payouts increased while keeping the payout schedule top heavy.[ 3]
In 1983, 5 Poker Hall of Famers made it to the cash in various tournaments at the SBOP. Jack Straus lost to two time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Hans Lund in the SBOP Main Event.[ 4] Berry Johnston would finish third in one event[ 5] while Bobby Baldwin would make it to two cashes.[ 6] [ 7] Billy Baxter , who would later gain fame for suing the IRS in Baxter v United States , also made it to the cash in one event.[ 8] Sarge Ferris , a low-key but much respected professional player who was later inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, won the No Limit 2-7 Lowball.[ 7]
The 1983, tournament also witnessed Gabe Kaplan from Welcome Back, Kotter win his second SBOP tournament. When Welcome Back, Kotter went off the air in 1979, its lead character started a career in poker. During the early 1980s, Kaplan's success, particularly at the SBOP, led him to be considered among poker's elite.[ 2] Kaplan made money in two events and won one.
*
Elected to the Poker Hall of Fame .
†
Denotes player who is deceased.
Place
The place in which people finish.
Name
The name of the player
Prize (US$)
Event prize money
Event 1: $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em
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Number of buy-ins: 42
Total prize pool: $502,500
Number of payouts: 7
Reference: [ 4]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Hans Lund
$275,000
2nd
Jack Straus *
$62,500
3rd
Al Either
$55,000
4th
Gary Lundberg
$27,500
5th
Junior Whited
$27,500
6th
Ron Fielder
$27,500
7th
Fred Davis
$27,500
Event 2: Ace-to-Five Lowball
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Number of buy-ins: Unknown
Total prize pool: Unknown
Number of payouts: 1
Reference: [ 9]
Event 3: $ 500 Limit Hold'em
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Number of buy-ins: 144
Total prize pool: $72,000
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 10]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
J. C. Pearson
$43,200
1st
Dale Roback
$21,600
1st
Art Youngblood
$7,200
Event 4: $ 1,000 Ace-to-Five Lowball
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Number of buy-ins: 35
Total prize pool: $35,000
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 11]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Jack Niles
$21,000
2nd
Gabe Kaplan
$10,500
3rd
Bob Brooks
$3,500
Event 5: $ 500 Limit Seven Card Stud
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Number of buy-ins: 78
Total prize pool: $39,000
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 12]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Don Williams
$23,400
2nd
Elaine Booth
$11,700
3rd
Jeff Yass
$3,900
Event 6: $ 1,000 Limit Hold'em
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Number of buy-ins: 78
Total prize pool: $39,000
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 13]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Gary Lundgren
$34,500
2nd
Eddie Schwettman
$17,400
3rd
Norman Solomon
$5,800
Event 7: $ 5,000 Limit Seven Card Stud
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Number of buy-ins: Unknown
Total prize pool: $116,000
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 6]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Deacon Smith
$66,000
2nd
Ken Flaton
$33,000
3rd
Bobby Baldwin *
$17,000
Event 8: $ 5,000 Limit A-5 Lowball
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Number of buy-ins: 18
Total prize pool: $90,000
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 8]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Dick Carson
$48,000
2nd
Billy Baxter *
$24,000
3rd
Perry Green
$18,000
Event 9: $ 1,000 Limit A-5 Lowball
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Number of buy-ins: Unknown
Total prize pool: $21,200
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 14]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
David Baxter
$13,000
2nd
George Roumanis
$6,900
3rd
Robert Turner
$2,300
Event 10: No Limit 2-7 Lowball
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Number of buy-ins: Unknown
Total prize pool: $120,000
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 7]
Event 11: $ 500 Limit Omaha
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Number of buy-ins: 42
Total prize pool: $21,000
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 5]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Billy Thomas
$12,600
2nd
Tim Tang
$6,300
3rd
Berry Johnston *
$2,100
Event 12: $ 500 Limit Hold'em
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Number of buy-ins: Unknown
Total prize pool: $77,750
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 15]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Eddie Schwettman
$46,500
2nd
Ray Cooke
$2,350
3rd
Jack McClelland
$7,750
Event 13: $ 2,500 Limit Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo
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Number of buy-ins: Unknown
Total prize pool: $60,000
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 16]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Tom Cress
$36,000
2nd
Austin Squatty
$18,000
3rd
Chris Rochelle
$7,750
Event 14: $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
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Number of buy-ins: 128
Total prize pool: $128,000
Number of payouts: 3
Reference: [ 16]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Curtis Skinner
$80,000
2nd
Jim Waltenberg
$32,000
3rd
Austin Squatty
$16,000
^ "1981 SBOP: Doubling Up" . Hand of the Day . Poker Listing. Archived from the original on June 28, 2009. Retrieved June 15, 2009 .
^ a b Reback, Storm (March 5, 2009). "From the Poker Vaults: Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker, Part I" . PokerNews. Archived from the original on May 14, 2009. Retrieved June 15, 2009 .
^ a b Reback, Storm (March 12, 2009). "From the Poker Vaults: Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker, Part II" . PokerNews. Archived from the original on May 15, 2009. Retrieved June 15, 2009 .
^ a b "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $10,000 No Limit Hold'em" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Archived from the original on September 22, 2007. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ a b "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $500 Limit Omaha" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ a b "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $5,000 Limit Seven Card Stud" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ a b c "1983 Super Bowl of Poker No Limit 2-7 Lowball" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ a b "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $5,000 Limit A-5 Lowball" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ "1983 Super Bowl of Poker Ace-to-Five Lowball" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $500 Limit Hold'em" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $1,000 A-5 Lowball" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $500 Limit Seven Card Stud" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $1,000 Limit Hold'em" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $1,000 Limit A-5 Lowball" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $500 Limit Hold'em" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .
^ a b "1983 Super Bowl of Poker $2,500 Limit Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo" . Tournament Results . The Hendon Mob. Retrieved June 16, 2009 .