I have written about my favorite subject – poker – since the first poker publication back in 1986. I am dating myself, but I also have collected a lot of information, stories, and trivia about the game.
With the 2010 World Series of Poker right around the corner, I thought I would share some of my memories with you.
It all began in 1970 when Benny Binion who loved to play poker, decided to create a battle of poker giants and called it the “World Series of Poker.” That first year seven players competed and the following year, 13 top players showed up. It was a winner take all for many years. The number of entrants never stopped growing. The first woman entered the competition in 1978 and by 1986 the player field had grown to 141 players including four women.
I’ll never forget how I felt when I played in the WSOP for my first time. It was the most exciting experience of my young poker life. I literally felt a chill when Jack McClelland, the Tournament Director, announced, “Shuffle Up and Deal.” This was in 1989 and I had saved for a whole year so I would have the $500 buy-in for the ladies event, which was seven-card stud. I didn’t win a dime, I didn’t even last until the dinner break, but some memories are worth $500. Today, people I speak to who are playing in their first WSOP event get the same euphoric feeling.
The only game to top that first WSOP event that I played and all thereafter is playing in the main event. I got to have that awesome experience for the first time back in 1998. I had been studying no-limit for a number of years but came away from the Super Satellites empty-handed and disappointed. There were still a few days to go before the main event but my bankroll was depleted. A man I had not met, but had seen around, offered to put me in one more Super Satellite. He said he liked my style. I was pretty young and cute but he was old and very married so I figured he really liked my play. He also had a dream that Susie Isaacs had made the final table. I won my seat in the satellite.
A few days later when I sat down to play the main event; the record for attendees was broken with 350 players! As I took my seat, I was so nervous I thought I would hyper-ventilate. Everywhere I looked; there were poker super stars and world champions. Although I felt like a minnow in a shark tank; it was an unforgettable three-day joy ride. I ended day one toward the bottom of the chip count list, but I was thrilled to have made it through day one! On the evening of the third day, I did win money for me and my sponsor with a 10th place finish. In those days, that amounted to about $50K. Today, 10th place would make you a millionaire!
Susie Isaacs is the most published female author on the subject of poker and she has a new novel out, White Knight, Black Knights, (destined to be a best seller!) Visit her website for full descriptions on all of her books: www.susieisaacsbooks.com.
