1980 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. 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. 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.
First, Gabe Kaplan
the star of the 1970s comedy Welcome Back, Kotter
won the Main Event. Gabe's victory at this event sparked a wave of curiosity around the country. With his victory, people started to realize that anybody could play poker. Gabe went on to finish in sixth place at the 1980 World Series of Poker Main Event. These two victories propelled Gabe into the poker elite. Over the next several years Gabe would have temendous success at the SBOP. In 1982 he would finish in third place at the Main Event. In 1983 he would have a first and second place finish in Lowball events. Then again in 1984 he would win another SBOP title in a Lowball tournament.
While Gabe's story caught the world's attention at the SBOP, another story went unnoticed. A young poker player named Stu Ungar
made his first ever poker tournament appearance at the SBOP Main Event. When Stu was knocked out in 34th place (out of 41), nobody noticed. It was the only tournament he would play before entering the World Series of Poker a few months later. In May 1980 he won the WSOP Main Event becoming the youngest player in that tournament's short history.
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. 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. 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.
1980 Tournament
While very little is known about the 1980 Super Bowl of Poker, it was meaningful for two reasons.First, Gabe Kaplan
Gabe Kaplan
Gabriel W. "Gabe" Kaplan is an American comedian, actor, poker commentator, and professional poker player.He was born in Brooklyn, New York...
the star of the 1970s comedy Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan and featuring a young John Travolta.It originally aired on the ABC network from September 9, 1975 to June 8, 1979.-Premise:...
won the Main Event. Gabe's victory at this event sparked a wave of curiosity around the country. With his victory, people started to realize that anybody could play poker. Gabe went on to finish in sixth place at the 1980 World Series of Poker Main Event. These two victories propelled Gabe into the poker elite. Over the next several years Gabe would have temendous success at the SBOP. In 1982 he would finish in third place at the Main Event. In 1983 he would have a first and second place finish in Lowball events. Then again in 1984 he would win another SBOP title in a Lowball tournament.
While Gabe's story caught the world's attention at the SBOP, another story went unnoticed. A young poker player named Stu Ungar
Stu Ungar
Stuart Errol "Stu" Ungar was a professional poker and gin rummy player, widely regarded to have been the greatest Texas hold 'em and gin rummy player of all time....
made his first ever poker tournament appearance at the SBOP Main Event. When Stu was knocked out in 34th place (out of 41), nobody noticed. It was the only tournament he would play before entering the World Series of Poker a few months later. In May 1980 he won the WSOP Main Event becoming the youngest player in that tournament's short history.
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: $10,000 No Limit Hold'em
- Number of buy-ins: Unknown
- Total prize pool: Unknown
- Number of payouts: Unknown
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Gabe Kaplan Gabe Kaplan Gabriel W. "Gabe" Kaplan is an American comedian, actor, poker commentator, and professional poker player.He was born in Brooklyn, New York... |
$190,000 |