Vegas Poker Blog

While Benny Binion gets credit for starting the World Series of Poker, its two poker players who should have a lot of the credit as well. After all, the game, which gave WSOP its origins, lasted five marathon months.

Nicholas œNick the Greek� Dandolos was, in 1949, the most famous poker player in the U.S. He was a well-educated player from a well-to-do family, but early on found a love in gambling. He played numbers, he played the horses, and he played poker. Although, he emigrated from Crete to Montreal, he really began his poker career in Chicago with a half million dollar stake hed won betting the horses during one season. Once in Chicago, it was as if he suddenly absorbed the game of poker and all its tricks. The casinos loved him and loved the action he brought to them. Consequently, œNick the Greeks reputation grew and grew and he was ˜the man in poker. Oh, as for the $500,000, Nick lost all that shortly after getting to Chicago �learning the finer points of the game.

Meanwhile, a little more out West, there was a man from Texas who had also amassed a great reputation as a player. Johnny Moss was a street kid who learned to play poker at age 10. He learned all the cheats but he practiced and practiced and practiced. When he decided on a life of poker, he wanted to use no cheats and it wanted it to be an honest job. He maintained that attitude his entire life and is still looked up to as the pinnacle of a gentleman player.

Moss was considered by Binion to be the best player in the world, so when œNick the Greek� approached Binion because he wanted to best Moss, the famous game was arranged in Las Vegas. It was time for the two of them to duke it out at the table with the winner taking the title.

Binions Horseshoe, of course, was the scene of the game, which ended up lasting five long months. They played every variable of poker, only slept during short breaks, and the world was hearing about the two best players going at each other. In the end, it was Moss who took it all. Dandolos left in the end several million dollars lighter.

Dandolos didnt quit playing but by the time he died on Christmas Day in 1966, he was not only considered one of the greatest gamblers in history, he was penniless.

Moss went on to win three WSOP tournaments (70, 71, and 74) and was a living legend until he died in 1997. He maintained his aura of being the quintessential gentleman, and played poker until the day he died. It was said that poker was the only thing that brought a gleam into his tired eyes.

Both of these players own a huge piece of WSOP history. And while Dandolos may have lost the biggest event, neither of them could ever be considered losers.