30/07/2010, Definitions
World Series Of Poker is the oldest, largest and the most prestigious poker competition in the world. The first official WSOP tournament took place in 1970, but the idea of the World Series Of Poker was born much earlier.

In 1949, Nicholas Dandolos, famous poker player, also known as “Nick the Greek”, Told Benny Binion to set up a match between him and another famous poker player at that times, Johnny Moss.
The high stakes poker marathon was played in public view and lasted five months with breaks only to sleep. One day, Dandolos told Johnny Moss: “Mr. Moss, I have to let you go”, and went to his room to retire. Moss was the winner of the “biggest game in town” and of an estimated amount of $30,000!
20 years later, after that incredible game, Johnny Moss was still considered the unofficial Poker Champion.

In 1970, Binion decided to officially launch the World Series Of Poker and he invited a wide range of players to compete against Moss. Binion invited six of the best known poker players to the Horseshoe Casino. At the first edition of the WSOP, the “World Champion” title was awarded based on the popular vote. Johnny Moss was declared the winner.
The following year, the system changed, the players being eliminated one by one. In 1971, Johnny Moss won his third consecutive title of “World Champion”. He also won the same title in 1974.

In 1972, in addition to the larger tournament prizes, the winner received a WSOP gold bracelet, respected by all poker players worldwide. It was Thomas “Amarillo Slim” Preston who managed to beat the famous Johnny Moss. The winner took home $80,000.
Then, in 1976 and 1977, it was Doyle's Brunson turn to conquer the most wanted title. Stu Ungar also won consecutively in 1980 and 1981.

Year after year, the WSOP continued to attract more players. “This poker game here gets us a lot of attention. We had seven players last year, and this year we had 13. I look to have better than 20 next year. It's even liable to get up to be 50, might get up to be more than that. It will eventually,” said Binion in 1973, when he discussed on the impact of the World Series Of Poker with the interviewer Mary Ellen Glass.

In 1982, the WSOP tournament drew 104 participants. Satellite competitions with lower buy-ins were introduced. By 1987, the number of entrants grew to 152 and in 1991, the first place prize money exceeded $1 million! In 2000, the number of entrants came to 512, with a first place prize of $1,500,000.
Last year, Joe Cada, 21, became the youngest champion ever. He outlasted a field of 6,494 poker players and won $8,546,435!

Since 2009, the World Series Of Poker consists of 57 events, with a delayed Main Event poker table in November. The winner of each of the 57 events wins a WSOP bracelet and a money prize, based on the number of entrants and on buy-ins.
This year's final nine poker players include six American players, two Canadians and one Italian. They will compete for the amazing first place prize of $8,944,138, as well as for becoming the 2010 World Series Of Poker Main Event champion. Here are their names: Jonathan Duhamel, John Dolan, Joseph Cheong, John Racener, Matthew Jarvis, Fillipo Candio, Michael Mizrachi, Soi Nguyen, Jason Senti.