1983 Super Bowl of Poker


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.

1983 Tournament

In 1983, 5 Poker Hall of Famers made it to the cash in various tournaments at the SBOP. Jack Strauss lost to two time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Hans Lund in the SBOP Main Event. Berry Johnston would finish third in one event while Bobby Baldwin would make it to two cashes. 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. 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.
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. Kaplan made money in two events and won one.

Key

Event 1: $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em

PlaceNamePrize
1stHans Lund$275000
2ndJack Straus*$62500
3rdAl Either$55000
4thGary Lundberg$27500
5thJunior Whited$27500
6thRon Fielder$27500
7thFred Davis$27500

Event 2: Ace-to-Five Lowball

PlaceNamePrize
1stGabe KaplanUnknown

Event 3: $ 500 Limit Hold'em

PlaceNamePrize
1stJ. C. Pearson$43200
1stDale Roback$21600
1stArt Youngblood$7200

Event 4: $ 1,000 Ace-to-Five Lowball

PlaceNamePrize
1stJack Niles$21000
2ndGabe Kaplan$10500
3rdBob Brooks$3500

Event 5: $ 500 Limit Seven Card Stud

PlaceNamePrize
1stDon Williams$23400
2ndElaine Booth$11700
3rdJeff Yass$3900

Event 6: $ 1,000 Limit Hold'em

PlaceNamePrize
1stGary Lundgren$34500
2ndEddie Schwettman$17400
3rdNorman Solomon$5800

Event 7: $ 5,000 Limit Seven Card Stud

PlaceNamePrize
1stDeacon Smith$66000
2ndKen Flaton$33000
3rdBobby Baldwin*$17000

Event 8: $ 5,000 Limit A-5 Lowball

PlaceNamePrize
1stDick Carson$48000
2ndBilly Baxter*$24000
3rdPerry Green$18000

Event 9: $ 1,000 Limit A-5 Lowball

PlaceNamePrize
1stDavid Baxter$13000
2ndGeorge Roumanis$6900
3rdRobert Turner$2300

Event 10: No Limit 2-7 Lowball

PlaceNamePrize
1stSarge Ferris*$72000
2ndSam Nassi$36000
3rdBobby Baldwin*$12000

Event 11: $ 500 Limit Omaha

PlaceNamePrize
1stBilly Thomas$12600
2ndTim Tang$6300
3rdBerry Johnston*$2100

Event 12: $ 500 Limit Hold'em

PlaceNamePrize
1stEddie Schwettman$46500
2ndRay Cooke$2350
3rdJack McClelland$7750

Event 13: $ 2,500 Limit Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo

PlaceNamePrize
1stTom Cress$36000
2ndAustin Squatty$18000
3rdChris Rochelle$7750

Event 14: $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em

PlaceNamePrize
1stCurtis Skinner$80000
2ndJim Waltenberg$32000
3rdAustin Squatty$16000