Johnny Moss – The Godfather of Professional Poker

Johnny Moss – The Godfather of Professional Poker

Legend is a strong word. Especially for professional poker, where success is not accumulated by physics, popularity, referee assistance, different interpretations of the rules, etc. You go to the table, meet your opponents and if you can, beat them. One of the best at finding wins is Johnny Moss. A professional who builds the foundations of the sport. Born in 1907 and sadly passed away in 1995. Winner of 9 World Series of Poker bracelets and a record 3 wins in their Main Event. One success remains in dispute, but in history the victory is recorded for the Godfather of Poker.

Johnny discovered his favorite game only a year after the end of the First World War. The Texan was 12 years old at the time, but he had some of the best card players around him in Dallas. One of the places he meets them is his first job. He began his professional career in a casino, where he witnessed numerous scams. By this time, almost everyone was cheating, and honesty in poker was yet to emerge. Eventually, Moss decided that instead of working the poker tables, he could sit down and play. He makes one of the best decisions of his life.

Already in its early years, one of the most interesting myths of my life was born. The young man notices a peephole in the ceiling of the table he is playing at. Threatened to shoot her because someone was looking at the player cards. No one believed him, but Johnny really shot. And wounded the man above…

One of the most legendary stories of Moss' career is his one-on-one play against Nick Dandalos. It lasted five months, and according to the information, the Greek lost 2 million dollars. Some claim that this fight is where the idea for the World Series of Poker was born. Either way, it is certain that Johnny won the first ever PSP Main Event in 1970. He was declared the first World Poker Champion. A year later, his success was duplicated.

The theory says that the Godfather's successes are impressive and unrepeatable. One of the most important figures in the development of professional poker. But one of the clearest proofs of his greatness is Doyle Brunson. One of the other biggest names around the tables calls Moss his "poker mentor." How much more recognition can Johnny get…

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