1983 - This Year in WSOP History

February 5

Vanessa Rousso [], b. White Plains, NY as Vanessa Ashley Rousso
2 final tables. 1 World Poker Tour title. 3rd place in 2015 season of "Big Brother" television series.
Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

March 6

Maria Ho [], b. Taipei, Taiwan
Last Woman Standing a record three times: 2007 WSOP Main Event (38th for $237,865), 2014 (77th for $85,812) & 2020 (22nd U.S. [~43rd in a non-split year] for $35,194). Second most cashes among women, behind only Kathy Liebert. Women in Poker Hall of Fame 2018.
Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

March 31

Erik Friberg [], b. Sweden
2006 WSOP Main Event 8th place ($1,979,189).
Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

April 22

$1,000 Seven-Card Razz (Event #1, began 4/21)

Winner: John Lukas ($43,000)

Entries: 86 (8 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

April 24

Artie Cobb Wins $1,000 Seven-Card Stud for First Bracelet
Defeats field of 104 for $52,000.

$1,000 Limit Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #2, began 4/23)

Winner: Artie Cobb ($52,000)

Entries: 104 (8 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

April 26

Gaelle Baumann [], b. Strasbourg, France
2012 WSOP Main Event final table "bubble boy" & Last Woman Standing ($590,442).
WSOP.com | Hendon

Donna and Jim Doman Win $800 Mixed Doubles to Become First Husband and Wife to Win Bracelets
Defeat field of 50 pairs for $40,000.

$800 Mixed Doubles (Event #3, began 4/25)

Winner: Donna Doman & Jim Doman ($20,000)

Entries: 50 (5 paid)

First bracelet for Donna and second for Jim.

WSOP.com | Hendon

April 28

Carolyn Gardner Wins $500 Ladies Championship to Become First Black Woman With Bracelet
Defeats field of 64 for $16,000.

$500 Women's Limit Seven-Card Stud (Event #4, began 4/27)

Winner: Carolyn Gardner ($16,000)

Entries: 64 (8 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

April 30

Ken Flaton Defeats Huey, Dewey, and Stuey for First Bracelet
New Jersey accountant defeats field of 124 in $1,000 Limit Seven-Card Stud for $62,000, with his final three opponents being Hugh Neville Todd (4th for $7,440), Dewey Tomko (3rd for $12,400), and Stu Ungar (2nd for $24,800).

$1,000 Limit Seven-Card Stud (Event #5, began 4/29)

Winner: Ken Flaton ($62,000)

Entries: 124 (8 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 2

Stu Ungar Wins $5,000 Seven-Card Stud for Fourth Bracelet
Defeats field of 44, including Dewey Tomko heads up, for $110,000 to join Doyle Brunson in the WSOP Millionaire Club. [His decade-leading fourth bracelet of the 1980s would not be caught, with Billy Baxter, Tom McEvoy, Don Williams, Johnny Chan, and David Sklansky each falling one short.]

$5,000 Limit Seven-Card Stud (Event #6, began 5/1)

Winner: Stu Ungar ($110,000)

Entries: 44 (5 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 4

$1,000 Limit Ace-to-Five Draw with Joker (Event #7, began 5/3)

Winner: Don Todd ($49,500)

Entries: 99 (8 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 6

$2,500 No-Limit Ace-to-Five Draw with Joker (Event #8, began 5/5)

Winner: David Angel ($46,250)

Entries: 37 (5 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 7

David Sklansky Wins WSOP's First Omaha Tournament
Defeats field of 51 players in $1,000 Limit Omaha for $25,500 and his third bracelet.

$1,000 Limit Omaha (Event #9, began 5/6)

Winner: David Sklansky ($25,500)

Entries: 51 (9 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 8

Gabe Kaplan Finishes Third in $10,000 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw
Earns $31,500 behind Jack Straus (2nd for $42,000) and Dick Carson (1st for $105,000).

$10,000 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw (Event #10, began 5/7)

Winner: Richard Clayton ($105,000)

Entries: 21 (5 paid)

WSOP.com

May 10

Donnacha O'Dea Becomes First Foreigner to Reach Heads Up in WSOP Tourney
Irishman collects $46,800 for his efforts in the $1,000 Limit Hold 'Em.

Tom McEvoy Wins $1,000 Limit Hold 'Em for First Bracelet
Defeats record field of 234 for $117,000. The size of the field forced the WSOP to run tables at the Golden Nugget, Fremont, and Four Queens casinos.

Berry Johnston Wins $2,500 Match Play for First Bracelet
Defeats field of 32 for $40,000 in 5-round heads-up event.

$1,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #11, began 5/9)

Winner: Tom McEvoy ($117,000)

Entries: 234 (9 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Match Play (Event #12, began 5/9)

Winner: Berry Johnston ($40,000)

Entries: 32 (4 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 13

Official Main Event Odds Posted
Although bookies have taken action on who would win past WSOP Main Events, this year the WSOP gave both El Cortez and Poker World the green light to post odds and accept bets. Bobby Baldwin is the favorite at 10-1 at El Cortez (16-1 at Vegas World), followed by Doyle Brunson at 12-1 (18-1), and Jack Straus at 12-2 (22-1).

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #13, began 5/11)

Winner: Buster Jackson ($124,000)

Entries: 248 (9 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 15

Joe Bernstein Inducted Into Poker Hall of Fame
Bernstein was a road gambler who won the 1973 $3,000 Limit Ace-to-Five Draw.

$1,500 Non-Professional No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #14, began 5/14)

Winner: David Baxter ($145,500)

Entries: 194 (9 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 19

Donnacha O'Dea Becomes First Foreigner to Reach Final Table of WSOP Main Event
Irishman begins 9-player final table sixth in chips and exits in the same place for $43,200.

May 20

Tom McEvoy Wins 1983 WSOP Main Event
Defeats field of 108, including Rod Peate heads up, for $540,000 and second bracelet of year as he becomes first Main Event champion who qualified in a satellite tournament. Doyle Brunson is Last Champ Standing and Top 4 for the fifth time in eight years, exiting third for $108,000, half of Peate's prize.

$10,000 Main Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #15, began 5/16)

Winner: Tom McEvoy ($540,000)

Entries: 108 (9 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 6

James Akenhead [], b. London, England
2009 WSOP Main Event 9th place ($1,263,602).
Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

July 17

George Danzer [], b. Sao Paulo, Brazil
Four bracelets: 2014 $10,000 Razz ($294,792), 2014 $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo ($352,696), 2014 WSOP Asia-Pacific A$5,000 8-Game Mix (A$84,600), & 2016 $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo ($338,646).
Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

August 10

Leo Margets [], b. Barcelona, Spain
Last Woman Standing in 2009 WSOP Main Event (27th for $352,832). Won 2021 $1,500 Closer No-Limit Hold 'Em ($376,850). First Spanish woman to win a bracelet.
WSOP.com | Hendon

September 20

Jason DeWitt [], b. Mishawaka, IN
Two bracelets: 2010 $5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em ($818,959) & 2016 $1,500 Millionare Maker ($1,065,403).
Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

December 1

Zhen Cai []
2019 WSOP Main Event 6th place ($1,850,000). 2014 WSOP Main Event bubble boy. 1 Circuit ring.
WSOP.com | Hendon