Main Event
The 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was held at Binion's Horseshoe casino. Chris Moneymaker was working as an accountant when he won a seat in the Main Event through an $39 satellite tournament at the PokerStars online poker card room. He revolutionized poker because he was the first person to become a world champion after qualifying from an online poker site. Never had such a small investment in a poker game return such life changing money. It was a dream come true for every poker player.
However, perhaps the most important hand in poker history also took center stage at that Main Event.
Bad Beat
The 2003 Word Series of Poker Main Event was the largest poker tournament ever played at the time. Amateur player Chris Moneymaker was matched in a hand against Phil Ivey a young professional player fresh out of Atlantic City.
Moneymaker was dealt an Ace, Queen. Phil Ivey a pair of Nines. The flop was Queen, Queen, Six. The turn was a 9 giving Ivey a full house. The Cinderella story was not going to be denied, as an Ace came on the river and altered poker history forever as Chris Moneymaker’s win became the catalyst for the greatest boom in poker history.
Phil Ivey eventually became one of the greatest poker players in the world. Would poker history have been different if Phil Ivey had won and Chris Moneymaker lost?
Poker Origins