Three Legendary WSOP Moments from the Early 1980s - Steve Ungar, Seymour Leibowitz, Jack Straus

1980, The @Stu Ungar domination begins

It took a young man full of confidence in heads-up with one of the best poker players in the world and a hand of small suited connectors. A new legend of poker was born. The arrogant 26-year-old contender was Stu 'The Kid' Ungar, the veteran was two-time WSOP champion Doyle Brunson. and the hand: 4♣ 5♠ vs. Brunson's A♥ 7♥ 

Here is an account by Gary Wise:

The final hand of the tournament started with Doyle limping on the small blind to make the pot almost $13k. The A-7-2 flop gave Doyle top two pair, while Stuey had only an inside straight draw. Ungar checked and Brunson bet $17k. Against most players, he’d have taken the pot down there, but Ungar made the call.

The turn brought the Kid’s miracle three, giving him the straight. He immediately bet out for forty thousand, knowing that a check-raise was more likely to scare the Texan away. Brunson paused for a moment and declared himself all in, pushing $275k into the pot. He’d later call it “one of the worst plays of my career.” The straight held up, and Stu Ungar had his first world championship win.

Stuey thought he was so uncannily good, he called himself "a freak of nature."

1981, a unique personal award

@Seymour Leibowitz is known for having taken up poker late in his life. He was 67 years old when he quit his 9-to-5 job and moved to Vegas to play full-time. Despite this late start he managed to amass $1,370,112 in live tournament earnings. Yet, what he is mostly remembered and respected for is his kindness.  Leibowitz has been called 'the nicest person to ever sit down at a poker table'  and in 1981 WSOP created a special award for him - 'The Most Congenial Player of the Tournament'!

1982, A famous saying is coined

You've all heard it and probably used it - 'all you need is a chip and a chair'. One of the most popular inspirational sayings of poker is associated with a legendary figure in the history of the game - @Jack Straus (one of three Poker Hall of Famers to die while playing poker, along with Wild Bill Hickok and Tom Abdo).

Early on in the 1982 WSOP Main Event, Jack was about to leave the table thinking he had busted in the last hand when he discovered one last chip and was allowed to continue playing. That single chip eventually took him to the Main Event champion title, $520,000, and a place in poker history.

The lucky final hand: