The Early Years
Johnny Moss was born in 1907 in Marshall, Texas. In 1978, he won the Main Event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) for the first time and was nicknamed “The Grand Old Man of Poker”. In addition to winning nine WSOP Poker events and eight bracelets, he remains one of the greatest poker players ever. The Poker Hall of Fame inducted Johnny Moss as one of its inductees in 1979.
His Career
As a young man, Johnny Moss had no access to resources for Poker, so he had to learn about the game while overseeing others. In Johnny’s early days, Poker was an unregulated field, so there were hardly any legal casinos, poker rooms, or major tournaments. To play at different casinos, he travelled from one to another, playing all the available table games. In essence, he was a travelling gambler who earned his living on the road.
No Tolerance for Cheaters
One time, Moss noticed a peephole in the ceiling over a backroom as he was playing cards with the players to see what cards they were holding. He had no tolerance for cheaters, so this made him very angry. The house was aware that Moss carried a pistol with him, and he warned the spy to cover the hole if he did not come down. The house tried to call Johnny’s bluff, and Johnny fired a few rounds, wounding the man in the ceiling.
Moss also won $4 million by playing against Nick the Greek in a five-month-long poker marathon. The game between these two poker legends is credited with giving birth to the World Series of Poker.
Where is he Now?
In 1995, this Poker legend passed away at the age of 88, but to this day, many of the older generations of Poker players still have fond memories of him.