The World Series of Poker is acknowledged as the most prominent set of poker tournaments in the world. Though the World Series of Poker made its official debut in 1970, the suggestion of the Horseshoe's annual tournament was in reality conceived more than twenty years earlier. Thus, in the year of 1970 seven players took part in the first Series of Poker event at Binion's Horseshoe. John Moss, the winner of that tournament, received a prize of a silver cup and became the first Poker World Champion.
From the next year on, all Series of Poker events have evolved in the form of competitions with money prizes. Two years later, a new poker variation of 5 card stud was debuting at the main event parallel with no-limit Texas Holdem. Since this year new and new events have been put in and taken away regularly from the tournament's schedule. The last Series of Poker 2005 featured 42 events including such poker games as Razz and Omaha, as well as seniors and women oriented events only. An impressive $10,000 buy-in of the no-limit Texas Hold'Em competition was the classic attribute of this fantastic tournament. The main prize of WSOP 2005 not only involved a huge money pot, but also a traditional golden bracelet. In addition, all WSOP winners got their picture placed into Binion's Gallery of Champions.
There have been a lot of remarkable events in the WSOP history. For example, in 1982 Jack Straus won the tournament after realizing that one $500 chip is still with him when he considered he was eliminated from the competition.
A few players have been victorious at the WSOP several times, according to series of poker results. Stu Ungar won the tournament in 1980th, 1981st, and finally in 1997th. As series of poker results say, John Chan won twice in a row in 1987th and 1988th. The next year, in 1989th, Chan became 2nd to the youngest World Series major event winner ever Phil Hellmuth.
Perhaps, triumph at the WSOP turns people into the legends. Some of the existing poker legends though, have tried to win the WSOP main event for years and never succeeded. Some of these recognized legends are: Dave Ulliott, T. J. Cloutier, Barry Greenstein, Erik Seidel, Men Nuyen, and others.
Here's a partial list of WSOP main event winners for the last decade:
2005 - J. Hachem
2004 - G. Raymer
2003 - C. Moneymaker
2002 - R. Varkonyi
2001 - J.C. Mortensen
2000 - C. Ferguson
1999 - N. Furlong
1998 - S. Nguyen
1997 - S. Ungar
1996 - H. Seed
The exhaustive latest WSOP series of poker results, Series of Poker schedule as well as detailed information about each year's main event is available on official WSOP web site. There you can also find information on WSOP history, series of poker results, rules, hundreds of photos, and much more.