Here’s a nice story. ‘Worth remembering.
Jack Straus began playing in World Series of Poker events in the early 1970s.
He finished in fourth place in the 1972 Main Event. He won his first bracelet in 1973 in the $3,000 Deuce to Seven Draw event and also finished in third place in the Main Event that year. He won the 1982 World Series of Poker Main Event, earning $520,000 and a second WSOP bracelet. His appearances at the final table of the Main Event in 1972, 1973, and 1982 put him in a small elite group players to have made the final table three or more times.
Special!
1982 World Series Of Poker Main Event
Famously, Straus’s 1982 win was a comeback after being down to a single $500 chip, supposedly the origin of the common tournament poker aphorism: “a chip and a chair.”
Although accounts vary, the most common story is that he pushed his chips into the pot, was called and lost the hand. Straus had thought he was eliminated from the tournament, but when he got up, he discovered he had one chip left under a napkin on the table.
Because he did not declare himself all-in, the tournament directors allowed him to continue playing.
With one chip.
Still In the Game
Straus, from this single chip, went on to win $520,000 in 1982.
Today, that’s worth $1,400,000.
At Always wear Red we created 100 Limited Edition Poker chips to commemorate this. As a reminder to us all. Take a look at the photo, above.
So long as we are still here, we can do amazing things.
We’re Still in the Game.
6 Comments
Where can I get me one of those?
Shaughn I am going to ask you a favour.
Based on what I think I know about you my friend, I think you will be OK with this…
The important thing about these chips is not getting them, it is passing them on.
I don’t want to sound wanky and weird, but I always carry a couple of them. Only 100 have ever been made. And they are tournament grade so they will last for ever. I have about 80 left.
Anyhow, this is a true story. I met a guy about a month ago and he was really, really down. Friend of a friend. In a bar. We were left together after others left. Sometimes – and it happens to me just as much as anyone else I am sure – we feel we have absolutely nothing don’t we? That we can’t do anything. Like we’re hopeless. This is where this guy was.
I relayed the Jack Straus story to this guy. And I handed him one of my chips. He was teary; but not for a reason that I expected.
He was teary not because he received a chip from me – but because he realised that how I had made him feel that day, he could make others feel tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that. So I gave him a second chip. He insisted he would look to pass the story on and pass on both chips too. That’s his business. I really don’t know what he did.
Anyhow, I am going to send you 3 chips. And you know the Straus story. I need my chip from time to time. And maybe you’ll need one too.
But the favour I am asking is that you pass your chips on please.
Pass them on. Tell the story. It does tend to remind people that each one of us is important and that we matter. So long as we’re here, were still in the game.
And if you pass on all three. Ask me for more. I’ll send them to you, no problem.
The 3 will be with you soon x
Oh, I’m in like Flynn.
A conspiracy of hope.
Black ops for happiness.
I’m following you over the top and into battle my Captain.
Out of the bunker an on to the battlefield! I’ll be right behind you :o)
Love this idea & the chips however I’m not convinced I could be trusted to pass them on
What a story. I will try to remember this when I’m facing adversity. The chips only have meaning if they are passed on.