Hal Fowler - WSOP Winner

Updated 2008/2009
The funny thing about poker is that, almost anyone can walk in and win. Hal fowler was one of those ‘anyone’. Though relatively unknown Fowler walked in and won the WSOP bracelet in 1979. He earned $270,000 in that game alone and is at many a times talked about as the greatest upset of all WSOP history. It is a big achievement especially when you consider the apparent rumour that Fowler could not cover the entrance fee and had to borrow it from Benny Binion.

In 1979, at the WSOP, there were 54 participants and in the first day itself several great players were eliminated from the tournament. Amarillo Slim, Doyle Brunson and the first woman player, Barbara Freer were a few of the big players who finished day one itself. The second day saw the elimination of 24 more players and this list included people like \"Puggy\" Pearson. The final and third day of the tournament saw the competition go down to Bobby Hoff and Hal Fowler.

Bobby was dealt the strong hand of a pair of Aces versus Hal Fowler who had a weak off-suit 6 and 7. Hal had the strong chip lead which if had been a poker player of better calibre, would most probably have lost this hand to keep his chip lead. But Hal checked and raised his way to the turn and earned himself a shot at the inside straight. Bobby, still believed he had the stronger hand and eventually went all-in with his last $43,000. When the river came up with a 4 of clubs, it gave Hal the nut-shot straight of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and the win. He was totally amazed with the result and just sat there transfixed while he was announced the winner of the 1979 WSOP tournament. From this it can be seen that any hand could be played and still obtain victory, the whole root of the greatest upset in the history of WSOP rises from the fact that during the game Hal was down to a mere $2,000 on the final table at one point against really good players like Johnny Moss and Bobby Baldwin.

Hal was an absolutely unpopular player at the 1979 WSOP which was his only win. His career was hampered due to complications of Diabetes that slowly cost him the use of his legs and then his eyesight. His game ended and he died thereafter in 2000.