The Story of the 1992 WSOP Main Event
The 23rd annual World Series of Poker featured more events than ever before in Las Vegas, as 20 tournaments were won by some of the best poker players in the world. There were bracelet wins for Tom McEvoy, Erik Seidel, and Phil Hellmuth, while the WSOP Main Event saw a dip in attendance for the first time since its inception. The world champion was another new name as a player turned his world upside down and landed on his feet to win the million-dollar top prize in Las Vegas.
McEvoy and Men Nguyen Among Early Winners
This year’s vast array of events meant that the 1992 WSOP started on April 22nd and did not end until May 16th, a length of 24 days, making it the longest World Series of Poker to date. Early events were claimed by Billy Thomas (Event #1: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha), Lance Straughn (Event #2: $1,500 No Limit Hold’em), and Rick Steiner (Event #3: $1,500 Limit Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo) before the WSOP legend Erik Seidel won the first of his 10 WSOP bracelet, winning Event #4: a $2,500 entry Limit Hold’em event for $168,000, defeating Phil Hellmuth heads-up. ‘The Poker Brat’ was not a fan of finishing second, having won the Main Event in 1989, and over the years, would put together a remarkable record heads-up at the WSOP, starting later in the 1992 series.
Event #5, the $2,500 Limit Seven Card Stud was won by Ray Rumier before another legendary player earned the first of his many WSOP bracelets. Known as Men ‘The Master’ Nguyen, this Vietnamese-born WSOP legend would go on to win seven WSOP bracelets, four Circuit rings, and cash 129 times in the WSOP to date, and it all began when he won the 1992 Event #6: $1,500 Seven-Card Stud event for $120,600. Defeating the 1983 Main Event winner Tom McEvoy heads-up, Nguyen’s win was an important signpost on the route to glory for many players as ‘The Master’ held sway over many new players coming into the game.
McEvoy didn’t have to worry about waiting too long for another bracelet opportunity to come. He finished atop Event #7: $1,500-entry Limit Omaha, earning the bracelet when he beat the 1986 world champion Berry Johnston heads-up for $79,200. McEvoy, who successfully advocated for no smoking in WSOP venues in the 1980s, further supplemented his hero status with the event win and is still a beloved star of the World Series of Poker.
The Poker Brat Bags Second WSOP Bracelet
With so many bracelet events coming before the four-day Main Event, which started on May 11th, there were loads of winners who celebrated taking home gold. Phil Hellmuth, now 27 years old, had waited three years since he won the 1989 world championship as its youngest-ever winner before he won his second. From 1992 to the present day, however, Hellmuth would average a bracelet every other year in a phenomenal run of success that saw him win his latest and 17th bracelet in 2023.
In 1992, it was in Event #8: $5,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em event in which he captured his second title. With 88 entries, the event showcased Hellmuth’s innate ability to ‘counter punch’ his opponents, frequently adapting to their styles and using their tactics against them. Full of live reads and table talk, once Hellmuth removed his headphones, he became one of poker’s greatest entertainers and defeated Steve Kopp to win the $188,000 top prize.
Bracelet wins for other players included Lamar Hampton (Event #9: $1,500 Razz), Ken Duggan (Event #11: $2,500 Pot Limit Hold’em), Dal Derovin (Event #12: Limit A-5 Draw Lowball), Hoyt Corkins (Event #13: $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha), Paul Clark (Event #14: Limit Seven Card Stud), Louis Bonnecaze (Event #15: $1,500 Pot Limit Hold’em), Lyle Berman (Event #16: $2,500 No Limit Hold’em), Eli Balas (Event #17: $1,500 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo) Mickey Appleman (Event #18: $5,000 No Limit 2-7 Draw), Bob Abell (Event #19: $1,500 Limit Hold’em), and Shari Flanzer (Event #10: $1,000Ladies Limit Seven Card Stud) for $38,000. With the preliminary events completed and the fans’ appetites whetted, it was time for the Main Event.
The Champion Cheers for Chan
When asked who he thought had a decent chance of winning the Main Event, reigning 1991 world champion Brad Daugherty quickly credited the legends in the field.
“Johnny Chan!” he replied. “Phil Hellmuth is playing very well this year. There are so many players here, it’s a real hard event to win.”
Irish poker legend Donnacha O’Dea agreed with Daugherty’s take on the favorite.
“Johnny Chan’s record in the event is outstanding,” he said. “When he won it twice then was second [that was more impressive] than previous double champions.”
“I’ve got my mind clear for this big tournament here.” Said Chan himself, shooting for his third WSOP title that, as it happened, would always elude him.
“It was my dream to win the WSOP. I did it and I won it as the youngest ever to do it.” Said Phil Hellmuth as he bid to win his second World Championship.
“There are probably more poker players than there are golfers,” said Jack Binion. “When you consider that, these are a pretty elite bunch of people.”
Plenty of new names cashed in the 1992 Main Event, including Doyle Brunson’s son Todd.
“I’m more nervous watching him than playing myself,” joked Texas Dolly from the rail, having already been ousted. Todd would go on to cash for $10,100 in 13th place. With 201 players in the field, 36 of them would make money, with players such as Mel Judah (24th for $8,080), Mike Sexton (23rd for $8,080), 1986 winner Bery Johnston (17th for $10,100), 1978 winner Bobby Baldwin (15th for $10,100), John Bonetti (12th for $10,100), and the 1984 world champion ‘Gentleman Jack’ Keller (8th for $20,200) all earning something.
With seven left, just one player needed to bust to bring about the lights, the cameras, and the million-dollar action as the remaining six players would play to become the world champion. Johnny Chan was the unlucky man to miss out, winning $25,250 in seventh place as ‘The Orient Express’ fell just short of making the final table and adding to his back-to-back victories in 1987 and 1988.
Tuna Caught Again as Headstand Hamid Wins
With the final six led by Hamid Dastmalchi, the Iranian-American performed an unusual ritual before play began. Going over to the corner of the cardroom at Binion’s Horseshoe in Las Vegas, Dastmalchi did a headstand to get the blood rushing to his head, telling reporters that “it makes you think better.”
The final table began quickly as Clyde Coleman played aggressively but ran into trouble as Dave Crunkleton eliminated him in sixth place for $30,300. Crunkleton himself lost out in fifth for $60,600 when he was all-in pre-flop with pocket eights and lost to Hans ‘Tuna’ Lund who found a queen on the flop to pair with his ace-queen.
Soon, four became three, as Mike Alsaadi lost out in fourth for $101,000 and was unlucky to do so, his ace-jack losing to king-jack of Thomas Jacobs when a king came on the flop. Jacobs, winning that pot, put ‘Tuna’ under the gun and bowed out in third place. All-in in terrible shape with eight-seven offsuit against the suited king-eight of diamonds for Jacobs, the flop of 5-3-2 with two diamonds was a disaster for a crestfallen Lund who was nearly drawing dead. Drawing to two cards, the seven of diamonds wasn’t one of them as Jacobs celebrated wildly after turning the flush. Lund, devastated, won $176,750 in third place and would never get close to the title again. As he exited, he challenged Jacobs to a heads-up for the million should the American win it.
“I did make a mistake on the hand before, but I made the play I had to make.” Lund told Chris Marlowe and Chip Reese in his post-match interview.
Heads-up, Jacobs was coming into the action short and, on a board showing J-7-6-5, got all his chips in with jack-seven for top two pair. He was behind, however, with Dastmalchi holding eight-four for the turned inside straight. No luck on as an eight on the river ended it, and the 46-year-old Jacobs won just $353,500 for second place, a big drop from the million dollar top prize that the 36-year-old Dastmalchi took with glee.
“He didn’t make enough bet [on the flop]. He made a mistake,” said the new world champion. “I deserve it, I think; I’m a very good player.”
When asked what he would do with the money. Dastmalchi answered in just one word, “Party!”
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Hamid Dastmalchi | United States | $1,000,000 |
| 2nd | Tom Jacobs | United States | $353,500 |
| 3rd | Hans Lund | United States | $176,750 |
| 4th | Mike Alsaadi | United States | $101,000 |
| 5th | Dave Crunkleton | United States | $60,600 |
| 6th | Clyde Coleman | United States | $30,300 |
1991 WSOP Main Event 1993 WSOP Main Event
About the Author: Paul Seaton has written about poker for over 10 years, interviewing some of the best players ever to play the game such as Daniel Negreanu, Johnny Chan and Phil Hellmuth. Over the years, Paul has reported live from tournaments such as the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and the European Poker Tour. He has also written for other poker brands where he was Head of Media, as well as BLUFF magazine, where he was Editor.