Nationality
American, U.S. citizen born in Texas, United States.
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Born (date and place of birth)
June 2, 1938, in Graham, Texas, U.S.
Residence (current location)
Later resided in San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Education (institution, specialization)
Graduated from Southwestern University, likely with a business-related degree.
Children (number, ages)
Had two children; ages not publicly disclosed.
Year started playing poker
Began serious poker involvement in the 1960s; won the Texas Gamblers Convention in 1969.
Age when started playing
Late 20s to early 30s around the 1960s.
Year turned professional
Effectively professional from the 1960s, retired from poker in the 1980s.
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
Won the Texas Gamblers Convention in 1969, Reno, Nevada.
Who introduced to poker / first mentor
Influenced by peers like Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim; no single formal mentor noted.
First important tournament
Participated in the first WSOP event in 1970.
Main motivation for turning pro
Played primarily for personal challenge and enjoyment; was a self-made millionaire before poker.
Initial bankroll
Self-funded from business success prior to serious poker play.
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Self-taught through live game experience; no formal poker education.
First sponsor/backing
No formal sponsorships recorded.
Total live tournament winnings
Approximately $160,000 to $179,350 in live tournament earnings.
Number of tournament wins
Several tournament wins including 1969 Texas Gamblers Convention; no WSOP bracelets.
Number of final tables
Seven WSOP Main Event final tables during the 1970s.
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
1969 Texas Gamblers Convention win, prize amount unspecified.
WSOP bracelets (number)
None.
WSOP cashes (number)
At least three to four WSOP cash finishes.
WSOP final tables
Seven WSOP Main Event final tables.
Best WSOP Main Event result
Runner-up in 1974 and 1978 WSOP Main Events.
Super high roller results ($100K+)
None.
High roller wins ($25K-$100K)
None.
Online tournament winnings
None, career predates online poker.
Major online titles
None.
Poker team
None.
Main cash game limits
Played high-stakes no-limit cash games in Texas and Vegas.
Highest stakes played
Participated in some of the highest stakes in early Texas and Vegas poker.
Notable high stakes sessions
Known for legendary high-stakes cash games in Texas during poker’s early era.
"Big Game" participation
Participated in "Big Game"-style sessions with poker legends.
Estimated cash game profits (if known)
Not publicly available.
Country ranking
Top Texas and American player during the 1970s.
All Time Money List position
Not ranked; incomplete historical data.
Tournament ROI (if known)
Not publicly calculable.
Average tournament win
No data available.
ITM percentage
Not calculable; most final tables occurred before widespread payouts.
Final table percentage from cashes
Very high final table percentage relative to cashes in WSOP Main Event in 1970s.
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Dominant in 1970s WSOP Main Events with multiple final tables.
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
No-Limit Texas Hold'em.
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Live tournament and high stakes cash games.
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Preferred full ring tables typical of era.
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
No-Limit Hold'em primarily.
Specialization limits
High stakes no-limit cash games.
Online rooms where plays
None.
Favorite casinos/locations
Played in Texas and Las Vegas, early WSOP venues.
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Stylish, tight-aggressive (TAG) player with confident high-stakes approach.
Known for bluffs/traps
Relied on strong tactical play with fewer wild bluffs.
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Balanced intuitive and analytical; considered no-limit an art.
Style adaptability
Highly adaptable in cash games and tournaments.
Playing strengths
No-limit hold’em cash games, final table skill, reads on opponents.
GTO strategy usage
Pre-GTO era; no known evidence of using game theory optimal strategy.
Poker software usage
None; career predated poker software.
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
None documented; played before televised poker.
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
None.
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
None.
Documentary films featuring (titles and links)
Appears in documentaries about WSOP history but no solo features.
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
Featured in poker interviews recounting early WSOP and poker philosophy.
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
None documented.
Own podcast/channel (name, platform, subscriber count, link)
None.
Facebook (account link)
None.
YouTube channel (name, subscriber count, link)
None.
Twitch channel (name, follower count, link)
None.
TikTok presence (account link, follower count)
None.
LinkedIn profile (link)
None.
Posting frequency in social media
Not applicable.
Type of content in social media
Not applicable.
Current sponsors (company names, deal details if public)
None official.
Sponsorship contract history (previous sponsors, dates)
None recorded.
Poker site ambassadorship (site names, contract details)
None.
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
Founded Addington Enterprises in oil and later biotechnology ventures focused on ecology and conservation.
Poker project investments (project names, involvement details)
None documented.
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
None known.
Coaching rates (if public)
Not applicable.
Educational materials (book titles with ISBN, course names with platforms, video series titles with links)
None.
Affiliate programs (program names, partnerships)
None.
Merchandise (product types, where sold, links)
None.
Written poker books (titles, publication years, ISBN, publisher)
None written.
Training series participation (series names, platforms, links)
None.
Masterclasses and seminars (event names, dates, locations)
None.
Coaching work (platforms used, student testimonials)
None.
Notable students (names if public, their achievements)
None publicized.
YouTube educational content (video titles, view counts, links)
None.
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Featured in numerous poker articles about early WSOP and Texas poker history.
Magazine columns (magazine names, column titles, frequency)
None.
Conference speaking (conference names, dates, topics, video links)
Spoke about poker at notable venues including Harvard University.
Poker scandal involvement (scandal names, details, outcomes)
None.
Accusations of unfair play (specific incidents, resolutions)
None.
Casino/room conflicts (venue names, incident details)
None.
Legal proceedings (case details, outcomes, court documents)
None.
Public disputes with colleagues (names involved, details)
None.
Tournament rule violations (tournament names, violations, penalties)
None.
Tax issues (if public, details, resolutions)
None public.
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
None public.
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
Not applicable.
Poker industry awards (award names, years, organizations)
Poker Hall of Fame inductee 2005.
Hall of Fame inclusion (hall names, induction years)
Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, 2005.
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
Praised by Doyle Brunson and peers as a No-Limit Hold’em legend.
Poker publication awards (publication names, award types, years)
Hall of Fame induction noted, no others recorded.
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
Record seven WSOP Main Event final tables in the 1970s; co-founder of WSOP.
Records associated with name (record descriptions, verification)
Holds record for most WSOP Main Event final tables (seven).
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Co-founder and pioneer of the World Series of Poker and early no-limit hold’em scene.
Charity tournaments (tournament names, amounts raised, beneficiaries)
None recorded.
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Pioneer and lasting legend in poker history and WSOP development.
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
Helped establish WSOP and popularize no-limit hold’em worldwide.
WSOP (World Series of Poker) - all events all years
1989 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | Main Event | 10,000 | 36th | 7,500 | 195 | |||| 1978 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | Main Event | 10,000 | 2nd | 84,000 | 42 | |||| 1976 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | Main Event | 10,000 | 2nd | | | |||| 1974 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | Main Event | 10,000 | 2nd | | | |||| 1973 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | Main Event | 10,000 | FT | | | |||| 1972 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | Main Event | 10,000 | FT | | | |||| 1971 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | Main Event | 10,000 | FT | | | |||| 1970 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | Main Event | | FT | | |
None.