Nationality
Joe Bernstein was born in Russia and later became a United States citizen after emigrating there. He lived and played poker primarily in the United States throughout his career.
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Born (date and place of birth)
Joe Bernstein was born on January 5, 1899, in Russia. Specific city details are not widely documented, but his early life before emigrating to the United States was spent there.
Residence (current location)
Bernstein resided in the United States during his professional poker career, particularly settling in places such as Pendleton, Oregon early on, later making Las Vegas his home after gambling was legalized there in 1931.
Education (institution, specialization)
There is no verified detailed information available regarding Joe Bernstein's formal education. Poker players from his era often were self-taught or learned poker skills through experience and mentorship rather than formal education.
Children (number, ages)
No verified public information is available related to whether Joe Bernstein had children or their details.
Year started playing poker
Joe Bernstein started playing poker professionally likely in the early 1920s or 1930s, adapting to the road gambler lifestyle common in that era before settling in Las Vegas in 1931 when gambling became legal there.
Age when started playing
Estimating from his career timeline, Bernstein began serious poker involvement in his early twenties, around 21 years old when he embraced the gambler lifestyle.
Year turned professional
Joe Bernstein transitioned to professional poker and gambling status likely in the 1920s or early 1930s as he became a road gambler and later a regular in Las Vegas casinos after 1931.
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
Bernstein's first major documented tournament victory is his 1973 World Series of Poker bracelet in the Limit Ace to Five Draw event, winning $21,000.
Who introduced to poker / first mentor
There are no verified records specifying a particular mentor for Joe Bernstein, but historically, many players of his time learned from road gamblers or peers like Titanic Thompson, with whom he played.
First important tournament
Specific details of Joe Bernstein’s very first poker tournament are not available; however, his most prominently documented tournament participation is the WSOP events in the early 1970s including his 1973 bracelet win.
Main motivation for turning pro
Bernstein's motivation for playing professional poker was likely rooted in the pursuit of living as a successful road gambler, capitalizing on his skill, strategy, and adapting to the legal gambling expansion in places like Las Vegas.
Initial bankroll
There is no publicly available detailed information on Joe Bernstein’s initial bankroll or early financial backing. Typically, professional poker players of his era built their bank from winnings and gambling profits.
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Bernstein
First sponsor/backing
There is no information on sponsorship deals or backing for Joe Bernstein, as sponsorship in the poker industry became common later, particularly in the internet and television-era poker scene.
Total live tournament winnings
Joe Bernstein's documented live tournament winnings total approximately $21,000, largely from his 1973 WSOP bracelet win.
Number of tournament wins
He has 1 major tournament win recorded, the 1973 WSOP Limit Ace to Five Draw event.
Number of final tables
Exact final table counts are not fully documented, but he is recorded at least for the 1973 WSOP final table where he won his bracelet.
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
His largest single tournament victory was the $21,000 prize for winning the 1973 World Series of Poker Limit Ace to Five Draw event.
WSOP bracelets (number)
Joe Bernstein won 1 WSOP bracelet, won in 1973 in the Limit Ace to Five Draw event.
WSOP cashes (number)
Bernstein has 1 recorded WSOP money finish, corresponding to his bracelet-winning event.
WSOP final tables
He made at least 1 WSOP final table, during the event where he won his bracelet in 1973.
Best WSOP Main Event result
There are no records that Bernstein achieved a notable finish in the WSOP Main Event; his major WSOP success is the 1973 Limit Ace to Five Draw event.
Super high roller results ($100K+)
No records of super high roller events in the $100k+ buy-in range are available for Bernstein, as these events are modern and postdate his era.
High roller wins ($25K-$100K)
There are no specific records of high roller $25K-$100K buy-in tournament wins for Bernstein, consistent with the historical timeline.
Online tournament winnings
Bernstein has no online poker results as professional online poker emerged decades after his death.
Major online titles
No online tournament titles or digital poker victories exist for Bernstein in historical records.
Poker team
No affiliations with poker teams, stables, or sponsorships are recorded for Joe Bernstein.
Main cash game limits
Bernstein’s cash game limits are undocumented, but as a road gambler and early Las Vegas player, he likely played a wide range of stakes adapted to high-stakes gambling environments.
Highest stakes played
Bernie Stein was known as a high-stakes gambler but there are no specific public records of highest stakes cash games played or limits reached.
Notable high stakes sessions
Detailed accounts of specific high-stakes cash game sessions or significant results are not well documented for Bernstein.
"Big Game" participation
Bernstein participated in the high-stakes "Big Game" style sessions historically common among road gamblers, including playing with legends like Titanic Thompson.
Estimated cash game profits (if known)
Estimated cash game profits are not publicly known or documented for Bernstein due to the informal nature of gambling records in his era.
Country ranking
Because he played before international ranking systems existed, Bernstein has no country-specific poker ranking.
All Time Money List position
Bernstein does not appear on modern All Time Money List rankings due to limited recorded tournament winnings from his era.
Tournament ROI (if known)
ROI calculations are not possible due to limited public data on Bernstein's full tournament buy-ins and results.
Average tournament win
Based on known winnings, his average tournament cash would be around $21,000 from his one major recorded win.
ITM percentage
Bernstein's in-the-money percentage cannot be accurately calculated as the number of tournaments entered and cashes are not fully documented.
Final table percentage from cashes
Final table percentage from cashes is not determinable given incomplete tournament participation data.
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Year-by-year statistical performance for Bernstein is undocumented due to the era he played in and lack of records.
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
Bernstein specialized in Limit Ace to Five Draw poker as evidenced by his 1973 WSOP bracelet event.
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
He focused on live poker tournaments and cash games, especially draw lowball poker typical in mid-20th century poker.
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Bernstein likely played full ring games typical of his era; specific known preferences including 6-max or heads-up are undocumented.
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
His known format is primarily Limit Ace to Five Draw lowball; no evidence of specialization in other formats is documented.
Specialization limits
There is no detailed information about preferred stakes, but he was active in high stakes road gambling before the legalization in Nevada.
Online rooms where plays
Bernstein predates online poker and did not compete in any known online poker rooms.
Favorite casinos/locations
Bernstein was a regular in Las Vegas casinos after 1931 but specific favorite casinos are not extensively documented.
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
He is described as a sharp mind gambler and a strategic player with adaptability to various poker games.
Known for bluffs/traps
There is no detailed public record of a specific reputation for bluffing or trapping tactics associated with Bernstein.
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Bernstein combined strategic, mathematical insights (as with his early card counting system) with intuitive street gambling experience.
Style adaptability
Bernstein was well-known for his ability to adapt playing style to different gambling environments as a road gambler.
Playing strengths
His primary strengths were strategic card counting, adaptability, and expert knowledge of draw lowball poker formats.
GTO strategy usage
Bernstein predated formal Game Theory Optimal (GTO) frameworks, but his strategic approaches indicate an intuitive understanding of advanced poker concepts.
Poker software usage
No software use as he played decades before poker software tools were developed.
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
No records exist of TV appearances as televised poker came decades after his death.
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
Bernstein did not participate in High Stakes Poker TV shows which started long after his era.
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
No Poker After Dark appearances or similar modern poker TV show participations exist.
Documentary films featuring (titles and links)
No documented features in poker documentaries are found for Bernstein.
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
No major contemporary poker publication interviews are available for Joe Bernstein, as modern poker media developed after his death.
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
Bernstein did not appear on poker podcasts because this media form emerged decades later.
Own podcast/channel (name, platform, subscriber count, link)
Bernstein did not have own podcasts or video channels.
Facebook (account link)
Bernstein has no Facebook or active social media pages.
YouTube channel (name, subscriber count, link)
Bernstein has no personal YouTube channel.
Twitch channel (name, follower count, link)
Bernstein was not a Twitch streamer.
TikTok presence (account link, follower count)
TikTok presence does not exist for Joe Bernstein.
LinkedIn profile (link)
No LinkedIn profile exists for Bernstein.
Posting frequency in social media
Not applicable as Bernstein lived before social media existence.
Type of content in social media
Not applicable; no social media or digital content presence.
Current sponsors (company names, deal details if public)
Bernstein had no known sponsorship deals during his career.
Sponsorship contract history (previous sponsors, dates)
No historical sponsorship contracts are documented.
Poker site ambassadorship (site names, contract details)
Bernstein was not a poker site ambassador.
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
There is no available information on personal business ventures for Bernstein.
Poker project investments (project names, involvement details)
No records indicate poker-related investments by Joe Bernstein.
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
There is no evidence Bernstein provided coaching services.
Coaching rates (if public)
Coaching rates are not applicable.
Educational materials (book titles with ISBN, course names with platforms, video series titles with links)
Bernstein did not create educational poker materials such as books or courses.
Affiliate programs (program names, partnerships)
No known affiliate program participation.
Merchandise (product types, where sold, links)
No personal merchandise line existed for Joe Bernstein.
Written poker books (titles, publication years, ISBN, publisher)
Bernstein is not known to have authored poker books.
Training series participation (series names, platforms, links)
No training series participation is documented.
Masterclasses and seminars (event names, dates, locations)
Bernstein did not conduct masterclasses or seminars.
Coaching work (platforms used, student testimonials)
No professional coaching work is recorded.
Notable students (names if public, their achievements)
No notable coaching students are associated with Bernstein.
YouTube educational content (video titles, view counts, links)
No educational YouTube content by Bernstein exists.
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Bernstein is mentioned in historical poker articles but has no authored publications.
Magazine columns (magazine names, column titles, frequency)
No regular magazine columns by Bernstein are recorded.
Conference speaking (conference names, dates, topics, video links)
No speaking engagements at poker conferences are known.
Poker scandal involvement (scandal names, details, outcomes)
There is no record of involvement in poker scandals.
Accusations of unfair play (specific incidents, resolutions)
No cheating accusations are documented against Bernstein.
Casino/room conflicts (venue names, incident details)
No known conflicts with casinos or poker rooms are recorded.
Legal proceedings (case details, outcomes, court documents)
No public legal issues involving Bernstein are documented.
Public disputes with colleagues (names involved, details)
Bernstein has no publicly known disputes with other players.
Tournament rule violations (tournament names, violations, penalties)
No records of tournament rule violations exist for Bernstein.
Tax issues (if public, details, resolutions)
There is no public information about tax-related issues for Bernstein.
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
No significant public criticism from the poker community has been documented.
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
As no criticism is recorded, Bernstein's responses to criticism are not available.
Poker industry awards (award names, years, organizations)
Bernstein was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1983, which is a top industry honor.
Hall of Fame inclusion (hall names, induction years)
Joe Bernstein was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1983, recognizing his historic contributions to poker.
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
His induction into the Hall of Fame and reputation as an early strategic poker player illustrate high peer recognition.
Poker publication awards (publication names, award types, years)
No additional poker publication awards are recorded for Bernstein beyond his Hall of Fame induction.
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
Bernstein was the oldest player to win a WSOP bracelet at age 74 in 1973 and is credited as a pioneer in card counting and early poker strategy.
Records associated with name (record descriptions, verification)
Held the record for oldest player to win a WSOP bracelet until 1981; also lauded for early contributions to card counting techniques.
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Bernstein pioneered counting aces and high cards in blackjack, contributed to the evolution of strategic gambling, and helped shape early WSOP history.
Charity tournaments (tournament names, amounts raised, beneficiaries)
There is no documented participation in charity poker tournaments by Bernstein.
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Bernstein’s legacy includes his WSOP bracelet win, being a strategic pioneer in gambling, and his posthumous recognition in the Poker Hall of Fame.
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
He influenced early strategic gambling with card counting techniques and helped establish professional poker during its formative years in Las Vegas.
WSOP (World Series of Poker) - all events all years
1973 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | Limit Ace to Five Draw | 3000 | 1st | 21000 | 7 | |nationality: Joe Bernstein was born in Russia and later became a United States citizen after emigrating there. He lived and played poker primarily in the United States throughout his career .
Other platform results
nationality: Joe Bernstein was born in Russia and later became a United States citizen after emigrating there. He lived and played poker primarily in the United States throughout his career.
Bernstein did not work as a tournament commentator.