[OLD HEAD]

The World Series of Poker started in 1970 with thirty eight players participating, to the staggering number of five thousand eight hundred nineteen in 2005. I am sure ,while sitting around playing back in the day, it would have been hard to even consider the number five thousand plus, in the short span of thirty years.
The dollar amount is even more staggering. Johnny Moss picks up $30,000 in 1971,Joseph Hachem takes home a retirement package of $7,500,000 in 2005.
While these numbers are awesome,there are those who say this is just the start,and a $10,000,000 payday is coming soon.
In the history of the Word Series of Poker there are two players who have won three times.Johnny Moss in 1970,1971,and 1974. In 1980,Stu Unger won his first, and again in 1981,and 1997.
There are also only two players who have won twice. The great Doyle Brunson,back to back in 1976 and 1977.Johnny Chan duplicated this fête in1987,and 1988.
When you go inside the numbers the one that smacks you hard is the number of players participating, when these wins were accomplished. All of the above players played in fields of under three hundred twelve. That was the maximum and it was Stu Unger in 1997.
The mental and physical stamina needed to win the World Series of Poker today, would make me believe we won't see any modern day back to back winners, any time soon.