Bill Smith

Bill Smith was a renowned professional poker player.

Smith was a staple at the World Series of Poker during the 1980s. He was involved in three final tables of the main event. At the 1981 and 1986 WSOP he placed 5th, but at the 1985 World Series of Poker he won the bracelet, and $700,000. His total tournament winnings exceeded $1,000,000.^[1] His three cashes at the WSOP accounted for $788,800 of his lifetime winnings.^[2]

Smith died in 1997.

According to professional poker player T.J. Cloutier, Smith did not play well when sober. He was too cautious and predictable when sober, did not play well when he was exceedingly intoxicated but between those two extremes, he was a great loose-aggressive player of the old "blast them out" school. The year he won the main event, he entered the final day's play sober and just sat there while he warmed up. He spent a long time before he got really drunk accumulating a huge pile of chips by well-timed aggressive play and trapping people when he really had the goods. He had so many chips once he got drunk that good luck got him through to the finish line.^[3]

Notes

1. ^ Hendon Mob tournament results
2. ^ World Series of Poker Earnings, worldseriesofpoker.com
3. ^ Smith, Dana. "Interview with T. J. Cloutier". pokerpages.com. Advanced Global Applications, LLC. http://www.pokerpages.com/articles/interviews/cloutier.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-24.