Poker Chip Sets - Clay Poker Chip Sets - Cheap Poker Chip Sets
The colorful "Suitcase" Sam Angel entered the Las Vegas limelight in 1950s. Little is known of his life before then, other than he served in World War II.
Sam Angel was hired as a driver by Nick "The Greek" Dandalos, a legendary high-roller, which gave Sam his entry into the world of high-stakes poker. Angel began to gain his reputation as a poker player by the 1960s. And as his reputation grew, he began to sit in on some of the town's biggest games.
His gained most of his fame from playing razz. During the course of his razz career, he made four finals tables and won two
WSOP Gold Bracelets. He also enjoyed playing no-limit Texas holdem and deuce-to seven lowball.
He played against the likes of Texas gamblers Johnny Moss, Crandell Addington, and Doyle Brunson. In fact, 1967 Angel sat in one of the first high-stakes
Texas Holdem Poker Games ever played in Vegas. That first game was held at the Golden Nugget, but when it migrated to the Dune, the poker star moved with it.
Unfortunately, Sam couldn't keep the pace up forever. In the end, three problems brought him to his knees. He was an alcoholic, starting each day at 12pm with a stiff drink. This put his health in danger.
Sams downfall can be attributed to three things. He was an alcoholic who began drinking at noon. Even after his doctor warned him drinking would kill him, he could not resist down Heinekens and Seagrams V.O. Canadian Whiskey. And, when he drank, he had a bad temper. The charismatic salesman was loved by many, but his temper also made him many enemies.
His fame as a legitimate, wealthy jewelry salesman indirectly became his third downfall. He once estimated he had been robbed over 130 times in his life. Those thefts and his extravagant lifestyle attributed to the slow decline of his assets.
As his wealth diminished, so did his poker playing. For Angel, if he could not play
High-Stakes Poker, he did not want to play poker at all. This small man, standing little more than five feet tall, had a huge personality. He left an unmistakable market on the history of poker and the city of Las Vegas.
Labels: High-Stakes Poker, Texas Holdem Poker, WSOP Gold Bracelets
Your source for: Poker Chips, Poker Tables & Poker Supply
