Poker's Legend, Puggy Pearson dies at 77.

One of poker's most colorful characters died Wednesday at his home in Las Vegas. Puggy Pearson was one on the legends of the game and is generally credited with developing the concept of modern tournament poker. While playing in some marathon games in Reno he proposed the format and coined the term "freeze-out" to describe his idea of all players starting with the same amount of chips and playing until only one player remained holding all the money. The idea was carried south to Benny Binion and his Horseshoe Casino and the World Series of Poker was born.

Over the ensuing years Puggy, born Walter Clyde Pearson, continued to demonstrate his prowess at the poker tables and in 1973 he won the 4th annual World Series of Poker Championship at Binion's Horseshoe and pocketed the $130,000 winner-take-all prize money. Puggy took his place in the Poker Hall of Fame when he was inducted in 1987. Puggy continued to win WSOP events and collected three more WSOP bracelets to add to his collection. Puggy also won the 1982 Super Bowl of Poker in Reno.

During the seventies and eighties you would always find Puggy in the highest level cash games and he was a fixture at the annual World Series of Poker event at Binion's Horseshoe in the spring. Puggy would be giving poker lessons at the single table satellites usually surrounded by a blue cloud of smoke from his ever present cigar (players smoked at the tables back then). Between puffs on the fat stogie he would maintain a continuous stream of verbage directed at the cards, other players and dealers with no topic being off-limits. More than once his constant barrage would have dealers in tears and players too rattled to play their game. I had the opportunity to play at two of the satellites and got heads-up with the poker legend. The first time I was so awe struck sitting across the table from Mr. Poker that Puggy quickly and easily "talked" me out of my chips. The second time, a different year, I made a better accounting of myself, knew better than to listen to his constant talk, singing and criticism of my play and when he said he felt sorry for me and offered a split, I quickly accepted. On another occasion when the Las Vegas Hilton was holding satellites for the WSOP Main Event, I made a final table that included Puggy and I eliminated him on the first hand with pocket Aces.

Pearson was known for his antics at the table and he was not always the most popular player, especially with the dealers. He would say what was on his mind and was quick to take advantage of anything that gave him the slightest edge. He once told me that he was responsible for more poker dealers getting a real job outside of poker than anyone else. He was also known for his outrageous costumes that he donned for most WSOP events. One year he was a Viking with horned helmet, another he was an American Indian in full regalia including plenty of feathers, and my favorite, a three or four foot tall hat that resembled the trunk of a tree complete with a knothole and an actual mounted squirrel. Today's characters of poker are tame compared to Puggy in his prime. Of course, there were not so many rules for table etiquette and certainly no time outs back then.

We'll miss the outrageous character that was Puggy Pearson, we'll miss those incredible stories of pokers earlier days and we'll miss his serenading the table with his original theme song, "The Roving Gambler," including the Puggy trademark line, "I'll play any man from any land any game that he can name for any amount that I can count...providing I like it." He sang his song for the last time at the 2005 WSOP final table to a standing ovation. A memorial service is planned for monday at 11:00 AM at the Bellagio Resort in the Da Vinci room.

Article and photos courtesy: Poker Prof's Vegas and Poker Blog