Note: Not at the old Poker1 site. This 39-part series of quizzes, originally published (2004-2006) in Poker Player, is based on the Mike Caro University of Poker library of research and advice. In each entry, Mike Caro presents 10 questions covering a category of poker, targeted for beginner, intermediate, or advanced players. Answers with explanations appear below each quiz, with the questions repeated for easy reference.
The MCU Targeted Poker Quiz series
(See the index to this series)
Great players – past and present (level: intermediate)
- Wild Bill Hickok was a championship poker player in the mid 1800s, before he became legendary for his skills with firearms and wild-West adventures.
(a) true;
(b)false.
- Name the only winner of the World Series of Poker main event from the four players listed below.
(a) Dewey Tomko;
(b) Mike Caro;
(c) Linda Johnson;
(d) Bill Smith.
- In 1983, Tom McEvoy won the World Series of Poker main event title. Who finished second?
(a) Ken Bundy;
(b) Dewey Tomko;
(c) Rod Peate;
(d) Johnny Chan.
- In 1983, Tom McEvoy won the World Series of Poker Main event title. Who finished third?
(a) Mike Caro;
(b) Doyle Brunson;
(c) Chip Reese;
(d) Jack Straus.
- Who among the following has never won a World Series of Poker bracelet in any event?
(a) Linda Johnson;
(b) Mike Caro;
(c) Billy Baxter;
(d) David Sklansky.
- Doyle Brunson won two consecutive World Series of Poker main event titles holding 10-2 as his final hand…
(a) true;
(b) false.
- One of the most dominant players in tournament poker in the 1980s and early 1990s was…
(a) Sandra Crane;
(b) Titanic Thompson;
(c) Jack Keller;
(d) Johnny Moss.
- Which of the following played eight days straight at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas in 1991 against a little-known billionaire and won $53 million?
(a) Doyle Brunson;
(b) Freddy Deeb;
(c) Mansour Matloubi;
(d) none of the above
- Which famous poker player and World Series of Poker main event champion went on to become a major Las Vegas casino executive?
(a) Bobby Baldwin;
(b) Stu Ungar;
(c) Jack Binion;
(d) none of the above
- Which famous casino owner declared and advertised that he was the best poker player in the world circa 1984?
(a) Jack Binion;
(b) Steve Wynn;
(c) Bobby Baldwin;
(d) Bob Stupak.
Answers and explanations (with questions repeated for convenience)
Great players – past and present (level: intermediate)
- Wild Bill Hickok was a championship poker player in the mid 1800s, before he became legendary for his skills with firearms and wild-West adventures.
(a) true;
(b)false.
Answer: (b). Wild Bill Hickok was not a championship poker player.
- Name the only winner of the World Series of Poker main event from the four players listed below.
(a) Dewey Tomko;
(b) Mike Caro;
(c) Linda Johnson;
(d) Bill Smith.
Answer: (d). Bill Smith was the only player among those listed (also included, Dewey Tomko, Mike Caro, and Linda Johnson) who won the World Series of Poker main event.
- In 1983, Tom McEvoy won the World Series of Poker main event title. Who finished second?
(a) Ken Bundy;
(b) Dewey Tomko;
(c) Rod Peate;
(d) Johnny Chan.
Answer: (c). When Tom McEvoy won the World Series of Poker main event title in 1983, Rod Peate finished second.
- In 1983, Tom McEvoy won the World Series of Poker Main event title. Who finished third?
(a) Mike Caro;
(b) Doyle Brunson;
(c) Chip Reese;
(d) Jack Straus.
Answer: (b). When Tom McEvoy won the World Series of Poker main event title in 1983, Doyle Brunson finished third.
- Who among the following has never won a World Series of Poker bracelet in any event?
(a) Linda Johnson;
(b) Mike Caro;
(c) Billy Baxter;
(d) David Sklansky.
Answer: Among those listed, only Mike Caro has never won a World Series of Poker championship bracelet. (The others listed were Linda Johnson, Billy Baxter, and David Sklansky — all bracelet winners.) Perhaps Caro’s failure to win is due to lack of skill or, alternatively, to his reluctance to play in many tournaments in the past. You make the call. Caro will play in the WSOP main event this year (over 6,000 players are expected to enter), but has decided not to enter any of the preliminary events. His free morning seminar will kick off the 2005 WSOP main event on July 7 at the Rio in Las Vegas. See details in this issue of Poker Player. And for more about his feelings about tournaments in general and what can be done to improve them, read his column beginning on the cover.
- Doyle Brunson won two consecutive World Series of Poker main event titles holding 10-2 as his final hand…
(a) true;
(b) false.
Answer: It’s true that Doyle Brunson won two consecutive WSOP main event titles while holding 10-2. Both plays were in situations where the action was reasonable, however.
- One of the most dominant players in tournament poker in the 1980s and early 1990s was…
(a) Sandra Crane;
(b) Titanic Thompson;
(c) Jack Keller;
(d) Johnny Moss.
Answer: (c). Jack Keller was one of the most dominant tournament poker players in the 1980s and early 1990s.
- Which of the following played eight days straight at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas in 1991 against a little-known billionaire and won $53 million?
(a) Doyle Brunson;
(b) Freddy Deeb;
(c) Mansour Matloubi;
(d) none of the above.
Answer: (d). Nobody played eight days straight at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas in 1991 against a little-known billionaire and won $53 million. It didn’t happen.
- Which famous poker player and World Series of Poker main event champion went on to become a major Las Vegas casino executive?
(a) Bobby Baldwin;
(b) Stu Ungar;
(c) Jack Binion;
(d) none of the above
Answer: (a). Famous poker player Bobby Baldwin won the WSOP main event championship in 1978 and went on to become a major Las Vegas casino executive.
- Which famous casino owner declared and advertised that he was the best poker player in the world circa 1984?
(a) Jack Binion;
(b) Steve Wynn;
(c) Bobby Baldwin;
(d) Bob Stupak.
Answer: (d). Bob Stupak, then owner of Vegas World (now expanded and called the Stratosphere), declared — with much fanfare — that he was the best poker player in the world in 1984.
We were trying something where I tried to name Poker players and my friend named colours. It was very close. How many poker players do you reckon you can name?