MAR 01 2010

Disappearing act

Just about every poker player’s dream is winning the World Series of Poker. Victory means glory. There’s fame. There’s also millions of dollars in prize money. Today, winning the WSOP Main Event is probably worth somewhere between $10 million to $20 million, depending on the champion. There’s $9 million or so for first place. Then, there are countless added opportunities for sponsorships and endorsements. Indeed, winning poker’s world championship has become a lifetime annuity of financial opportunity [1].

But winning has a downside. Being a public figure involves work. Sometimes, the responsibilities can be overwhelming. Most difficult perhaps is that time might no longer be your own. There is no such thing as a typical day. Anyone who has ever experienced fame knows that being a public figure comes at a price. For some poker champions, that price is too high. The spotlight simply burns too hot and the limelight beams too bright. Some chose to walk away.

Over the past four decades, most poker champions have enjoyed their fame. Among the biggest celebrities have been "Amarillo Slim" Preston, who parlayed a single 1972 victory into a dozen or so appearances on NBC’s "Tonight Show," thus becoming the first nationally-recognized poker superstar. Stu Ungar became a poker icon, rightfully so, given his unprecedented three victories and unparalleled eccentricities [2]. Then, there are champions who became the contemporary faces of our game – including Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth, and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson.

However, some champions opted to fold when it came their time to play the fame game.

Here are five vanishing acts and their stories