2009 World Series of Poker

Event 1 - Casino Employees No Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2009 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
66
Prize
$83,778
Event Info
Buy-in
$500
Entries
866
Level Info
Level
19
Blinds
8,000 / 16,000
Ante
2,000

Jack's Back

Well, we're not quite sure how we missed him on the first walkthrough of the room. Over in the corner, at Table 41, Jack McClelland can be found pushing around his stack of 12,000 chips.

McClelland is among the best-known Tournament Directors in the world, and it's rare to find him without a broad smile on his face. The legend got his start at the Sahara poker room in the 1970's, where he worked his way up to shift manager within a year of his hire. After the property was sold in 1980, McClelland decided to try his own hand on the tournament trail, but quickly realized that most of the events were poorly organized and even more poorly run. His wife joked that McClelland should run them himself, and he took the idea and ran with it. By 1984, McClelland landed himself a gig with the WSOP, getting promoted to Assistant Tournament Director the following year.

McClelland continued to run events at the WSOP until 1989. Today, he can be found at the Bellagio, running some of the best tournaments in town. You might also spot him on television, commentating on WPT events around the world. To this date, McClelland is one of the most respected and sought-after Tournament Directors in the land.

After 25 years in the poker industry, McClelland is content with his career thus far and looks forward to the future. "I'm proud of my career," he says. "I feel like I've helped poker move to where it is now. That's a great deal of satisfaction for me."

Tags: Jack McClelland