Jim Bechtel

Jim Bechtel

Nationality
United States
United States
GPI Rank 19,417
WSOP Bracelets 2
Total Live Earnings $2,889,157
The Hendon Mob Data provided by The Hendon Mob

Biography

Jim Bechtel is an American poker player who won the 1993 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event.

Bechtel won a second bracelet at the 2019 WSOP, winning the $10,000 2-7 Draw Championship. This win set the record for longest time between two bracelet wins - 26 years.

"I don't know if that's a real good record," he told PokerNews in 2019. "But, I'm happy to have it, let's put it that way."


Read More: 1993 WSOP Main Event Champ Jim Bechtel Ends 26-Year Drought


Biography

Bechtel was born in Gilbert, Arizona in 1952. He started playing poker near his home while working as a cotton farmer.

He cashed for the first time at the 1979 WSOP, finishing as runner-up to Perry Green in a $1,500 NLHE event. Bechtel would cash numerous times at the WSOP during the 1980s, including a sixth-place finish in the 1988 WSOP Main Event for $49,000.

1993 WSOP Main Event

In 1993, Bechtel made it to the final table of the 1993 WSOP Main Event. Sitting second in chips, he eliminated 1990 WSOP Main Event champion Mansour Matloubi at the final table, and defeated Glenn Cozen heads-up.

In the final hand of the tournament, Cozen shoved and Bechtell call blind with J6. His opponent only held 74 and after the board came 103825, Bechtel's jack-high was good and he won the tournament, becoming the first amateur to win the WSOP Main Event since Hal Fowler in 1979.

Jim Bechtel at the WSOP

Bechtel has cashed for over $2.1 million at the WSOP alone. In 2006, he made it to the final table of the inaugural $50,000 H.O.R.S.E., the pre-cursor to the Poker Players Championship. He finished fourth for $549,120.

He also competed in the 2009 WSOP Champions Invitational, open only to former Main Event champions. He finished fourth.

His bracelet win in 2019 earned him $253,817, his third-highest WSOP cash, and set a record for the longest period between two WSOP bracelet wins.

Jim Bechtel WSOP Bracelets

YearEventPayout (USD)
1993Event #21: $10,000 NLHE WSOP Main Event$1,000,000
2019Event #21: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw$253,817

WSOP Main Event Winners 1984-93

YEARENTRIESCHAMPIONCOUNTRYPRIZE
1993220Jim BechtelUnited States$1,000,000
1992201Hamid DastmalchiIran$1,000,000
1991215Brad DaughertyUnited States$1,000,000
1990194Mansour MatloubiIran$895,000
1989178Phil HellmuthUnited States$755,000
1988167Johnny ChanUnited States$700,000
1987152Johnny ChanUnited States$625,000
1986141Berry JohnstonUnited States$570,000
1985140Bill SmithUnited States$700,000
1984132Jack KellerUnited States$660,000

PokerNews Covered Events

Event Place Prize
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions
917th $2,000
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #21: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship
1st $253,817

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