His family settled near Wichita in 1870. Deputy to Wild Bill Hickock. Long-time associate of Wyatt Earp, whom he taught how to gamble. Proprietor of the Lone Star Dance Hall, Dodge City. Member of the Dodge City Peace Commission. Appointed U.S. Marshal for southern N.Y. by President Teddy Roosevelt.

Last words on his typewriter: "There are those who argue that everything breaks even in this old dump of a world of ours. I suppose these ginks who argue that way hold that because the rich man gets ice in the summer and the poor man gets it in the winter things are breaking even for both. Maybe so, but I'll swear I can't see it that way."

Graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, 1872. He contracted tuberculosis soon after setting up dental practice in Dallas, TX, Holliday realized that gambling could be more profitable than dentistry. Left Texas after several gaming violations. Traveled the gambling circuit attached to the gold rush. Long-time associate of Wyatt Earp. His life's companion was Katharine Horony (aka Big Nose Kate).

Wyatt Earp said of Holliday: "Doc was a dentist...whom necessity had made a gambler; a gentleman whom disease had made a frontier vagabond; a philosopher whom life had made a caustic wit; ...the most skillful gambler and the nerviest, speediest, deadliest man with a gun that I ever knew."

One of the fastest gunslingers in Old West history. Won numerous famous gun battles. Friend of Earp, Masterson, and the Dodge City Peace Commission. Always well dressed. Proprietor of the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City

Jones most notable quote: "A Smith & Wesson Beats Four Aces"

His friend and fellow cardsharp George Devol wrote of Jones: "...he was without a doubt the greatest 3-card-monte sharp ever to work the boats..."

Devol writes further: "... Bill was medium-sized, chicken-headed, tow-haired ... with mild blue eyes, and a mouth nearly from ear to ear, who walked with a shuffling, half apologetic sort of gait, and who, when his countenance was in repose, resembled an idiot ... his face was as smooth as a woman's . . . he had a squeaking, boyish voice, and awkward, gawky manners, and a way of asking fool questions and putting on a good-natured sort of grin that led everybody to believe that he was the rankest kind of sucker - the greenest sort of a country jake."

A good shot from a young age, at age 20 claimed a 160 acre tract in Lenexa, KS. Killed first man (McCanless) at age 24. Joined Union during Civil War, stationed in KS and MO. Excellent scout. Sheriff of Hays, Abilene & other towns.

Truly in a class by himself, Wild Bill was arguably the most feared adversary of the Old West. Hickok backed down or killed a whos-who of legendary gunslingers including Ben Thompson, John Wesley Hardin, and Phil Coe.

Hickok died as he lived, on the wrong side of a bullet in the most famous poker game in history, holding the "dead man's hand", Aces and Eights.

Stevens captured the title by beating 55 of the states best players in 4 different varieties of poker: Texas Holdem, Omaha, Draw Lowball, and 5-card stud.

He attributes his success to patience, learning the reads on his opponents and knowing when to move in.

Stevens hails from Manhattan where he's tournament manager at a popular local poker room.

Along with fellow Hall of Famer Tony Stevens, Jason Barrett made Kansas history on Dec. 13, 2008, becoming the first Kansas No-Limit Texas Holdem Champion of the 21st Century.

Barrett accomplished this remarkable feat in a non-stop 10 hour holdem marathon against 55 of the State's best players including champions from qualifying tournaments around the state. The structure of the game was particularly challenging, requiring the winner to essential "beat every player twice".

Barrett is a native of Kansas City, Kansas.

Son of a Methodist preacher, & a distant cousin of Doc Holliday,  J.W. Hardin was one of the most feared gunfighters in American history. Self described as "a warrior born of battle, a man who belongs to no man or set of men,". Hardin is credited with forty killings in stand-up gunfights, ambushes, and running battles on horseback. Hardin described it thus: "There always seemed to be a man with a challenge and I never refused one ..."

Family moved to Texas from Nova Scotia when Ben was 9. Bright honors student & newspaper reporter. While in New Orleans working for Times-Picayune, killed first man in legitimate fight with a bowie knife. Left N.O. in a hurry for an Austin, TX newspaper and began gambling on the side.

Joined cavalry during Civil War, active in Mexican-American war. Hearing tales of riches in "wide open Kansas" from cattle drovers, Ben and his brother moved to Abilene in 1871. Pawned his pistol for a stake in a poker game upon arrival and built a good stack his first night in town. Partners with Phil Coe in the Bulls Head Saloon, Abilene's most notorious gambling house. Coe and Thompson painted a picture of a bull with erect penis on their sign. When citizens complained, Marshal "Wild Bill" Hickok altered the sign himself.

Ben soon fell into disagreement with Hickok. Thinking a move would be healthy, he moved on to Ellsworth, opening gambling houses there. Coe stayed and was soon shot by Hickok.

"It is doubtful, whether in his time there was another man living who could equal him with a pistol in a life and death struggle," Bat Masterson

Interviewed by the New York Sun in 1875 Thompson said: "I make it a rule to let the other fellow fire first. If a man wants to fight, I argue with him and try to show him how foolish it would be. If he can't be dissuaded, why, then the fun begins but I let him have first crack. Then when I fire, you see, I have the verdict of self-defense on my side. I know that he is pretty certain in his hurry, to miss. I never do.”