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Jack 'Treetop' Straus: Nickname, 1982 WSOP Title, Chip and a Chair
Treetop → Jack Straus
Treetop's real name is Jack Straus.
- Known as
- Treetop
- Real name
- Jack Straus
- Also known as
- Treetop; Jack "Treetop" Straus
- Section
- Texas Road Gamblers
- Category
- Poker Players
Quick answer
Jack Straus (June 16, 1930 – August 17, 1988) was nicknamed "Treetop" because he was 6 feet 6 inches tall. A Texas road gambler and Texas A&M alumnus, he won the 1982 WSOP Main Event after being down to a single $500 chip. That comeback is the best-known source of the phrase "a chip and a chair." He won two WSOP bracelets and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988.
Name and nickname origin
Jack Straus played under his real name. "Treetop" referred to his 6'6" height. He attended Texas A&M. Some accounts say he played varsity basketball there, but his name doesn't appear on the school's list of letter winners, so don't state that as fact. He was also known as a marksman and big-game hunter.
Road gambler
PokerNews lists Straus among the seven most legendary Texas road gamblers, alongside Brunson, Slim, Roberts, Moss, Addington and Bob Hooks. He was known as a fearless no-limit player who often played "on a rush."
Legend: the 7-2 bluff. In the story, Straus raised with 7-2 offsuit, the worst hand in hold'em. On a board of 7-3-3-2, he offered his opponent a look at one of his hole cards for $25. The opponent paid and saw the deuce, guessed Straus held two deuces for a full house, and folded. WSOP.com tells this story, but no date, venue or opponent is documented, so treat it as poker folklore.
Career highlights
- 1973 WSOP bracelet: $3,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw ($16,500)
- Main Event final tables in 1972 (4th) and 1973 (3rd)
- 1982 WSOP Main Event champion: $520,000. Early on Day 2 he found one $500 chip under a napkin after thinking he'd busted. He hadn't declared all-in, so he was allowed to keep playing. Popular retellings place this at the final table, but the WSOP history All In (2005) puts it on Day 2.
- 2 WSOP bracelets in total
- Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988, after his death
Straus died of an aortic aneurysm on August 17, 1988, at 58, during a high-stakes game at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles.
More Texas road gamblers
This profile is part of Texas Road Gamblers, our guide to the rounders of the old Texas Circuit. Only Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim and Sailor Roberts traveled together as one bankroll partnership; the others played the same circuit separately.
FAQ
What is Treetop's real name?
Treetop's real name is Jack Straus.
Why was Jack Straus called "Treetop"?
He stood 6 feet 6 inches tall.
What does "a chip and a chair" mean?
It means a player with almost nothing left can still win. The phrase is tied to Straus winning the 1982 Main Event after being down to one $500 chip.