Eric Drache
American poker player and cardroom manager (born 1943)
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Eric Drache (born 1943) is a professional poker player, former cardroom manager and consultant for NBC. Drache is best known for his management contributions to the poker world, and he is also a notable seven-card stud player. He finished second in World Series of Poker stud events in 1973, 1981, and 2009.[1][2]
| Eric Drache | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1943 (age 82–83) |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet | None |
| Money finishes | 3 |
| Highest WSOP Main Event finish | None |
Drache was responsible for inventing tournament satellites while running the World Series of Poker in the 1970s as a way to get more entries per tournament.[3][4] Drache also managed and hosted notable cardrooms at the Golden Nugget and the Mirage.[5] Drache's innovations as poker manager include: ante structures, dealer training and the invention of the "must-move" table. Drache trained both Donna Harris[6] and Doug Dalton, cardroom managers at the Mirage and Bellagio respectively.
In the mid-1990s, Drache was prosecuted on federal tax fraud charges and lost his Nevada gaming license as a result, which is required to work in casinos.[7]
Drache was named to the Poker Hall of Fame in 2012.[8]
As of 2009, Drache's total live poker tournament winnings exceed $325,000.[1]