Monday, Oct. 20, 2003 | 9:38 a.m.
When the Binion's Hall of Fame Poker Classic was canceled in 1992 because the Internal Revenue Service accused players of not reporting all of their gambling income, tournament director Jim Albrecht didn't panic.
He secured the backing of Nevada's congressional delegation and top casino industry officials, then hammered out a compromise with the IRS that led to the tournament being reinstated at the Horseshoe just three days after it had been axed.
The compromise, which allowed W-2G forms to be issued instead of withholding cash winnings, saved not only that event but also all other major gaming tournaments, including the Binion's World Series of Poker that Albrecht directed from 1988 to 1998. Today all major gaming tournaments use that method.
Jim Albrecht, who helped popularize poker via television coverage of the World Series and served as a consultant on the Matt Damon film "Rounders," died Thursday at University Medical Center from a lengthy illness. He was 53.
Services for the Las Vegas resident of 32 years will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Palm Mortuary on West Cheyenne Avenue. Viewing will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday.
"For what Jim has done for the game, a poker room should be named in his honor," said Howard Schwartz, manager of the Gambler's Book Club and a gaming historian. "He was a classy guy who treated everyone right, and he was very knowledgeable about the game."
Longtime Las Vegas gaming analyst Larry Grossman echoed that sentiment, calling Albrecht "a straight shooter."
"He handled his position as tournament director with grace and style," Grossman said. "His word was law, but he never used his power in a heavy-handed manner.
"Even though Jim worked for the casino, he was just as much on the player's side and often walked a tightrope between the two entities. The end result was that he set the blueprint for other tournament directors to follow."
In addition to directing the World Series and Hall of Fame tourneys, Albrecht directed, among others, the United States Poker Championship at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City in 1996 and 1998 and Jack Binion's World Poker Open at the Horseshoe in Tunica, Miss., from 1999 to this year.
Born Dec. 8, 1949, in St. Augustine, Fla., Albrecht attended Florida State University, where he majored in math and engineering.
In 1971 he came to Las Vegas, attended dealer's school and got a job dealing blackjack at the old Carousel on the northwest corner of Sahara Avenue and the Strip. From there, he went to the neighboring Jackpot Casino to deal blackjack but soon became dealer and shift manager for its one-table poker room.
Albrecht went to the Golden Nugget to deal for Bill Boyd, the legendary world five-card stud champion and Poker Hall of Famer who was managing the card room. Boyd promoted Albrecht to supervisor.
Albrecht was named poker room manager at the old Mint, just two months before Jack Binion bought the property and merged it into the neighboring Horseshoe in 1988. Albrecht became manager of the Horseshoe poker room and director of the World Series that year.
"My husband brought a lot of celebrities to poker," said Susan Albrecht, his wife of 28 years who served as his assistant in poker promotions. "Jim used TV coverage and 'Rounders' as tools to educate people about poker.
"When Matt Damon and Ed Norton came to play in the (1998) World Series, it said to a generation of younger gamblers that they, too, could come here and play because it is exciting."
After the 1998 World Series, Albrecht left the Horseshoe when Jack Binion's sister Becky Behnen Binion took control of the downtown Las Vegas property. Albrecht continued to direct tournaments for Jack Binion at his Mississippi casino and returned to Las Vegas after this year's World Poker Open.
In addition to his wife, Albrecht is survived by two daughters, Kimberly Martin and Jennifer Albrecht, both of Las Vegas; his father and mother, Joseph and Mary Albrecht of St. Augustine; two brothers, John Albrecht of Florida and Mark Albrecht of Massachusetts; and three grandchildren, Brooke McGlothern, Kian McGlothern and MacKenzie Martin, all of Las Vegas.
The family said donations can be made in Albrecht's memory to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
archive
