Jesse Alto

{{Short description|American poker player (1927–1998)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox poker player

|image =

|imagesize = 150px |

|name=Jesse Michael Alto

|nickname='The Cat'

|birth_date = {{birth date|1927|1|1|mf=y}}

|birth_place =

|death_date = {{death date and age|1998|5|3|1927|1|1}}

|death_place =

||caption=

|hometown=Corpus Christi, Texas

|wsop bracelet count=None

|wsop final tables =7

|wsop money finishes=8

|wsop main event best finish rank=2nd

|wsop main event best finish year=1976

}}

Jesse Michael Alto (January 1, 1927 – May 3, 1998),{{Cite web |title=Jesse M. Alto |url=http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi?lastname=Alto&firstname=Jesse |access-date=November 30, 2009 |website=Social Security Death Index |quote=Jesse M. Alto 1 Jan 1927 3 May 1998}} was an American poker player, best known for his numerous main event final table appearances at the World Series of Poker.

Alto was a fixture at the World Series of Poker in the 1970s and 1980s. Although he never won any WSOP bracelets, he cashed in many events, most notably in the Main Event.

Alto was one of the final five players at the 1974 final table finishing either fourth or fifth according to New York Times magazine story from July 28, 1974.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

Alto's highest Main Event finish was in 1976 where he finished as the runner-up to Doyle Brunson. In the final hand of the 1976 WSOP Alto held {{cards|A♣|J♥}} while Brunson held {{cards|10♠|2♠}}. The flop came {{cards|A♥|J♠|10♥}} giving two pairs for Alto and one pair for Brunson. Alto then led out with a pot size bet, Brunson with the chip lead countered by moving all-in, which was called.

The turn came {{cards|2♣}}, giving Brunson two pair but still trailing, the river brought {{cards|10♦}} giving Brunson a full house and the win.{{Cite web |last=Fernandes |first=Dwayne |date=June 28, 2022 |title=WSOP 1976 Main Event Winner - Doyle Brunson |url=https://gutshotmagazine.com/wsop-1976-main-event-doyle-brunson/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=Gutshot Magazine |language=en-US |archive-date=March 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330024322/https://gutshotmagazine.com/wsop-1976-main-event-doyle-brunson/ |url-status=live }} This was Alto's highest finish in the WSOP main event, but his highest main event money finish was 3rd place in 1984, because the main event had a winner-take-all format until 1978.{{Cite web |title=7th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1976, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8168 |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en |archive-date=March 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330024603/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8168 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=15th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1984, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8072 |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en |archive-date=March 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330024625/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8072 |url-status=live }}

Alto made the WSOP Main Event final table 7 times: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1984, 1985 and 1986.{{Cite web |title=16th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1985, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8058 |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en |archive-date=December 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204014613/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8058 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=17th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1986, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8045 |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en |archive-date=December 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211014344/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8045 |url-status=live }} He made his final Main Event cash in 1988, finishing ninth.{{Cite web |title=19th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1988, No Limit Hold'em World Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8023 |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en |archive-date=August 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827112236/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8023 |url-status=live }}

Alto's total live tournament winnings exceeded $430,000 {{Cite web |title=Jesse Alto's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=27553 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204194521/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=27553 |archive-date=December 4, 2023 |access-date=December 4, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}