Doyle Brunson
Name – Doyle Brunson
Birthday – August 10, 1933
Location – Las Vegas
Online Screen Names – None Known
Endorses – Doyle’s Room
Website – N/A
Doyle Brunson, the Texas Dolly, was born in Longworth, Fisher County in Texas and has had one of the longest careers in poker. He has been playing for well over fifty years. He was the first player to achieve over $1 million in prize money and fully deserves every accolade that he gets. Brunson is without doubt one of the legends of the game and has provided an icon for many to look up to.
Brunson was always an athlete as a child and played in the All-State Texas basketball team. He opted to go to college at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene and continued to play there. If it was not for a knee injury that prevented him from playing for the Minnesota Lakers then it is doubtful that Brunson would have had the career in poker that he has now. Instead of athletics, Brunson shifted focus to obtaining a Master’s degree in administration and took a job as a salesman. However, he had been playing poker since the start of his university days and decided to give it a go because he could make more money.
The fact that it was illegal made no difference to Brunson and he began playing in Fort Worth, before moving on to games in Louisiana and Oklahoma as well. At the time, organized crime ran the game and it was rough going to try and get out in one piece, but Brunson pulled through. At one stage, he tried a trip with some friends and they lost their money. However, he decided to stay and it was a decision that he would never regret.
Brunson is still playing poker to this day. He is a frequent player in Bobby’s Room at the Bellagio, in which the largest game in the world takes place. It is a mixed $4,000/$8,000 game. His success in tournaments all around the world has been immense. He actually won the Legends of Poker on the World Poker Tour in 2004 and his record in the World Series of Poker is unmatched. He has a total of eleven bracelets and won the final of those in 2007.
His bracelet haul is as follows: 1976 ($10,000 No Limit Hold ‘Em World Championship), 1977 ($5,000 Deuce To Seven Draw, $10,000 No Limit Hold ‘Em World Championship, $1,000 Seven Card Split), 1978 ($5,000 Seven Card Stud), 1979 ($600 Mixed Doubles), 1991 ($2,500 No Limit Hold ‘Em), 1998 (41,500 Seven Card Razz), 2003 ($2,000 HORSE) and 2005 ($5,000 No Limit Short Handed Texas Hold ‘Em).
Brunson truly is a legend of the game and even has two hands named after him. Still going strong, he is an inspiration to all!