Once most poker fans think about the game, they are reminded of a moment when they were drawn to the game or a player whom they idolize. For many, Texas-born Doyle Brunson was one of those iconic players.
The poker community was saddened by the news on Sunday that “Texas Dolly” passed away at 89 in Las Vegas. The Texas holdem legend touched the lives of many and will be remembered as one of the most famous poker players in history. Brunson played poker for over half a century.
Known to everyone as the “Godfather of Poker,” Brunson was also an athlete, author, educator, and family man. He fought and overcame cancer multiple times, even when he was told he might not. Resilient is a word often used to describe Texas Dolly.
All this started in The state of texas
Brunson was born on Aug. 10, 1933, in Longworth and attended Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.
He was an athlete and a talented basketball player. Brunson won the one-mile race in the 1950 Texas Interscholastic Track Meet, completing it in 5:43. The Minneapolis Lakers also expressed interest in having him try out for the NBA. However, Brunson suffered a knee injury, and his basketball career eventually came to an end.
Texas Dolly earned his bachelor’s degree in 1954, followed by a master’s in administrative education in 1955. He pursued a career as a school principal after that.
Before the injury, Brunson dabbled in some poker games, starting with five-card draw. After he was sidelined and sports had to be put on hold due to the injury, he increased the amount of time he played poker and eventually managed to cover his expenses this way.
Brunson attempted to enter sales, but on his first day, he was invited to gamble in a seven-card stud game. He made more than a month’s salary and eventually left the company to become a professional poker player.
Brunson was one of five children and married his wife, Louise, in 1959. They had three children – Doyla, Todd, and Pamela. However, Doyla passed away at the age of 16 due to a heart-valve condition. Todd is a professional poker player and restaurant owner in Las Vegas. He also won a World Series of Poker Omaha Hi-Lo bracelet in 2005 – the same year Doyle won his last bracelet. Pamela also plays poker occasionally.
The “Godfather involving Poker”
Brunson played in the highest-stakes cash games and competed in big tournaments, mainly in Las Vegas. He traveled to various locations early in his career and cashed in events in England and the Isle of Man.
At one point, Brunson created his own poker website, Doyles Place. It was initially on the Tribeca Poker Network but changed ownership several times before being acquired by Americas Cardroom, which is now part of the Winning Poker Network.
The demanding schedule of tournaments became too much for Brunson, and he decided to focus on his family while still playing in some of the biggest cash games available in Las Vegas. Many of these games took place in the renowned Bobby’s Room at the Bellagio.
Brunson was a prominent figure on the television show High Stakes Poker when it was filmed years ago. Numerous top players exchanged millions of dollars with stacks of cash in play at any given time. The show was revived in Las Vegas at the PokerGO studios in Aria, and Brunson has appeared on several episodes in recent years.
A embellished career along with 10 WSOP bracelets
Brunson was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988 at the age of 54. He competed in the highest-stakes cash games in Las Vegas and amassed over $6 million in career earnings from tournament poker.
One of the most prestigious achievements in poker is winning World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelets. Brunson won a total of 10 WSOP bracelets in his career, tied for second place in history alongside Phil Ivey and Johnny Chan. Phil Hellmuth holds the record with 16 bracelets.
Texas Dolly earned his first WSOP bracelet in 1976 when he won the $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Low event for $90,250. That same year, he won the $10,000 Main Event for $220,000. He won two more bracelets in 1977, including one in the $10,000 Limit 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo and another in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event in consecutive years.
Here is a list of Brunson’s World Series of Poker bracelet victories:
- 1976: $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Low – $90,250
- 1976: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event – $220,000
- 1977: $10,000 Limit 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo – $52,500
- 1977: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event – $340,000
- 1978: $5,000 Limit Seven Card Stud – $69,500
- 1979: $600 Mixed Doubles Seven Card Stud
- 1991: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em – $208,000
- 1998: $1,500 Limit Razz – $93,000
- 2003: $2,000 Limit H.O.R.S.E. – $84,080
- 2005: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed – $367,800
Poker will continue for decades, but only a few players will be remembered as the greatest in the world. Doyle Brunson is one of those legends.
“We don’t stop playing because we get old,” Brunson said. “We get old because we stop playing.”
Aleeyah from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and has been working primarily in the online poker industry since 2015. From writing articles to interviewing big winners and providing live coverage of poker’s major events, she has experienced a wide range of experiences in the field. Currently, she focuses on covering the legal aspects of gaming for PlayTexas. In addition to her work in the poker industry, Aleeyah enjoys cooking and creating content related to her passion for food and travel. She has a particular love for sriracha and firmly believes that it is a top-tier sauce, questioning anyone who disagrees.
