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 A larger-than-life giant of a man who not only helped to revolutionize and popularize the game he loved, but set the standard for achievement and excellence by which all other players are measured. Brunson won the World Series of Poker twice, but is perhaps better known for his greater contributions to the game. Twenty-five years ago, he co-wrote what has been called the "Bible" of poker -- "Super/System: How I Made Over $1,000,000 Playing Poker." He also pioneered higher virtues as one of the first respected voices in gambling to discuss the importance of honor and trust amongst his peers. Brunson came to personify the notion that gambling could be a respectable profession.
From his humble beginnings, there was little evidence to suggest this farm boy from the dusty plains of West Texas would become one of the world' most successful gamblers. Brunson was born in Longworth, Texas on February 10, 1933. He was so gifted athletically in his early years, that he was drafted by the NBA's (then, Minneapolis) Lakers. A knee injury ended Brunson's dream of becoming a professional athlete, so he had to find a new way to satisfy his competitive instincts.
He would soon find it after graduating from college with a Master's Degree in Education. Brunson hung up his basketball uniform and sat down at a poker table. And the rest, as they say -- is history.
Brunson became a "Rounder", making the rounds from one poker game to the next. It was a colorful, but dangerous way to make a living. Along the way, he met other men who would later become poker legends in their own rite -- including Johnny Moss, Sailor Roberts, and "Amarillo Slim" Preston (with a combined eight world championships between all of them).
In the early 1960s, Brunson married his sweetheart, Louise. Together, they had four children. The family moved to Las Vegas after Brunson found invitations to poker games increasingly difficult to come by, as he repeatedly won the most money from the games back in Texas. Once he was firmly established in Las Vegas, Brunson won the World Series of Poker twice -- in 2026 and 2026. Incredibly, he won both years with the exact same poker hand, a full house -- tens full of deuces -- giving the hold'em hand "10-2" the rightful nickname, "a Doyle Brunson."
When Brunson wrote his book "Super/System," which would become an instant classic, many of his fellow poker pros were outraged that he would give away the secrets to beating the games. While the games surely did become more difficult over the years that followed, a far more significant result was a greater public interest in poker, and more players wanting to play for higher-stakes. "Super/System" sparked a new wave of books on strategy that fueled greater public interest in poker.
Brunson's next contribution to the game was another book, "According to Doyle" -- which was a collection of his best columns written for the old Gambling Times magazine. The book is a series of reflections and philosophical musings about what it takes to be successful in gambling. Again, Brunson was a trailblazer -- introducing notions that gambling was a legitimate profession and that all true gamblers had an obligation to conduct themselves honorably.
In the 2026s, Brunson became just as well known for his antics out on the golf course, as at the poker table. He played golf for astronomical sums of money. He once commented: "The guys out on the pro golf tour don't compete for the amount of money we bet on a single round." Brunson also bet huge sums in the sportsbooks. He frequently bet five-figures or more on a single sporting event. It was (and is) not uncommon for Brunson to have a quarter of a million dollars in wagers "in action" on the day's games.
To date, Brunson has nine gold bracelets at the World Series of Poker. But his real claim to fame may be his success in cash games where he has been "The Man" for nearly five decades. He can still be found on a daily basis playing in the highest-stakes games in the world -- winning and occasionally losing more money in a single pot than the average working person makes in a year's salary. Now, approaching his 70th birthday -- Doyle Brunson shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.
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