Legendary Poker Player Doyle Brunson Dies at 89

Ten-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Doyle Brunson has passed away at the age of 89 following a short unspecified illness.

In a statement shared on Twitter by his agent, Brian Balsbaugh, Brunson's family revealed that the well-known professional poker player died on Sunday at a hospital in Las Vegas, a city where he had been plying his trade since 1973.

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“It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our father, Doyle Brunson,” read Balsbaugh’s post. 

“He was a beloved Christian man, husband, father and grandfather. We'll have more to say over the coming days as we honor his legacy. Please keep Doyle and our family in your prayers. May he rest in peace.”

Humble Beginnings

Brunson was born in Longworth, Texas, on August 10, 1933, and only began learning how to play the game that would make him a legend while attending nearby Hardin-Simmons University. 

The son of a modest farmer would later graduate with a master’s degree in education before passing on a job selling business equipment so as to start a career in his home state’s lucrative but underground poker scene.

The decision subsequently paid off as Brunson, who was also affectionately known as ‘Texas Dolly’ and the ‘Godfather of Poker’, would relocate to Las Vegas and go on to amass more than $6 million in live tournament winnings in a career spanning over 60 years.

Venerable Record

Rarely seen without a large smile and his trademark cowboy hat, Brunson moreover became the first American poker player to accumulate $1 million in prize money as well as back-to-back WSOP Main Event titles courtesy of wins in 1976 and 1977, which led to his twice-winning ten-deuce starting hand being christened as a ‘Doyle Brunson’.

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Brunson furthermore made final WSOP Main Event tables in 1980, 1982 and 1983 before taking down a World Poker Tour victory and coming out of retirement to participate in the 2021 WSOP No-Limit Hold-Em Master of Ceremonies Invitational, where he would finish fifth behind Phil Hellmuth, Norman Chad, Lon McEachern and Vince Vaughn.

Admirable Accolades

With a career haul of 10 WSOP bracelets, the last of which a 71-year-old Brunson earned courtesy of a 2005 no-limit short-handed Texas hold’em event, the Texan sits second all-time alongside Phil Ivey and Johnny Chan but six behind the indefatigable Hellmuth.

A 54-year-old Brunson was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988 and booked his last WSOP cash in 2018 at the grand old age of 84 after making the final table of a $10,000 buy-in two-seven low-ball event.

Engaging Emissary

Beyond tournament play, Brunson was additionally a staple of the Las Vegas poker scene and consistently participated in some of the world’s highest stakes cash games including regular $4,000/$8,000 limit mixed competitions at the Bellagio Las Vegas.

Brunson was also known for being an ambassador with numerous tournaments named in his honour and taught millions how to play the game via his Super System and follow-up Super System 2 books. 

This former publication, which is often referred to as the sport’s bible, was heavily cited in the 1998 film Rounders at the same time poker became ever-present on late-night and cable television.

Prominent Praise

Tributes have since been flooding in from some of poker’s most recognisable names including 1998 WSOP Main Event winner Scotty Nguyen, who utilized Twitter to declare that Brunson ‘will always be held high in our hearts’ as he had ‘made poker what it is’.

Similarly, fellow Poker Hall of Fame inductee Daniel Negreanu used his own Twitter account to describe Brunson as a ‘legend’ who is to be ‘missed by many’ before going on to proclaim ‘there will never be another Doyle Brunson’.

Brunson is survived by his wife of 60 years, Louise, as well as his son Todd, daughter Pamela, step-daughter Cheryl Carter, a grandson, a step-grandson, four step-great-grandchildren and one step-great-great-grandson.