My Poker Heroes

A walking encyclopedia on poker, Doyle Brunson is still going strong in the circuit, even after his 80th birthday. Doyle Brunson, born on August 10th, 1933, continues to be one of the most feared of players, his competitive nature still as good as it was fifty years ago. His enthusiasm for the game has not dimmed a bit since he won his first World Championship way back in 1976.

As a teenager, growing up in Longworth, Texas, he was good at most of the sports. He used to play baseball and basketball regularly. He was also good at track and field events. He in fact seemed to cut out for a future with the National Basketball Association, before a work accident, which left him with a damaged knee, put paid to his dreams. After completing his master’s degree in Administrative Education, he took up playing poker seriously, as he did not foresee himself doing any regular job.

His two successive titles in the World Series of Poker in 1976 and 1977, catapulted him into stardom. His hunger for titles never really dimmed as he won World Series of Poker titles again with remarkable consistency in 1978 and then in 1979. After a gap of around a decade he again won in 1991, repeating the performance in 1998. Age seems to sit lightly on him as he showed in 2004 by lifting the WPT Legends of Poker Event. His cocky confidence and style of play has endeared him to poker enthusiasts around the world.

When not playing poker, he is known to be a regular swimmer, even at this age. He is also the author of ‘Super System’, which is described by many as being the ‘Bible of Poker’. In 2004 to honor his achievements, he was inducted into the Poker Walk of Fame.