Doyle Brunson Biography

Doyle Brunson AKA Texdolly

Date of birth August 10, 1933
Birthplace Longworth, Texas

In a nutshell…

Doyle Brunson is a genuine poker legend. Now 72 years of age, Doyle has been playing poker professionally for more than 50 years.

In that time he has won two WSOP Championship titles, a record-equalling ten WSOP bracelets and amassed total tournament prize money of more than $3.6million. He is also a hugely successful player at high stakes ($4,000/$8,000 and over) cash tables, with stand-out wins across five decades.

Outside of his playing career he is also the man behind a number of poker books, included the much-revered and controversial bestseller, Super System.

Life story

Doyle was born in Longworth, Texas in 1933. A gifted athlete, he played baseball and ran for his school, though it was at basketball that he really excelled. He was a member of the All-State Texas basketball team and was drafted by the NBA’s (then Minneapolis) Lakers. But his sporting career would be over before it really began when an accident at work severely damaged his knee.

Turning from basketball to education, Doyle gained a Master’s degree in Administrative Education. He started gambling to help support himself in college, and quickly realised that he could make far more money from poker than from a regular nine-to-five job.

So it was that Doyle became a “Rounder”, making the rounds from one poker game to the next on the underground gambling circuit of 1950s Texas. This was a colourful and frequently dangerous scene, where games were played with pimps and thieves in the rougher parts of town, and you always had to be on your guard against being cheated, robbed, beaten or arrested.

Doyle recalls a particularly bloody game in Fort Worth: “All of a sudden, someone busted the door down blasting a shotgun. The gunman shot off the head of the guy sittin’ next to me. I saw the guy’s head falling off and splattering against the wall…” Not surprisingly, Doyle took to carrying a gun.

Around this time, Doyle met Sailor Roberts (WSOP Champion 1975) and Amarillo Slim (WSOP Champion 1972). The three of them formed a partnership, travelling together, sharing a bankroll and watching each other’s back.

Doyle married Louise in 1962 and they had four children; sadly, his daughter Doyla died from a heart condition aged just 18. Due to his success, Doyle found it increasingly difficult to get invitations to games in Texas and eventually moved his family to Las Vegas, where he still lives today.

Poker achievements

* Doyle won back-to-back WSOP Championships in 1976 and 1977 in the most unusual way.

* In 1976 he was heads up against Jessie Alto when he was dealt T2. Both players were all-in by the turn with two pair, but Doyle was behind. However a T hit the river to give Doyle a full house and the Championship.

* Remarkably, Doyle won the following year with the exact same hand against Gary Berland. Having been dealt T2, he had two pair by the turn and once more hit a T on the river to make the full house. As a result of this incredible coincidence, the T2 Hold’em hand is now known as a “Doyle Brunson”.

* In addition to his two WSOP Championship wins, Doyle also finished 2nd in 1980 and 3rd in 1983. In 2004 he won the Legends of Poker $5,000 No Limit Hold’em event, netting a prize of nearly $1.2million.

* In 2005 he won his 10th WSOP bracelet, equalling the record set by Johnny Chan just a few days before.

* Doyle is one of 22 players honoured in the Poker Hall of Fame and was also one of the first three players honoured by the WPT Poker Walk of Fame.

* As well his success at the tables, one of Doyle’s greatest achievements in poker was the book he co-authored – Super System. Published in 1979, Super System was the first book to give ordinary players an insight into the way that the professionals played and is now considered to be the Bible of poker.

* At the time a number of professionals were annoyed that he had given away so many of the game’s secrets but, whilst winning did indeed become more difficult over the years, Super System ultimately created a greater public interest in poker and helped to take the game forward.