The Legend Grows: Doyle Brunson Captures Tenth WSOP Title

Poker fans everywhere need to give thanks to sheet rock.

If it wasn’t for an accident in a gypsum factory, where a load of sheet rock fell on him, shattering his leg, Doyle Brunson may have never taken up poker. A college basketball star, Brunson was very likely going to play for the NBA’s Minneapolis Lakers until the injury ended all hopes of a basketball career.

Instead, Brunson traded round ball for rounders, and we were all given a gift. We got to watch him play poker.

Thursday night, Doyle Brunson tacked on another chapter to his legacy, winning his tenth World Series of Poker bracelet at the young age of 71 in the No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed event. This victory tied him with Johnny Chan, who won his tenth a few days ago, for most bracelets in WSOP history, and earned him $367,800.

The final table was a sight; a veritable “who’s who” of poker. With a lineup of Brunson, Scotty Nguyen and Layne Flack, there were 18 WSOP bracelets represented. Add to that accomplished players Jason Lester, Minh Ly, and Ayaz Mahmood, and it was no wonder why the main stage bleachers were packed.

Brunson started the final table with $309,000 in chips, second to Flack’s $350,000, and just ahead of Ly’s $305,000. He was relatively quiet for the first few hours, never really getting any cards.

The chip lead shifted to Nguyen about twenty minutes into play when he eliminated a short-stacked Lester when Lester’s A-K couldn’t improve against Nguyen’s 7-7. Lester actually had a great chance to double-up after the flop of Qs-Js-8s. Because he held a spade, he actually had 18 outs with the two over cards, a flush draw, and a gut-shot straight draw. Unfortunately, all those cards were apparently at the bottom of the deck and Lester bowed out in 6th place.

On the very next hand, fireworks erupted. Flack raised to $20,000 pre-flop, Mahmood re-raised to $90,000, and Flack re-raised, putting Mahmood all-in. Mahmood called, flipping over pocket Queens. To his dismay, Flack showed pocket Aces. And to add insult to injury, Flack was given an Ace on the flop and the river to make quads. This elimination gave Flack the chip lead once more.

A few hands later, Brunson grabbed the lead from Flack when Flack flopped top two pair with K-J, but Brunson hit trip 8’s on the turn. Brunson let Flack do most of the betting and when the hands were shown, Flack looked perplexed, perhaps wondering how such a good hand lost him so many chips.

For the next couple hours, there was not much action, but Minh Ly played steady poker to make his way to the top of the ranks. Then Brunson took over.

It was already after one o’clock in the morning, and June had become July. The crowd was getting a little antsy as the players bobbed and weaved around each other, waiting for the perfect time to strike. Brunson found it when Flack raised to $50,000 from the button pre-flop. After thinking for a little while, Brunson re-raised to $150,000 and Flack pushed his chips all-in almost before Brunson could finish saying “raise.” Brunson called, putting himself all-in with pocket Kings. Flack showed A-Q. The flop was K-J-6, and while Brunson hit his set, Flack now had four outs, as any Ten would give him a straight. The 2 on the turn helped nobody, but the Jack on the river made a full house for Brunson, giving him the chip lead and crippling Flack.

Flack made a great comeback, moving all-in on several occasions and getting no push-back from his opponents. Collecting the antes and blinds allowed to Flack to grow his small stack from $23,000 to over $100,000 (also with the help of one double-up through Brunson).

In the meantime, Brunson used his stack to bully the other two players around, often moving all-in when the other raised pre-flop. He did get caught on one occasion by Ly, who took a sizeable pot when Brunson bet down through the river with nothing.

Once Brunson eliminated Flack at two in the morning, however, it was all but over.

Brunson wrote the book on aggressive poker and he sure gave everyone a lesson Thursday night/Friday morning. He constantly raised over the top of Nguyen and Ly, forcing them to fold. He picked on them and picked on them, gradually whittling down their stacks. At one point, Nguyen’s frustration with his predicament was apparent. He raised pre-flop and Brunson called. After the flop of A-K-J, Nguyen bet $30,000 and Brunson re-raised him to $150,000. Before Brunson had finished moving his chips into the middle of the table, Nguyen mucked his cards in semi-disgust and said, “Take it.”

Eventually, the two short stacks were resolved to battling it out with each other. Nguyen doubled-up through Ly, then Ly won his chips back, and finally Ly was able to knock Nguyen out of the competition.

The heads-up match between Brunson and Ly was not much of a contest. Brunson had a commanding lead at the outset, $1,138,000 to $372,000 and just pounded away at Ly. It only took Brunson seven hands to end it, but even the best need to get lucky sometimes.

Ly limped from the button and Brunson moved all-in. Ly insta-called, showing K-Q. Brunson was caught with his hand in the cookie jar, with a lowly 10-3. When a 3 landed on the flop and Ly got no help from the turn or river, the crowd erupted; Brunson pumped his fist, flashed a huge smile, and added his tenth gold bracelet to his collection.

Afterwards, ESPN commentator, Norman Chad, asked Brunson the obligatory question about how he can continue to do so well at his age. Brunson was humble, saying experience makes a difference, but admitted that he felt a young player would win the Main Event because it will take a great deal of stamina to persevere over seven days.

Don’t you believe what he says. This is a man who can sit for hours without any cards to play and not get impatient, and then snuff out his opponents as soon as he gets an opportunity. This is a man who gives away no tells whatsoever; his demeanor never changes no matter what cards he holds and he always thinks carefully about his next move, whether it is a monster raise or cautious call. This is a man who looks like a pleasant grandfather, but will shake you down for all your chips and then grab a few more from you that you didn’t even realize you had.

Doyle Brunson is the George Washington, the Babe Ruth, the Michelangelo, of poker. The Internet age may breed worthy opponents, but it will never bear an equal.

There will only be one Doyle Brunson.


Complete Final Table Standings

(Place/Player/Prize Money)

1. Doyle Brunson - $367,800
2. Minh Ly - $203,715
3. Scotty Nguyen - $106,105
4. Layne Flack - $99,030
5. Ayaz Mahmood - $82,055
6. Jason Lester - $67,905

Originally published July 1, 2005