'Godfather of poker' Doyle Brunson dies aged 89 with tributes paid by other stars of card game
The 'Godfather of poker', Doyle Brunson, has died at the age of 89.
The legendary figure of the game died on Sunday in Las Vegas, his family announced, via his agent on Twitter.
Their statement said: "It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our father, Doyle Brunson.
"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."
Brunson shot to poker stardom in the 1970s, winning six World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets in that decade.
He
was crowned WSOP Main Event world champion in 1976 and 1977, one of
only a select few to have won the prestigious tournament consecutively.
Altogether, Brunson won 10 WSOP tournaments, second only to Phil
Hellmuth - another poker veteran - who has claimed 16 bracelets. His
titles won him a total of around $1m (£800,000) in prize money.
Brunson left his legacy with successes on and off the poker felt.
He played in Las Vegas cash games for 50 years and also wrote a book
called "Super System" in 1979 - one of the first to delve into Poker
strategy, and one that introduced many to the game
It is estimated he had total career earnings of more than $6m (£4.8m).
"Texas Dolly", the name by which many knew him, was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988.
He
was famous for wearing his cowboy hat while playing and his favourite
hand was 10-2 - usually a terrible starting hand in poker - but one that
resulted in him winning him the WSOP Main Event twice as his final two
cards.
