Learn Texas Holdem

It's often the case that when a group of people are good at something, the last one to be successful is the most successful. Perhaps the ones who come later to success want it more, or perhaps they were waiting to hone their skills so that they did not peak too early. Doyle Brunson was a successful poker player for about as long as he knew how to play. But of his three man "crew" of road gamblers, he was lagging behind in World Series of Poker main event success. Although Doyle had played in every WSOP, when the 1976 World Series of Poker main event rolled around, Brunson's partners Amarillo Slim and Sailor Roberts had each secured a World Series of Poker championship, but Doyle had none.

More on the WSOP:

WSOP Satellites
New 2008 WSOP Events
2008 WSOP Schedule
WSOP Player Profiles
WSOP History
WSOP Winners
H.O.R.S.E.: The Player's Championship

Time for Doyle Brunson

Although Doyle hadn't won it all yet, he was no slouch when it came to poker. In fact, like most of the greats in any field, he probably studied the game even more than those with much less talent than he. Doyle Brunson went on to compile Super/System, the first fully instructional book on how to play poker, and in the years since, hundreds upon hundreds of poker books spilling out secret after poker secret have been published. In Doyle's time though, the poker tournament concept was young, and there were no books to read, only experience to be had and players to watch.

Doyle in particular watched Johnny Moss, who had been named champion in fully half the WSOPs that had come and gone to that point. Doyle realized that Moss' style, of playing super tight early and loosening up as the blinds got big, was the key to success. In fact, it is the style that many tournament pros advocate today.

Heads-up with Jesse Alto

Using this style, Doyle Brunson navigated his way to the final round, where he found himself heads up with Jesse Alto, a gifted tournament player who ended up finishing in every final table position in the World Series of Poker main event except, sadly, for first.

Although Alto started out with the chip lead, Doyle knew that it would only be a matter of time before Alto went "on tilt," allowing emotions to affect his play. After Alto lost a big pot to give Doyle the chip lead, Doyle knew the time was soon.

The Legendary Ts-2s

It came when Doyle was dealt a hand that at the time was meaningless, but has become legendary; the Ts 2s. Ten-deuce is now known all around the world as "a Doyle Brunson," and this particular confrontation is part of the reason why. Although Doyle would never have played such a hand in normal circumstances, he knew Alto was ripe to be plucked, so he called a big raise in order to see a flop and hope to get lucky.

Doyle could never imagine how lucky he would turn out to be. The flop came Ah Js Th, giving Doyle bottom pair. Alto bet into Doyle, and Doyle called, hoping for an opportunity. He never dreamed that Alto was holding the As Jh, and had flopped a dominating two pair. The turn came a 2c. Doyle, seemingly trapped, went all-in. Alto of course called immediately, ready to take a commanding chip lead unless one of only four cards in the deck came to save Doyle. Tragically for Alto, but terrifically for Doyle, and perhaps, the entire history of poker, the Td came on the river, giving Doyle an unlikely full house, and making him the 1976 World Series of Poker champion. Unbeknownst to Doyle at the time, this would only be the beginning of Doyle's fame and fortune, as he went on to win ten WSOP bracelets, including another main event title the following year, and to become one of the most well known poker players of all time.

1976 WSOP Tournaments and Winners

Event	Winner	Prize	Entrants
$10,000 Championship Event	Doyle Brunson	$220,000	22
$2,500 No-Limit Hold'em	Howard Andrew	$28,000	N/A
$1,000 No-Limit Hold'em	Howard Andrew	$23,600	N/A
$5,000 2-7 Draw	Doyle Brunson	$80,250	N/A
$1,000 A-5 Draw	Perry Green	$68,300	N/A
$1,000 Seven-Card Stud Split	Doc Green	$12,750	N/A
$500 Seven-Card Stud	Johnny Moss	$13,000	N/A
$5,000 Seven-Card Stud	Walter Smiley	$35,000	N/A

WSOP Year By Year

2000's	1990's	1980's	1970's
2007 WSOP	1999 WSOP	1989 WSOP	1979 WSOP
2006 WSOP	1998 WSOP	1988 WSOP	1978 WSOP
2005 WSOP	1997 WSOP	1987 WSOP	1977 WSOP
2004 WSOP	1996 WSOP	1986 WSOP	1976 WSOP
2003 WSOP	1995 WSOP	1985 WSOP	1975 WSOP
2002 WSOP	1994 WSOP	1984 WSOP	1974 WSOP
2001 WSOP	1993 WSOP	1983 WSOP	1973 WSOP
2000 WSOP	1992 WSOP	1982 WSOP	1972 WSOP
	1991 WSOP	1981 WSOP	1971 WSOP
	1990 WSOP	1980 WSOP	1970 WSOP