Since the WSOP was born, Doyle has participated in the series almost continuously. His unquenchable desire to win has earned him a total of 10 WSOP bracelets, the most recent of which came in 2005 in a $5,000 6-max NLH event. His list of 37 WSOP ITM cashes includes one special one in 2009, when Doyle decided to travel to the WSOPE in London, where he finished 17th in the Main Event.
The overall WSOP stats for Doyle's name record 37 ITM finishes and 10 bracelets for a total of $3,038,079. His hendonmob is doing even better, as it records a total of 89 ITM placements worth $6,176,737. Doyle's biggest win remains the title from the $5,150 WPT Legends of Poker 2004, where Doyle defeated 666 opponents to take home a $1,198,260 payday.
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
| 1976 | $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw | $80,250 |
| 1976 | $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship | $230,000 |
| 1977 | $1,000 Seven-Card Stud Split | $62,500 |
| 1977 | $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship | $340,000 |
| 1978 | $5,000 Seven-Card Stud | $68,000 |
| 1979 | $600 Mixed Doubles | $4,500 |
| Seven Card Stud (with Starla Brodie) | ||
| 1991 | $2,500 No Limit Hold'em | $208,000 |
| 1998 | $1,500 Seven-Card Razz | $93,000 |
| 2003 | $2,000 H.O.R.S.E. | $84,080 |
| 2005 | $5,000 6-max No Limit Shorthanded Texas Hold'em | $367,800 |
Farewell to Poker
Doyle decided to bid farewell to the poker world in 2018 at the age of 84. The reason was the deteriorating health of his wife Louise, for whom he decided to withdraw from public life. "During my 62-year career, I played long hours and Louise was always honestly waiting for me at home. After 57 years of marriage, I owe her my presence and, given her and my health, I want to stand by her until one of us is no longer here."
For his farewell tournament that year, Doyle chose the $10,000 buy-in No Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship. "Douce-to-seven has always been my favourite game, and because of the late registration, this was the perfect event for me. My son Todd informed me about the tournament, and I realized that this might be my last chance to attend the WSOP." In this tournament, Doyle made it all the way to the final table and took home a $43,963 prize for finishing 6th, along with the applause and respect of everyone in the tournament room.
Legends by Legend
In his autobiography, The Godfather of Poker, Doyle concludes the book by commenting on his own indelible legacy to the poker world: "I have been very fortunate and honored to play a major role in the evolution of poker. I have heard many times that everything important that has ever happened in poker has come through me. As nice as those words are, with such fame and honour come responsibilities and I have always tried to use my influence to promote the poker industry. I don't like to see top players taking advantage of their status but not caring about the industry in any way.
But it's not just about me, if I were to create my own poker Mount Rushmore, I would choose these four greats for it: Johnny Moss, Walter "Puggy" Pearson, David "Chip" Rees, and Bryan "Sailor" Roberts. Without Johnny, poker would have died back in Texas and never become a worldwide phenomenon. Puggy kept poker alive for 30 years before handing over the reins to the WSOP series. Chip Reese was the most versatile player I've ever known, he had no problem playing with anyone at any time. Sailor was the best hold'em player I've ever met, and if he hadn't succumbed to his temptations, his legacy could have been much more significant."
The legendary TexDolly left us forever in the circle of his loved ones on May 14, 2023 at the untimely age of 90. Just 5 months after his death, his lifelong love Louise, who spent 62 years of marriage with Doyle, also left us. What can we add in closing, the poker world was very privileged to have had Doyle Brunson as part of it and we hope his name will remain forever associated with the game!
Source - Wikipedia, Autobiography of the Godfather of Poker, PGT, PokerNews
