Todd Brunson

Name: Todd Brunson
Nickname: Darkhorse
Current Residence: Las Vegas, Nev.
Birth Date: August 7, 1969
Birth Place: El Paso, Texas, United States

With a father like Doyle Brunson, most people would assume Todd grew up living and breathing poker. The fact is, however, the first time Todd played was after he graduated from high school when he accompanied his father to Australia (where Doyle was competing in a poker tournament), and the game didn't actually become a regular part of Todd's life until he went to college.

Growing up, his family moved between Texas, Las Vegas and...

Trivia

Has more than $3 million in tournament winnings
Plays under the alias "Sam Grizzle" at PokerStars.com
One of the best high stakes cash game players in the world
Won first major tournament at age 21 at the Bicycle Casino in L.A.
Dropped out of college to pursue a career as a professional poker player

Recent Tournament Placings

Tournament	Place	Winnings
2009 WSOP, Event 33 - $10,000 Limit Hold'em World...	14th	$32,693
2009 WSOP, Event 3 - $1500 Omaha Hi-Lo Split	77th	$3,270
WPT Season 7, Bellagio Cup IV	42nd	$25,855
2008 WSOP, Event 22, H.O.R.S.E.	12th	$19,425
2008 WSOP, Event 2, No-Limit Hold'em	292nd	$3,486
EPT Season 4, EPT San Remo	24th	$25,120
WPT Season 6, Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic	15th	$96,355
2007 WSOP, Event 55, World Championship No-Limit Texas...	459th	$29,883
2007 WSOP, Event 54, World Championship No-Limit 2-7 Draw...	7th	$51,669
2007 WSOP, Event 44, Omaha Hi-Lo Split	43rd	$4,957
2007 WSOP, Event 36, World Championship Omaha Hi-Lo Split...	14th	$15,134
2007 WSOP, Event 9, Omaha Hi-Lo Split 8-or-Better	20th	$6,263
2007 WSOP, Event 1, World Championship Mixed Hold'em...	38th	$11,658
2006 WSOP, Event 25, No-Limit Hold'em Shootout	49th	$4,805
2005 WSOP, Event 35, $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha	6th	$77,550
2005 WSOP, Event 21, $2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo Split	1st	$255,945
2005 WSOP, Event 13, $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em	8th	$65,705
2005 WSOP, Event 3, $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em	74th	$2,215
2004 WSOP, Event 29, Limit Hold'em	16th	$8,000
2004 WSOP, Event 25, Pot-Limit Hold'em	30th	$3,480
WPT Season 2, World Poker Challenge	15th	$16,337
WPT Season 1, Five Diamond World Poker Classic	16th	$13,912
1997 WSOP, Event 15, Pot-Limit Hold'em	12th	$6,120
1994 WSOP, Event 1, $1,500 Limit Hold'em	8th	$14,460
1992 WSOP, World Series of Poker Main Event - 1992	13th	$10,100
1992 WSOP, Event 2, No-Limit Hold'em	17th	$3,048

View All >>

Player Statistics

Cashes	27
Total Winnings	$810,493
First Place Finishes	1
WSOP Bracelets	1

Player Analysis of Todd Brunson

Description

Todd graduated from poker at college to the Vegas games. He worked his way up to the biggest limits and has been successful at all forms of poker. He demonstrated surprising writing skills as the author of the Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo section in Super/System 2. Todd will be in the spotlight for many years to come.

Best Game

Competent at all games

Weakness

Doesn't always keep pressure on his opponents after a good win

Todd Brunson's Score

6.6/10

Aggressiveness 5
Looseness 4
Limit 8
No-Limit 7
Side Games 7
Steam Control 7
Against Strong Players 7
Tournaments 7
Short-Handed 8
Against Weak Players 6

Amusing Anecdote

Todd has occasionally criticized his dad's plays in public. Doyle maintains his composure and sarcastically responds, "I know, Todd. I'm the idiot who sired a genius."

Doyle calls Todd after big games and especially after big tournaments. Doyle will ask, "How did you do?" If Todd won, the answer is always, "I played, didn't I?"

Analysis brought to you by Barry Greenstein