(*2*)Hundreds of poker followers joined a who’s who of the poker world on Sunday to honor the late Doyle Brunson at a particular celebration of life ceremony. The occasion was open to the general public, and a line to enter the Jubilee Theatre wrapped across the Horseshoe Las Vegas on line casino flooring to get in.
Brunson, who handed away in May on the age of 89, is taken into account poker’s greatest legend. The Hall of Famer competed on the highest ranges of the sport for the higher a part of seven a long time, gained 10 World Series of Poker bracelets to associate with a World Poker Tour title, and wrote the unique poker bible in Super System.
The ceremony was hosted by Brunson’s longtime agent and buddy, Brian Balsbaugh, who steered Oct. 2 for an annual Doyle Brunson day in honor of the 2 predominant occasions he gained with 10-2. The “motion” was soundly “seconded” and supported by these in attendance.
“On Doyle Brunson day, we all celebrate and play poker,” mentioned Balsbaugh.
The viewers was handled to a sneak preview of an upcoming Doyle Brunson documentary, in addition to audio system Dewey Tomko, Mori Eskandani, Gabe Kaplan, Lyle Berman, Daniel Negreanu, and Phil Hellmuth, who was operating on no sleep after profitable his record-extending seventeenth bracelet simply hours earlier that morning.
Other notables in attendance included Jack Binion, Phil Ivey, Johnny Chan, Freddy Deeb, Linda Johnson, Terry King, Jan Fisher, David Williams, Erick Lindgren, Josh Arieh, Tony Dunst, Allyn Shulman, Ken Lambert, Karina Jett, Betrand Grospellier, WPT executives Adam Pliska and Matt Savage, and poker vloggers Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen.
Longtime buddy and three-time bracelet winner Dewey Tomko opted to speak about Brunson’s religion and generosity as a substitute of his poker prowess, telling a narrative about water wells in Africa that Brunson would pay for after which title after his buddies.
PokerGO producer Mori Eskandani adopted along with his personal tales, telling the gang that “poker got lucky when Doyle Brunson dragged his first pot.”
Actor, comic, and former poker commentator Gabe Kaplan spoke in regards to the first time he met Brunson, who gifted him a duplicate of his e book Super System. “That $100 book, in the last 40 years, has cost me $35 million,” Kaplan joked.
WPT co-founder Lyle Berman additionally spoke of their friendship, joking that he spent “more time with Doyle than [his] two ex-wives combined.”
Both Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu talked about Brunson’s efforts to develop the sport and share his knowledge with the youthful generations.
“He was an oasis of comfort,” mentioned Hellmuth, whereas Negreanu identified that not solely was he nonetheless competing at a excessive degree up till his loss of life, however he was really getting higher.
The ceremony was closed out by Doyle’s son, fellow Hall of Famer Todd Brunson, who gave a lightweight roasting to the opposite audio system earlier than thanking the gang for coming.
“Dad would have been tickled pink to see this turnout,” he mentioned.
You can watch a number of the ceremony on Daniel Negreanu’s vlog.
Brunson’s life and poker profession are additionally featured within the newest problem of Card Player Magazine, available now on-line.
Those who got here to the celebration of life occasion got a deck of playing cards with Brunson’s picture on the field. The deck consists of 26 tens and 26 deuces, every with a unique “Doyle-ism” printed on the again.
“The meaning of life can’t be told, it’s gotta be lived.”
“Success comes from taking the hand you were dealt and using it to the best of your ability.”
“Sometimes opportunity knocks, at other times you have to pursue it.”
