Doyle Brunson, Godfather of Poker, dies in Las Vegas

Brad Willis
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Posted on: May 14, 2023 10:59 pm EDT

Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson died in Las Vegas Sunday according to a Twitter post from his longtime agent Brian Balsbaugh.

Balsbaugh’s tweet offered a statement from the Brunson family. The statement read:

“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.” Sincerely, the Brunson Family.

Brunson’s son confirmed the news on Twitter around 6:30PT Sunday.

Todd Brunson told his Twitter followers that Brunson’s wife Louise was not yet aware of her husband’s passing.

“Thank you all for your concern but I need to ask for everyone to respect my family’s privacy at this point. Thank you. I’ll update everyone when possible,” Brunson wrote.

Born in 1933, Doyle Brunson would have turned 90 years old this summer. A two-time WSOP Main Event winner and member of the Poker Hall of Fame, Brunson stood as one of the most iconic players to have played the game in modern history.

Within minutes of the announcement, the poker community began an unofficial real-time memorial for Texas Dolly.