Doyle Brunson, who was lovingly known as the "Godfather of Poker" for his outsized influence on the game, died at 89 on Sunday in Las Vegas. His family confirmed the news in a statement shared on Twitter by Brunson's agent.
"It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our father, Doyle Brunson," the statement read. "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."
A Poker Hall of Fame inductee in 1988, Brunson won 10 World Series of Poker Tournaments -- including back-to-back main events in 1976 and 1977 -- over his long and storied career. Brunson's 10 WSOP bracelets are second all-time to only Phil Hellmuth's 16.
Brunson's impact stretched far beyond his own success at the poker table, however. His books, "Super System" and "Super System 2," are considered some of the influential the game has ever seen. Brunson also passed his skills onto his onto his son, as Todd Brunson was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2016.
Daniel Negreanu, a longtime poker opponent of Brunson, shared in simple terms what Brunson meant to him and countless others.
"There will never be another Doyle Brunson," Negreanu tweeted.
