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Ahead of “Doyle Brunson Day” on Oct. 2, Daniel Negreanu reflected on his friendship with the late poker legend during a recent episode of the PokerNews Podcast. Brunson passed away in May 2023, and the annual tribute date references his famous ten-deuce hand.
Negreanu described Brunson’s relationship with fellow poker great Phil Ivey as resembling “The Odd Couple,” the classic sitcom about two mismatched roommates. Despite their constant bickering, Negreanu said the two shared a deep mutual respect beneath their contentious dynamic.
One memorable story involved a missed golf match at Las Vegas’ Shadow Creek Golf Course. According to Negreanu, Brunson and Ivey spent hours arguing over a half-stroke handicap dispute, refusing to budge until the day slipped away and they never actually played.
Negreanu also praised Brunson’s early grasp of poker theory, noting that he was essentially using solver-like methods decades before modern GTO strategy existed. He recalled Brunson manually charting hand matchups, such as dealing out ace-king against fives repeatedly to study win rates.
Elsewhere, tributes poured in across the poker community. Brunson’s X account, now rebranded as a “Doyle Brunson Legacy” page, shared a series of his memorable quotes, along with a clip of agent Brian Balsbaugh describing the day as a celebration of both the man and the game.
Poker journalists Robbie Strazynski, Tim Duckworth, and Jesse Fullen also shared personal memories and keepsakes, including a signed copy of Brunson’s “Super System” and recollections of helping him record his autobiography.
