Doyle Brunson's place in the pantheon of poker greats was assured with the publication of his legendary book about various forms of poker: Super/System: A Course in Power Poker. The book was originally titled: How I Made Over $1,000,000 Playing Poker and was self-published by Doyle who refused to accept the publishers' offers of a measly 10% share in the profits.

The book's sections were written by a number of poker experts, including - Mike Caro (draw), Joey Hawthorne (lowball), Chip Reese (seven-card stud), Bobby Baldwin (limit hold 'em) and David Sklansky (high-low split). By far the book's longest and most influential section, however, was written by Doyle, and that was naturally reserved for no limit hold 'em.

As an advanced guide to playing poker well, Super/System has few equals in our opinion. In it, Brunson explains how he was able to become one of the greatest poker players of all time. His secret was relatively simple, and once he gave it away he found it far harder to dominate poker tables. He has often been quoted as saying that if he had to do it all again he would never write the book. Even though it has been wildly successful and made him a substantial sum that pales in comparison to what he would have won if he had kept his vast knowledge to himself. Before he wrote the book, Brunson had won back-to-back world series of poker championships. Since writing it over twenty years ago he has not won again.

So what is the elementary secret? Aggressive play. Brunson argued that the best players he knew were extremely aggressive. Brunson used to boast that he could win in most games without ever looking at his cards. He would be able to win solely through the use of aggressive betting tactics; whatever cards he held were comparatively unimportant. It's an exaggeration, but the principle is key. The tight-weak player who only bets when he has a great starting hand will always be crushed in the long run by the disciple of Doyle Brunson, who understands the importance of playing middling cards that often improve and break those big cards.

It's hard to believe it now, but Brunson was the first man to point out (at least in writing) that small suited connectors and small pairs were extremely valuable in no-limit, primarily because of the element of surprise. A good flop might make a set or a possible flush, and not only would you now hold a better hand than pocket aces, but no-one would put you on it because of your earlier aggression.

Doyle Brunson won both of his WSOP championships with the same final hand: 10-2; and it is a measure of his greatness that this starting hand is now named after him. Before the recent explosion in popularity that poker has experienced, Brunson made his living as an original road warrior, traveling across the country in search of big games. He was part of an all-star team that featured Amarillo Slim Preston and Sailor Roberts, and it was Las Vegas that broke this partnership when they were wiped out there during a horrendous visit in 1964.

Like most of the poker greats, Doyle Brunson will gamble huge sums of money on action that is not poker-related. He has wagered millions on the golf course in private games, and even more on sports events. He is fearless when it comes to money, and this is another common trait shared by all the top players. They do not allow the amount of money to influence their strategy, ignoring the real value of what they are betting. Another characteristic hallmark would have to be Doyle's unshakeable confidence, his absolute belief in his own abilities. There are times when this looks like hubris. After all, no bettor, not even a MasterBettor, can change the outcome of a sports event, so self-belief counts for little there. But when it comes to playing high-stakes multiplayer poker it is crucial. The advanced psychology and strategy of poker demands this grotesque sense of self, inflated beyond all proportions. Anything less and you will be pushed off your cards by a bigger, stronger ego. The game is a power struggle, and no-one understood that earlier or more comprehensively than the gentle giant, Doyle Brunson.