Where Are They Now - Brad Daugherty
Brad Daugherty’s odyssey from three dollar winner to one million dollar winner is quite an impressive story. Daugherty has had some success since his one million dollar score at the 1991 World Series of Poker, but that is the day that catapulted him into poker immortality. Daugherty was born in Mountain Grove, Missouri in 1951, but shortly after his birth his family moved to Iowa. While gambling wasn’t a huge part of his childhood, it wasn’t uncommon for his family to sit around on the weekend or on vacations and play draw poker for pennies. It was during these frequent card games that Daugherty began to learn the game. However, other than a passing interest in it, it wasn’t until a few years later that he would consider the game as a career.
In 1968, on a two-day train ride from Iowa to Kansas, Daugherty and members of his family played a continuous poker game every waking moment. For the 40 hours or so of poker Daugherty ended the game a winner, up three dollars. It was also around this time that Daugherty began to take the game more seriously, and began reading up on it. Daugherty still wasn’t quite ready to make the game his sole source of income, so he became a construction worker for the steady income.
After spending his early twentys in construction and welding he became aware of the success of Doyle Brunson and his 1977 WSOP Main Event victory, his second in a row. It sounds quite simple, but Daugherty thought that because Brunson was able to be a Main Event Champion there was no reason he couldn’t become one. Of course, he would end up being right.
Daugherty announced he would be leaving the friendly confines of Iowa, including a steady job, to try to make his mark in Las Vegas. In 1978 Daugherty arrived with a bankroll he had earned from playing, and beating, his friends back in Iowa out of their paychecks. Upon arriving in “Sin City,” Daugherty picked up every piece of poker literature he could get his hands on. With no job to go to Daugherty had nothing to do but play poker and read about poker. Good work if you can get it.
The transition to winning poker player wasn’t an easy one. Daugherty was able to squeak out a meager living playing mid-stakes ring games, but he was in Vegas a full ten years before he started having any success in tournament poker. Daugherty was even forced to take a job in 1987 working as a card room manager as well, stuck somewhere between one of the working masses and a poker pro. On the advice of a friend, Daugherty once again gave up his steady job to concentrate full-time on poker. This decision would prove a good one, as shortly after this decision Daugherty’s luck would change, and it’s never turned since then.
In December of 1988 Daugherty placed third for $48,500 in the $5,000 championship no-limit event of the Hall of Fame Poker Classic. The score seemed to give Daugherty the confidence he needed, as he would proceed to place highly in about a dozen more poker tournaments, including a third place finish in the 1990 $1,500 Stud hi/lo event at the World Series of Poker, a sign of big things to come.
In 1991 the world of poker was beginning to make subtle changes, and Brad Daugherty was in the center of all of it. Although the “hole-cam” was years away from being invented, the Main Event of the WSOP was in its fourth year of being carried by ESPN, meaning that there was still some obvious interest in it. The 1991 Main Event had 215 entrants, its biggest ever. With the exception of the following year, where the number of entrants dropped to 201, the Main Event saw a rise in competitors all the way up until 2007 when it dropped because of the recent legislature. The point is, poker was changing. As history has shown us, it was here to stay.
The final hand of the tournament came as a big of surprise, as Don Holt called a big raise from Daugherty holding nothing but a 7-3 off suit. Daugherty had raised with K♠-J♠, more than a decent hand in heads up play. The flop came 8-9-J rainbow, giving Daugherty top pair and Holt a gutshot straight draw. Brad checked. Mistaking this check as weakness, Holt went all-in. Brad soon called, and when a harmless five and then an eight fell, Daugherty was not only the 1991 WSOP Main Event Champion, he was also victor of the biggest prize in poker history, one million dollars.
Daugherty had done it. From a three dollar winner on a train to Kansas City, to the first million dollar winner in poker history, all because of the success of his idol, Doyle Brunson. Daugherty will tell you that he isn’t a pioneer of poker because the likes of Brunson are almost 20 years older than him, but it’s hard not to think of him as one because of the unique firsts that went along with his tournament victory.
Daugherty has had some success since his 1991 victory, but has never again had a six figure payday, let alone a seven million dollar one. However, much like Doyle Brunson in the 70’s, Daugherty has found another outlet to be successful in – writing. Daugherty has probably made just about as much money from his book projects as he has from his work on the felt. His two most popular books, which have been called a “must-read” for want to be serious poker players, are “Championship Satellite Strategy,” and “No-Limit Texas Hold’Em for Beginners.”
Daugherty has said that he now prefers online poker, but he is still a staple at the major events, including, of course, the WSOP. His live tournament poker winnings are somewhere in the neighborhood of two million dollars. It is unknown how much he has won online, but it is said he is a winning player there, as well.
Major Tournament Results
13-Mar-08 $ 300 No Limit Hold'em
2008 World Poker Challenge - WPT, Reno 2nd $ 5,820
25-Jun-07 $ 1,000 World Championship Seniors No Limit Hold'em
38th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2007, Las Vegas 29th $ 8,820
29-Apr-06 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
2006 WSOP Circuit - Caesars Las Vegas, Las Vegas 9th $ 6,635
22-Jun-05 $ 1,500 No Limit Hold'em
36th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2005, Las Vegas 60th $ 5,555
15-Jun-05 $ 1,000 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo
36th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2005, Las Vegas 10th $ 8,665
07-Mar-05 $ 9,750 Championship WPT Event - No Limit Hold'em
Bay 101 Shooting Stars of Poker, San Jose 44th $ 15,000
13-Nov-04 $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em Final Day - WPT
2004 World Poker Finals, Mashantucket 15th $ 72,118
16-May-04 $ 1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em
35th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2004, Las Vegas 51st $ 1,180
12-May-04 $ 1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
35th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2004, Las Vegas 80th $ 1,720
24-Jul-03 $ 100 No Limit Hold'em
2003 Orleans Open, Las Vegas 9th $ 1,810
20-May-03 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
The Seniors Second Chance Tournament, Las Vegas 3rd $ 19,090
06-May-03 $ 1,500 No Limit Hold'em
34th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2003, Las Vegas 8th $ 14,000
24-Feb-03 $ 200 No Limit Hold'em
Larry Flynt's Poker Challenge Cup - 2003, Gardena 9th $ 830
06-Dec-02 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
Bellagio Five Diamond Poker Classic - 2002, Las Vegas 17th $ 2,240
18-May-02 $ 1,000 Seniors Championship - No Limit Hold'em
33rd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2002, Las Vegas 25th $ 2,240
17-Feb-02 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
2002 L.A. Poker Classic, Los Angeles 23rd $ 1,290
22-Sep-01 $ 200 No Limit Hold'em
2001 Four Queens Poker Classic, Las Vegas 3rd $ 1,396
09-Jul-01 $ 100 7 Card Stud
2001 Orleans Open, Las Vegas 8th $ 1,030
02-Dec-00 $ 100 No Limit Hold'em
2000 Pot of Gold, Reno 2nd $ 5,480
02-Nov-00 $ 100 No Limit Hold'em Terminator Event
2000 Peppermill Fall Tournament, Reno 10th $ 390
30-Oct-00 $ 200 No Limit Hold'em
2000 Peppermill Fall Tournament, Reno 5th $ 1,210
17-Oct-00 $ 100 No Limit Hold'em
Thunder by the Bay, San Pablo 2nd $ 6,700
04-Sep-00 $ 100 Twilight No Limit Hold'em
Fall Pot of Gold, Reno 3rd $ 1,040
16-Jun-00 $ 300 No Limit Hold'em
2000 Summer Pot of Gold, Reno 3rd $ 2,484
15-Jun-00 $ 200 Omaha Hi-Lo Split
2000 Summer Pot of Gold, Reno 2nd $ 3,312
06-Jun-00 $ 100 No Limit Hold'em Terminator Event
2000 Peppermill Summer Tournament, Reno 4th $ 1,145
26-Feb-00 $ 2,500 No Limit Hold'em Championship
2000 L.A. Poker Classic, Los Angeles 3rd
05-Feb-00 $ 100 No Limit Hold'em
Guaranteed Poker Weekend, Compton 1st $ 11,100
11-Nov-99 $ 100 No Limit Hold'em - Twilight
Sam Boyd Poker Classic, Las Vegas 7th $ 1,499
17-Oct-98 $ 50 Limit Hold'em
LA Poker Open VI, Gardena 5th $ 1,220
28-Apr-98 $ 2,000 Omaha 8 or Better
29th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1998, Las Vegas 27th $ 1,224
17-Apr-98 $ 100 Limit/No Limit Hold'em
1998 Spring Challenge, Compton 1st $ 21,300
15-Apr-98 $ 100 Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better
1998 Spring Challenge, Compton 2nd $ 6,120
27-Mar-98 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
1998 Four Queens Poker Classic, Las Vegas 1st $ 23,200
12-Sep-97 $ 500 Limit Hold'em
Queens Poker Classic Summer Edition, Las Vegas 3rd $ 4,160
26-Jul-97 $ 200 Limit Hold'em
1997 Orleans Open, Las Vegas 3rd $ 7,295
10-May-97 $ 5,000 Limit Hold'em
28th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1997, Las Vegas 7th $ 14,000
04-Mar-97 $ 100 Omaha Hi/Lo
Peppermill Spring Tournament, Reno 4th $ 1,944
18-Oct-96 $ 100 No Limit Hold'em
Big Poker Oktober - 1996, Los Angeles 1st $ 8,600
May-96 $ 300 No Limit Hold'em
Masters Of Poker Championship IV, Gardena 5th $ 1,950
08-May-96 $ 2,500 Hold'em Pot Limit
27th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1996, Las Vegas 18th $ 3,600
23-Apr-96 $ 2,000 Limit Hold'em
27th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1996, Las Vegas 22nd $ 5,280
24-Mar-96 $ 500 No Limit Hold'em
1996 Winnin' o' the Green, Los Angeles 1st $ 14,320
23-Mar-96 $ 100 Limit Hold'em
March Magic, Lake Elsinore 7th $ 660
03-Mar-96 $ 225 No Limit Hold'em
1996 Peppermill Spring Tournament, Reno 7th $ 908
Sep-95 $ 100 Limit Hold'em
1995 Peppermill Fall Tournament, Reno 4th $ 1,416
Sep-95 $ 200 No Limit Hold'em
1995 Peppermill Fall Tournament, Reno 1st $ 8,117
17-Aug-95 $ 500 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo
1995 Legends of Poker, Los Angeles 6th $ 2,150
19-Jul-95 $ 230 Limit Hold'em
Gold Coast Open, Las Vegas 3rd $ 5,665
15-May-95 $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
26th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1995, Las Vegas 259th
23-Feb-95 $ 500 No Limit Hold'em
LA Poker Classic IV, Los Angeles 5th $ 2,190
Dec-94 $ 1,500 Limit Hold'em
Hall of Fame Poker Classic 1994, Las Vegas 5th $ 13,200
05-Nov-94 $ 300 Limit Hold'em
Gold Coast Masters, Las Vegas 1st $ 24,281
01-Nov-94 $ 200 1/2 Hold'em, 1/2 Omaha Hi/Lo
Gold Coast Masters, Las Vegas 2nd $ 9,213
18-Sep-94 $ 1,000 Limit Hold'em
Queens Poker Classic Summer Edition, Las Vegas 6th $ 4,770
17-Sep-94 $ 500 No Limit Hold'em
Queens Poker Classic Summer Edition, Las Vegas 3rd $ 8,800
11-Aug-94 $ 300 No Limit Hold'em
10th Annual Diamond Jim Brady, Oceanside 8th $ 1,800
24-Jul-94 $ 500 No Limit Hold'em
Gold Coast Open, Las Vegas 6th $ 3,045
22-Jul-94 $ 200 1/2 Hold'em, 1/2 Omaha Hi/Lo
Gold Coast Open, Las Vegas 9th $ 434
12-Jul-94 $ 200 Limit Hold'em
Gold Coast Open, Las Vegas 3rd $ 7,295
02-Jul-94 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
California State Poker Championship 1994, Los Angeles 4th $ 7,000
04-Jun-94 $ 100 Limit Hold'em
Summer Oasis, Las Vegas 2nd $ 12,280
25-Apr-94 $ 1,500 No Limit Hold'em
25th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1994, Las Vegas 8th $ 6,750
26-Mar-94 $ 200 Limit Hold'em
1994 Peppermill Spring Poker Tournament, Reno 10th $ 1,153
24-Mar-94 $ 100 Omaha Hi/Lo
1994 Peppermill Spring Poker Tournament, Reno 7th $ 960
03-Mar-94 $ 500 Limit Hold'em
LA Poker Classic III, Los Angeles 3rd $ 8,118
18-Jan-94 $ 1,000 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
Queens Poker Classic IV, Las Vegas 4th $ 6,300
15-Jan-94 $ 1,000 Limit Hold'em
Queens Poker Classic IV, Las Vegas 5th $ 8,150
10-Jan-94 $ 500 No Limit Hold'em
Queens Poker Classic IV, Las Vegas 18th $ 1,576
Dec-93 $ 500 Hold'em
1993 World Poker Finals, Mashantucket 1st $ 17,020
19-Nov-93 $ 200 No Limit Hold'em
1993 Peppermill Fall Tournament, Reno 4th $ 2,128
29-Aug-93 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
Jim Brady Month, Los Angeles 6th $ 8,040
25-Jul-93 $ 500 No Limit Hold'em
Gold Coast Open, Las Vegas 6th $ 2,555
04-Jul-93 $ 100 No Limit Hold'em
1993 Peppermill Summer Tournament, Reno 4th $ 2,480
17-Jun-93 $ 300 Hold'em Shootout
California State Poker Championship 1993, Los Angeles 3rd $ 5,088
14-Jun-93 $ 300 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo
California State Poker Championship 1993, Los Angeles 8th $ 762
03-Jun-93 $ 100 Seven Card Stud
Summer Oasis, Las Vegas 2nd $ 6,140
10-May-93 $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
24th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1993, Las Vegas 9th $ 24,000
01-May-93 $ 1,500 Ace to Five Draw
24th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1993, Las Vegas 3rd $ 20,700
26-Mar-93 $ 200 No Limit Hold'em
1993 Peppermill Spring Tournament, Reno 4th $ 2,208
06-Jan-93 $ 500 Seven Card Stud
Queens Poker Classic III, Las Vegas 13th $ 735
Dec-92 $ 500 No Limit Hold'em
Winter Oasis, Las Vegas 6th $ 1,860
20-Nov-92 $ 200 No Limit Hold'em
1992 Peppermill Fall Tournament, Reno 3rd $ 3,136
18-Nov-92 $ 200 Limit Hold'em
1992 Peppermill Fall Tournament, Reno 4th $ 2,464
15-Oct-92 $ 200 No Limit Hold'em
Final Four of Poker, Lake Tahoe 3rd
Oct-92 $ 300 Lowball
Oktober Pokerfest, Los Angeles 3rd $ 4,446
16-Aug-92 $ 300 No Limit Hold'em
Jim Brady Tournament, Los Angeles 7th $ 2,733
12-Jun-92 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
LA Poker Classic, Los Angeles 4th $ 6,650
26-Apr-92 $ 1,500 No Limit Hold'em
23rd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1992, Las Vegas 13th $ 3,810
07-Apr-92 $ 100 Seven Card Stud
1992 Peppermill Spring Tournament, Reno 1st $ 6,591
10-Dec-91 $ 300 Limit Hold'em
National Finals, Las Vegas 8th $ 1,305
08-Dec-91 $ 300 1/2 7 Card Stud, 1/2 Hold'em
National Finals, Las Vegas 6th
13-May-91 $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
22nd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1991, Las Vegas 1st $ 1,000,000
May-91 $ 2,500 Seven-Card Stud
22nd World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1991, Las Vegas 13th $ 3,325
11-Apr-91 $ 25 7 Card Stud
Spring Poker Tournament, Reno 2nd $ 1,408
17-Jan-91 $ 300 Pot Limit Hold'em
King Of The Hill, Lake Tahoe 7th $ 1,140
09-Jan-91 $ 200 Hold'em / Omaha Hi/Lo / 7 Card Stud
King Of The Hill, Lake Tahoe 3rd $ 613
07-Jan-91 $ 100 7 Card Stud
King Of The Hill, Lake Tahoe 6th $ 516
23-Jul-90 $ 200 Limit Hold'em
Gold Coast Open, Las Vegas 3rd $ 4,399
19-Jun-90 $ 300 Pot Limit Hold'em
US Open, Las Vegas 1st $ 26,611
18-Jun-90 $ 200 Limit 1/2 7 Card Stud, 1/2 Hold'em
US Open, Las Vegas 9th $ 400
02-May-90 $ 1,500 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
21st World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1990, Las Vegas 3rd $ 27,150
04-Apr-90 $ 200 Pot Limit Omaha
Masters Of Poker, Reno 4th $ 1,392
27-Mar-90 7 Card Stud
Spring Poker Tournament, Reno 2nd $ 1,625
16-Jan-90 $ 300 Pot Limit Hold'em
Super Stars Of Poker, Tahoe 5th $ 3,150
15-Jan-90 $ 500 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
Super Stars Of Poker, Tahoe 5th $ 1,150
10-Jan-90 $ 500 7 Card Stud
Super Stars Of Poker, Tahoe 5th $ 1,650
08-Jan-90 $ 300 Hold'em
Super Stars Of Poker, Tahoe 2nd $ 1,650
23-Aug-89 $ 1,500 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
5th Annual Diamond Jim Brady, Los Angeles 5th $ 5,180
20-Dec-88 $ 5,000 Championship Event - No Limit Hold'em
Hall of Fame Poker Classic 1988, Las Vegas 3rd $ 48,500
12-Feb-88 $ 1,000 No Limit Hold'em
Amarillo Slim's Superbowl Of Poker, Las Vegas 5th $6,750
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