Doyle Brunson, the Eternal Poker Legend – and the Story Behind the Name "Texas Dolly"

Doyle Brunson wasn’t just a poker icon – he was the legend. With ten WSOP bracelets, two Main Event titles, and a career that spanned from wild-west-style cash games to televised tournaments, he helped shape poker as we know it. When he passed away in May 2023 at the age of 89, the game lost one of its most enduring figures – but his legacy lives on.

While Doyle was often the subject of poker stories, few know how he got his famous nickname, Texas Dolly. In this article, we’ll uncover the curious origins of that name.

The nickname came from a simple misunderstanding. Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder, later known for The NFL Today on CBS, originally started his career writing about gambling. He contributed regularly to the Las Vegas Sun, covering poker tournaments among other things – and that’s how he got to know Doyle Brunson, eventually becoming close friends with him.

Since gambling wasn’t exactly welcomed in Brunson’s home state of Texas, he asked Snyder not to use his real name in articles. Snyder agreed and referred to him as Texas Doyle instead.

At one point, an Associated Press journalist was working on a poker-related piece and contacted Snyder for background information. During the conversation, Snyder affectionately referred to his friend as Texas Doylee. The AP journalist misheard it – and when the article came out, it named Brunson as Texas Dolly.

The name stuck – for life.

This story is a great example of how different the golden age of poker was. There was no online poker, not even the internet – reputations were built on stories, word of mouth, and chance encounters. And sometimes, even a misheard nickname could end up etched in poker history forever.