Poker players 'were tougher in the past'

2008-03-17 13:55:29

Many of today's top poker stars are not as "tough" as they used to be, one poker legend has implied.

Doyle Brunson, the winner of ten World Series of Poker bracelets and Bluff magazine's most influential poker player, wrote in his Card Player blog that a lot of the younger professionals would not have been able to compete in the type of cash games found on the old Texas poker circuit.

However, one player who Brunson believes would have done well is Patrik Atonius, a noted high stakes player who recently challenged Brunson to a game.

"Patrik is one of the players I would have named that would have fit in with the old days," Brunson said.

"He has the style, love of poker, instinct and the gambling mentality that it takes to compete in high stakes games."

Brunson accepted the Finnish player's gauntlet and said he is prepared to face the European Poker Tour titlist in numerous forms of poker - for stakes of a $1 million or more.