Doyle Brunson’s Famous 10-2 Hand Screamed on Death Row

If a single poker hand can define someone, then Doyle Brunson’s double World Series of Poker winning 10-2 is it – and in a remarkable story out this week the granddaddy of the game reveals that the hand that now bears his name was shouted out on Death Row as the inmates played poker!

The tale emerged as a new documentary was released detailing the life and jail time of American actor, stuntman and poker player Erik Audé – ‘3 Years in Pakistan’ revealing how poker ‘played an important role during his time in prison’ – the Beverly Hills man duped into carrying 7.9 pounds of opium back from Pakistan, a country he wouldn’t leave for almost three years.

His 7-year sentence back in 2002 was the stuff of nightmares, Aude placed on Death Row for his own safety. As he recalled in a PokerNews interview in 2015:

"There were other prisoners there, and they played Texas hold'em poker a lot.”

Having been taught the game by a local prisoner, Aude explained:

“We'd buy in for five Pakistani rupees [worth about a nickel], and play with chips and worn down playing cards… People in that prison were always hungry, so winning some chicken or good food was a treat, and they would play their asses off," Audé revealed. "Other times we would just play for the money if we couldn't get enough players to pitch in for the 100 rupee chickens. But it was a great way of killing time."

The biggest pot won with a ‘Doyle Brunson’ hand isn’t known, but a recent interview for the ‘Poker in the Ears’ podcast looks back on the otherwise hellish time he spent in the Pakistani prison and what he has achieved since…

Brunson’s 10-2 hand won him the WSOP Main Event titles in both 1976 and 1977 - a non-standard way to finish off the biggest event in poker’s illustrious history. See if you can recognise the legendary Texan in the following stills and footage of his dramatic double takedown!