Poker News

Over the 40 or so summer days of each World Series of Poker, there are around 50 different tournaments run depending on the year. In the 2006 WSOP, more than 70% of the 45 tournaments lasted for two or more days – the 2006 Main Event alone took more than 5 days to complete. In 2006, Costa Rica’s favorite son, Humberto Brenes finished in the money in a record 8 different World Series of Poker events. To put that in perspective, only players finishing in the top 10% of the total entrant field take home any winnings to show for their efforts, so you could have played for 3 days in more than a dozen tournaments and earned nothing but experience. This historic 8-cash performance is only one more in a long line of major achievements by the player known as “The Shark.”

Born and raised in San Jose, Costa Rica, Brenes first gained fame as a baccarat player in the late 1960s and early 70s. He parlayed some of the money he made in baccarat into a number of successful businesses in his homeland – most notably a nuts and fruit company called “Nueces Industriales.” While he dabbled in poker for years, it was not until 1987 that he would become a regular tournament pro by buying into the WSOP Main Event. In his WSOP career, Brenes owns two bracelets (both won during the 1993 WSOP,) 24 top ten finishes and 52 cashes,(making him the sixth player with the most all-time cashes. Other notable finishes for the eldest of the Brenes brothers (his brothers Alex and Erick Brenes are both professional poker players as well) include second place in the 2003 LA Invitational, second place in Bellagio’s Five Diamond World Poker Classic, a third place finish at the 2004 Foxwood’s Poker Classic and first place and more than $500,000 in the 2002 Jack Binion World Poker Open.

Humberto is loud from his brightly colored track suits to his mouth – everyone knows when Humberto is at a table. Drawing from his nickname of “The Shark,” Brenes often carries a small toy shark with him at the poker table, which he uses as a card protector, good luck charm and conversation starter.

Humberto was born on May 8, 1951 and lives in San Jose, Costa Rica with his wife, Patricia Underwood Guido and their 3 children.

Click here for Humberto Brenes’ interview with Poker News Daily.

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