Poker Player - Humberto Brenes
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Humberto Brenes is a highly renowned professional poker player, born on May 8th 1951 in Costa Rica. He went to the University of Costa Rica and gained a degree in Industrial Engineering and also claims that his father first taught him how to play poker when he was aged just seven. He says “When I was 7 years old, I began playing poker with my father and I saw that he played only for fun, that the money was not important to him. Sometime he used to give the money back to players who had lost a hand. That is when I decided to play to win. I didn’t like it that people took advantage of his generosity; I didn’t like to see him losing money. Of course, it’s not the money – it’s the difference between being a winner and a loser. It’s the feeling that you have when you are a winner, you’re happy when you win, and sad when you lose.”
Humberto began playing in live tournaments, but not at poker. At first he mastered craps and baccarat, finding that he had an understanding of the odds and an ability to manage his chips without confusion. Over a decade ago, in a single craps tournament in Nassau, he won $377,500 and he found that there was money to be made from playing craps and baccarat in casinos. But Humberto also realised that he was making money from all of the tourists because they didn’t know how to really play the game.
The business side of things was good, but the challenge was lacking, and in 1988, Humberto became a regular tournament poker player. He relishes the thrill and challenge of playing poker against professionals who play to win money, as opposed to the tourists who were playing craps or baccarat for fun, throwing their money away. He says “Poker players are becoming very, very proficient; the level of play at tournaments is rising. Many of the less skilled players have quit playing the tournaments, and many top players are coming in from Europe and Australia, from everywhere.”
Humberto believes that disciplining oneself to staying calm and relaxed is key to being a successful player, and is often seen playing with headphones, that play music to calm him down, or singing softly to himself at the table. “Talent is something you are born with but concentration is something that you must teach yourself” he says.
Humberto is well known at the tables for his colourful style – always wearing bright track suits, a visor and two pairs of glasses! But he is also warm and charming, a pleasure to watch. He is a part of “The Costa Rican Connection” – a group of players from Central America who support each other and frequently make to all the final tables of major tournaments. Players in this group include his brother Erick and Jose Rosenkrantz. He is known with some affection as The Godfather of Costa Rican Players on account of his presence and experience and also the level of respect which he is accorded.
So Humberto Brenes has a powerful image in the professional poker world, but it should never be forgotten that this image is rooted in raw talent and intelligent and strategic play. Humberto has 2 World Series of Poker bracelets to his name and over $1.5 million in tournament winnings. Outside of the poker tables, he is a highly successful businessman, owing a construction company, several restaurants, and a Univision Television channel in Costa Rica. In all areas of life then, Humberto Brenes is a force to be reckoned with!
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