Champion of Poker

Allen Cunningham started playing poker in Indian Casino’s when he was 18 years old. In the beginning, the game was just a profitable hobby to him but as he started to win consistently, he decided that he would try his hand at higher limit games. When those started to prove success, Cunningham decided to drop out of UCLA and pursue a career in poker.

Until he was 21, he continued to play in Indian Casinos only, but when he was allowed to venture into the regular card rooms at age 21, he proceeded to do so. At first he was not successful, but with further study and his friendships with Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Layne Flack, and John Juanda, he picked up skills necessary to be successful in the game.

1999 was his first truly successful year as he took several titles around California, including two titles at the 1999 Legends of Poker. Later that year he would win the $500 7 Card Stud event at the United States Poker Championships. The 2000 World Series of Poker would see Cunningham cash 5 times during the event, including a runner up finish in the $5,000 Omaha 8 or Better Event.

2001 brought Cunningham his first bracelet at the WSOP, when he won the $5,000 Seven Card Stud event. He would cash 3 other times in the series, including the Main Event. He would cash 5 times in the 2002 series and take his 2nd WSOP bracelet, this time in the $5,000 NL 2-7 Lowball event.

From 2005 to 2007, Cunningham went on an amazing streak winning at least one bracelet each year. This differed from years past when players would win bracelets in consecutive years because by 2005, the event field had started to become massive, so navigating through these mammoth fields took more skill than in the past. Cunningham took the 2005 $1,500 No Limit event, the 2006 $1,000 NL with Rebuys and then the 2007 $5,000 Pot Limit Holdem Event.

Cunningham has had a decent amount of success on the World Poker Tour as well, cashing in 11 WPT events and making 2 final tables. His two final tables was a 3rd place finish in Euro Finals of Poker in 2003 and a 4th place finish in the World Poker Finals in 2005.

Cunningham also has numerous wins around the poker world including the 2007 Vegas Open, and preliminary events of the 2004 Five Star World Poker Classic, the 2001 Legends of Poker, and the 2003 United States Poker Championships. He also holds one WSOP Circuit Championship ring and two circuit rings overall. In total, he has over $10.3 Million, which ranks him 5th all-time in lifetime tournament earnings.

Allen Cunningham is a threat in any event he takes place in. Amazingly enough, this man is only 31 years old, which means that he will continue to be a dominating force for many years to come. With 5 WSOP bracelets under his belt, he is on track to catch and even pass Phil Hellmuth for the all-time lead. Allen Cunningham has all the makings of an all-time great in poker, and only time will tell us how great he will become.