Humberto Brenes (The Shark)

Born in Costa Rica but now based in Miami Lakes, Florida, Humberto Brenes is another poker pioneer. Now almost 70, he is among poker's first star players. Before he was a poker player, Humberto was known as a baccarat player, a game mainly based on chance. We say "poker pioneer" because he was around long before the poker boom of 2003. Humberto won his first big payday in 1988 at that year's World Series of Poker (WSOP). He finished 4th out of 167 registered players, earning $83,050. A few years later, in 1993, he won not 1 but 2 WSOP bracelets, one in Omaha and the other in Limit Hold'em. To date, he totals more than $6 million in tournament winnings in casinos around the world.

His biggest lifetime win

Humberto has had several big wins in his career, but his most impressive showing came at the $15,000 + 300 World Poker Tour Championship - No Limit Hold'em, an event played as part of the WPT. During the event, he finished 2nd for a prize of $923,475. He narrowly missed out on the title, which went to another poker legend, Daniel Negreanu!

What is he doing today?

Humberto still plays poker. In fact, we've seen him win a few purses in Las Vegas tournaments recently. He is also a successful businessman who owns several businesses including a television station in Costa Rica and a biscuit company (also in Costa Rica). He also has a degree in industrial engineering. In the past, he was also one of the members of the team of pros at the online poker room PokerStars.