Allen Cunningham, Poker Genius

The poker great that is known as Allen Cunningham has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the exciting and gritty world of poker. But, just as with anyone one else, there is a starting place of where and how it all started with Allen.

Where did he come from, how did he grow to become the poker player that so many people know to be one of the absolute best of our time? What is his story, anyway? Well, it all began in a nice and quaint city. Cunningham was born on March 28, 1977 in Riverside, California to two loving parents, who were a big influence in his life and were pretty much a huge part in what would become Allen's passion for being a professional poker player. From his early years as a young kid, he remembers how his love and skill that he has for Poker all began.

Just as many other poker greats began on their path toward learning the game, Allen started out at a very young age and remembers playing cards around the kitchen table even back then. He even recalls that there was something special about playing card games and that he was actually not so bad at it, in fact, he would constantly win games over other family members and friends that had no idea what had hit them. From an early time, people would begin to realize what talent that Cunningham would soon to spread across for millions to admire and envy. He could not wait to try his skill at the casinos and start racking in on the real competitions.

When he left high school, he went on to go and attend the prominent and well known University of California in Los Angeles and majored in Civil Engineering for a short period of time. He then left the school while in his second year of college and started playing the casinos while still in his late teens. Once something clicked and he began winning consistently in the casinos, he built his bank roll up and decided to slowly raise the limits that he was playing with.

Once Allen Cunningham turned 21 years old, it was on. He entered poker tournaments and competitions and began building the stepping stones toward a great and successful career in the profitable realm of poker. During the beginning of the poker events and tournaments that he entered, the money that he wanted to make was off to a somewhat of a slow start, but as time progressed - it began to pick up and pay off. Along the way, Allen would meet and befriend other poker greats in the making as well, such as Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu.

In the year 1999, Cunningham's first big break came when he placed in top ten in Legends of Poker with two wins. This was definitely a turning point for his blossoming career that was in the making. The very next year, he placed second in a major Omaha Hi-Lo event and banked with him over $113,000. In 2001 he also came out on top and won the World Series bracelet which was a great accomplishment and staple in his career. From then on, he has won various competitions and tournaments. More recently, in 2008 Allen has won the World Series of Poker and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.