Allen Cunningham
Allen Cunningham (born March 28, 1977) is an American professional poker player who has won five World Series of Poker bracelets.
| Allen Cunningham | |
|---|---|
 Allen Cunningham at the 2007 World Series of Poker | |
| Nickname(s) | Clever Piggy |
| Residence | Riverside, California |
| Born | March 28, 1977 |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | 5 |
| Final table(s) | 18 |
| Money finish(es) | 55 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish | 4th, 2006 |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | 2 |
| Money finish(es) | 17 |
Career
Cunningham studied civil engineering at UCLA before dropping out of school to play poker professionally. At the age of 18, he began playing at Indian casinos. Previously a Full Tilt sponsored pro, he became a full member of Team Full Tilt in October 2006.
Cunningham earned the title 2005 ESPN/Toyota Player of the Year and came close to winning it again in 2006. He was also voted by fellow professional poker players the Best All Around Player under 35.
Cunningham's single largest tournament payout occurred at the 2006 World Series of Poker when he finished in fourth place in the Main Event, earning $3,628,513. Frequently during the tournament, when other players tried to take on Cunningham, ESPN's Norman Chad would respond with comments such as: "What are they thinking of? It's Allen Cunningham!"
Cunningham joined a short list of players who have won a World Series of Poker Bracelet in three consecutive years after winning his fifth bracelet in 2007. Others to accomplish this include Johnny Moss, Bill Boyd, Doyle Brunson, Gary Berland and Erik Seidel.
Cunningham won the $300,000 'Mega Match' on Poker After Dark that aired the week of October 8, 2007. On December 7, 2007, Cunningham won the $15,000 buy-in inaugural National Poker League Vegas Open Championship Main Event after defeating David Singer during heads-up play, winning over $325,000.[1]
On May 1, 2008, Cunningham won the 2008 World Series of Poker Circuit event at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, earning $499,162.[2] In the 2008 World Series of Poker Cunningham made another deep run in the Main Event, finishing 117th place out of 6844 players, earning $41,816.
As of 2023, his total live tournament winnings exceed $11,900,000,[3] 90th on the all time winnings list.[4] As of March 2023, his 84 cashes including his five bracelets have netted him $7,988,439 in WSOP earnings.[5]
He resides in Las Vegas with girlfriend Melissa Hayden and their dog.
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | $5,000 Seven-card stud | $201,760 |
| 2002 | $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw | $160,200 |
| 2005 | $1,500 No Limit Hold 'em | $725,405 |
| 2006 | $1,000 No Limit Hold'em/w Rebuys | $625,830 |
| 2007 | $5,000 Pot Limit Hold'em | $487,287 |
Awards
ALL IN Magazine 2006 Poker Player of the Year [6]
Notes
- "Allen Cunningham Wins National Poker League (NPL) Vegas Open Championship". PokerPages.com. December 7, 2007. Archived from the original on December 8, 2007. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- Hartness, John (May 2, 2008). "WSOP-C Caesars Las Vegas: Allen Cunningham Takes Ring". PokerNews.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2008.
- Butt, Robert. "Allen Cunningham Tournament Results". The Hendon Mob. Archived from the original on November 4, 2007. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
- Butt, Robert. "All Time Money List - Top 1000". TheHendonMob.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2008.
- World Series of Poker Earnings, www.worldseriesofpoker.com
- 2006 Poker Player of the Year
External links
