Brian Townsend

Though many online poker players insist that the internet is the future of modern poker, many successful online pros continue to dream of crossing over to live tournament play. One such aspiring online player is Brian Townsend. Though Townsend is still lacking a a major live tournament win, he lists that accomplishment as his favorite fantasy.

Regulars at popular poker sites like Full Tilt Poker should still expect to see him lurking around the Pot Limit Omaha and No Limit Hold 'em tables for a long time to come.

Townsend first started playing cash games only four years ago. His strategy was a lesson in restraint; he certainly didn't begin at the top, though he got there quickly. Townsend's first attempts at making poker profitable began at the $.25/$.50 Limit Hold 'em tables. He found the small stakes fish that often crowd these tables to be easy prey, and before long he had a large enough bankroll to move up to tougher competition.

In 2006, Townsend was confident enough to go pro, and he simultaneously made the switch from low stakes Limit games to high stakes No Limit games. Before long, he was a regular at some of the highest stakes online games in history.

Townsend's ongoing online success bolstered his self-confidence enough to convince him that he had what it took to play with the legends. He tested the water at a WSOP circuit event in spring of 2006, and that initial endeavor landed him a 10th place finish and $22,610 in cash. Later that year he also competed in his first WPT event where he failed to make the final table but nevertheless left with $12,525.

In 2008, Townsend would claim his largest live tournament win with a 15th place finish and $89,835 purse in the No Limit Hold 'em Championship event at the WSOP Europe. Townsend's quick rise to internet fame made him a desirable addition to the roster for Season 3 of GSN's High Stakes Poker.

Townsend continues to dream of live success while experiencing very real online success at most of the major poker sites. Watch out for his screen name: sbrugby. Townsend is also a contributing team member of the poker support community CardRunners.com.