Walter Browne, chess grandmaster and poker player

Dale · #1 07-08-2007, 10:49 PM

Has anyone here ever played poker with Walter Browne? His Wikipedia bio says that he's been a professional poker player since 1966 and plays several times per week at the Oaks Club in Emeryville, CA.

His bio has been recently revised to cite winnings at the WSOP last month. The Cardplayer database credits these results to Walter Browne (and shows him cashing in 1988 in ace-to-five draw), but the Hendon Mob database credits last month's results to Walter Brown, apparently a different player.

adanthar · #2 07-08-2007, 11:02 PM

It's the chess GM. He's a pretty decent player, but a gigantic life nit.

Crane · #3 07-09-2007, 12:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Has anyone here ever played poker with Walter Browne? His Wikipedia bio says that he's been a professional poker player since 1966 and plays several times per week at the Oaks Club in Emeryville, CA.

His bio has been recently revised to cite winnings at the WSOP last month. The Cardplayer database credits these results to Walter Browne (and shows him cashing in 1988 in ace-to-five draw), but the Hendon Mob database credits last month's results to Walter Brown, apparently a different player.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know Walter Brown, but I used to play poker with a guy who tied Walter Brown one year in the US chess championship.

His name was John something, and he was always broke and a real low-life for being a very smart guy.

Crane · #4 07-09-2007, 02:58 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Has anyone here ever played poker with Walter Browne? His Wikipedia bio says that he's been a professional poker player since 1966 and plays several times per week at the Oaks Club in Emeryville, CA.

His bio has been recently revised to cite winnings at the WSOP last month. The Cardplayer database credits these results to Walter Browne (and shows him cashing in 1988 in ace-to-five draw), but the Hendon Mob database credits last month's results to Walter Brown, apparently a different player.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know Walter Brown, but I used to play poker with a guy who tied Walter Brown one year in the US chess championship.

His name was John something, and he was always broke and a real low-life for being a very smart guy.

[/ QUOTE ]

It look like I got it wrong. He told me he tied Walter Brown for the championship, but according to WIKI he defeated Walter Brown on the way to the title.

"John Alan Grefe (born September 6, 1947 in Hoboken, New Jersey) is an American International Master of chess. His best result is a tie for first with Lubomir Kavalek in the 1973 U.S. Championship. FIDE awarded him the title of International Master in 1975.

Here is his decisive win over Walter Browne, later a six-time winner of the U.S. Championship himself, in the 1973 championship:

Grefe-Browne, U.S. Championship 1973[1] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 h6 9.Bh4 Qc7 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.Be2 Rb8 12.Qg3 Rg8 13.Rhf1 g5 14.fxg5 Ne5 15.Nf3 b5 16.Nxe5 b4 17.Nxf7 bxc3 18.gxf6 Rxg3 19.fxe7 Rg5 20.Bxg5 hxg5 21.Nxd6+ 1-0

KingDan · #5 07-09-2007, 03:11 AM

I played against him at the Us Open as a kid. He was a HUGE douchebag.

The Ice Ceam Man · #6 07-09-2007, 03:14 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I played against him at the Us Open as a kid. He was a HUGE douchebag.

[/ QUOTE ] no you didnt

MicroBob · #7 07-09-2007, 03:26 AM

I had no idea that this relatively famous chess player is also a professional poker player.

Won more swiss-open chess tourneys than any American and cashed at the WSOP.
Not bad.

Didn't he used to write for Chess Life?

KingDan · #8 07-09-2007, 03:30 AM

It was a few years ago in Florida.

Round two he shows up a few minutes late to our game. He comes in and makes a big spectacle about how he doesn't have all his time (which is kind of stupid because dude is a time-pressure addict but whatever). Instead of walking around the table to his seat, he reaches OVER my shoulder to move his piece from across the board.

We both get low on time, and I make a mistake. He makes a huge deal about his move and slams it down. Great job buddy, you beat someone 400 points lower than you.

FWIW, though Browne is a grandmaster he isn't considered to be all that strong nowadays. A few years ago I remember a well-respected player saying Browne is a great GM for kids to play (because he was significantly weaker). I'm pretty sure he was the first GM a number of kids had ever beaten.

antipeon · #9 07-09-2007, 04:04 AM

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I'm pretty sure he was the first GM a number of kids had ever beaten.

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he's a relatively "weak" GM for sure, with elo rating 2440, but that doesn't change the fact that a GM will never lose to an unrated kid.. not weak IM's or an FM's either for that matter.

curtains · #10 07-09-2007, 04:29 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'm pretty sure he was the first GM a number of kids had ever beaten.

[/ QUOTE ]

he's a relatively "weak" GM for sure, with elo rating 2440, but that doesn't change the fact that a GM will never lose to an unrated kid.. not weak IM's or an FM's either for that matter.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol, this is completely false