Allen Cunningham
Born in the city of Riverside, California in 1977, Allen Cunningham had initially set his sights on a career in civil engineering. However, his life took an unexpected turn when he stepped foot into a casino for the first time. At the tender age of 18, with no prior experience in poker, he found himself winning games. What started as occasional victories soon transformed into an unstoppable stream of triumphs. As his talent for the game flourished, Cunningham bid farewell to his aspirations of becoming a civil engineer and wholeheartedly embraced a full-time career as a professional poker player.
After facing initial setbacks, Cunningham encountered challenges for a period of time. Following three years of limited success, he achieved a 25th place finish in a $2,000 Hold'em Pot Limit tournament in 1998. Over the subsequent years, his skills improved, and his winnings grew higher. In 2000, he secured second place in the WSOP Omaha High-Low Split, marking his highest earnings to date: $113,850.
| Land | Professional since | Favorite games | Bracelets | Highest profit | total profits | 2023 All Time Money List | Global Poker Index (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 2000 | Texas Hold'em, Omaha | 5 | 3.628.513 $ | 11.719.324 $ | 41 | 1.926 |
| Hometown: | The Vegas, Nevada |
| Interesting facts: | Cunningham commenced playing poker while studying civil engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His professional peers have hailed him as the 'Top Player Under 35' in all aspects of the game. He shares a home with professional poker player Melissa Hayden and their canine companion named Muffin. |
| Key moments in poker: | 1999 was a significant year in Cunningham's career. He participated in the "Legends of Poker" tournament in Los Angeles and achieved 10 top placements, including two victories. In 2005, he was appointed as the 2005 ESPN/Toyota Player. |
| Number of WSOP bracelets: | 5 |
| WPT/EPT Winnings: | No |
| Total tournament winnings: | $ 11.619.200 (Stand 2017) |
Tournaments and initial successes
Ever since, he has been a consistently exceptional player, earning multiple accolades. In the WPT Euro Finale of 2003 held in Paris, he secured an impressive 3rd place finish in the €10,000 No Limit Hold'em tournament. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated remarkable skill and has garnered a multitude of awards. In the prestigious WPT Euro Finale of 2003, hosted in the enchanting city of Paris, he showcased his extraordinary abilities and clinched an admirable 3rd place in the fiercely competitive €10,000 No Limit Hold'em event.
In 2003, Cunningham emerged victorious in the US Poker Championship during the thrilling No Limit Hold'em event held in Atlantic City. The following year, in 2004, he achieved a remarkable feat by pocketing a staggering $111,494 at the Bellagio Five-Star WPC/WPT Championship's No Limit Hold'em event. It was during this remarkable year that he also secured his maiden million-dollar record-breaking win in yet another exhilarating No Limit Hold'em game.
Allen Cunningham etched his name in poker history as one of only four players to secure four WSOP titles before turning 30.
Private life and online poker.
Allen is a modest individual who shies away from the spotlight and prefers to live a quiet life with his long-term girlfriend, a professional poker player. He rarely grants interviews to the press and is renowned for his focused demeanor when sitting at the poker table. His nickname in the game is 'Sly Swine.' The reason behind it appears to be unknown.
Joining Full Tilt as a sponsored pro, he became a full member of the team in 2006. As a passionate poker professional, Cunningham also enjoys visiting casinos for the sheer pleasure of playing. Many recreational players have been pleasantly surprised to find themselves at the same table as Cunningham. It's always a thrilling experience to play alongside such a renowned player.
