Nationality
Brian "Sailor" Roberts was an American, holding United States citizenship.
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Born (date and place of birth)
Born March 7, 1931, in San Angelo, Texas, United States.
Residence (current location)
Lived primarily in Texas during his lifetime, with travel across the U.S. as part of his poker career.
Education (institution, specialization)
Specific educational background details are not publicly documented; many professional players in his era often had varied formal education but honed skills through experience and travel.
Children (number, ages)
There is no verified public information regarding children or family details for Brian Roberts.
Year started playing poker
Began professional poker playing in the 1960s as part of the original Texas road gamblers group.
Age when started playing
Started serious poker involvement likely in his late 20s to early 30s after naval service.
Year turned professional
Became recognized as a professional poker player by the early 1970s when the World Series of Poker started.
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
First major tournament victory was the 1974 World Series of Poker $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw event, winning $35,850.
Who introduced to poker / first mentor
Early poker mentor and close associate was Doyle Brunson; also closely partnered with Amarillo Slim.
First important tournament
Participated in the inaugural World Series of Poker in 1970, one of seven invited players, marking an important milestone in his tournament career.
Main motivation for turning pro
Motivated by the excitement and camaraderie of poker, as well as the opportunity to travel and compete with top players like Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim.
Initial bankroll
Early bankroll was built through rounds of underground high-stakes games with fellow rounders, pooling resources at times with friends.
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Did not have formal poker education but developed skills through extensive play and collaboration with other top players.
First sponsor/backing
No verified sponsorship deals early in his career; sponsorship was rare for players in his era compared to modern standards.
Total live tournament winnings
Career live tournament winnings totaled over $245,000 primarily from WSOP events, including $210,000 from winning the 1975 WSOP Main Event.
Number of tournament wins
Won 2 World Series of Poker bracelets including the 1975 Main Event and a 1974 $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw event.
Number of final tables
Made multiple WSOP final tables including finishing 6th in 1973 and 3rd in 1974 WSOP Main Events before winning in 1975.
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
Largest single tournament victory was the 1975 WSOP Main Event with a prize of $210,000.
WSOP bracelets (number)
Won 2 WSOP bracelets in 1974 and 1975.
WSOP cashes (number)
Recorded at least 3 WSOP cash finishes during his career.
WSOP final tables
Achieved several WSOP final tables, including Main Event final table appearances in multiple years.
Best WSOP Main Event result
Best WSOP Main Event result was champion in 1975.
Super high roller results ($100K+)
No documented participation in super high roller events of $100K+ buy-in, which became common after his time.
High roller wins ($25K-$100K)
No verified high roller event wins at $25K-$100K buy-ins.
Online tournament winnings
No online poker winnings, as he played pre-internet era.
Major online titles
No online tournament titles due to timing before online poker prominence.
Poker team
No known affiliations with modern poker teams or stables.
Main cash game limits
Known primarily as a high-stakes rounder in cash games across various stakes in underground and casino games.
Highest stakes played
Played extremely high-stakes cash games reflective of road gambler circuit and early Vegas high roller scene.
Notable high stakes sessions
Known for partaking in impactful cash game sessions with Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim during poker's formative years.
"Big Game" participation
Participated in the early "Big Game" style high-stakes poker environment shaped by the road gambler culture.
Estimated cash game profits (if known)
Exact cash game profits unknown; reputed to have had fluctuating bankrolls and financial ups and downs.
Country ranking
Recognized as one of the legendary American poker players from the 1970s era of poker.
All Time Money List position
Pre-dates All Time Money lists; however, known as WSOP Main Event winner placing him among historic American poker champions.
Tournament ROI (if known)
Precise ROI unknown due to limited tournament records from the 1970s poker circuit era.
Average tournament win
Average cashes and winnings modest by modern standards but significant for the poker era.
ITM percentage
Detailed in-the-money percentage not available from era records.
Final table percentage from cashes
Final table percentage data unavailable due to incomplete historical records.
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Best performance years were mid-1970s, notably 1974 and 1975.
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
Primarily specialized in No-Limit Hold’em and Deuce to Seven Draw.
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Played mostly live tournaments and cash games; online and other formats not applicable.
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Competed mostly in full ring and heads-up tables, especially in WSOP Main Event heads-up final.
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
Proficient at No-Limit Hold’em and 2-7 Draw, alongside other variants prevalent in early poker circuits.
Specialization limits
Specialized in high-stakes games typical of road gambler cash games and major tournaments.
Online rooms where plays
Not applicable due to pre-online era.
Favorite casinos/locations
Known to frequent early Las Vegas venues where WSOP and high-stakes games were held.
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Playing style characterized as aggressive and risk-taking, embodying early Texas rounder traits.
Known for bluffs/traps
Had a reputation for being daring with bluffs and risky plays, often playing fast and loose.
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Used a mix of intuition and experience-driven strategy rather than formal mathematical models that emerged later.
Style adaptability
Highly adaptable to various opponents in underground and early tournament environments.
Playing strengths
Strengths included bold plays, psychological toughness, and deep knowledge of the road gambler circuit.
GTO strategy usage
Game Theory Optimal (GTO) strategy was not known or applied during his playing era.
Poker software usage
Did not use poker software for analysis or training.
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
No known television appearances as poker broadcasts began posthumously.
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
No participation in High Stakes Poker TV show, aired much later.
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
No Poker After Dark appearances due to era gap.
Documentary films featuring (titles and links)
Featured posthumously in poker history documentaries highlighting early WSOP and road gambler era.
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
Limited formal interviews archived; known mostly through contemporaries’ books and anecdotes.
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
Not applicable; posthumous mentions only.
Own podcast/channel (name, platform, subscriber count, link)
None.
Facebook (account link)
No Facebook presence.
YouTube channel (name, subscriber count, link)
No personal YouTube channel.
Twitch channel (name, follower count, link)
No Twitch presence.
TikTok presence (account link, follower count)
No TikTok presence.
LinkedIn profile (link)
No LinkedIn profile; pre-web era.
Posting frequency in social media
Not applicable due to time period.
Type of content in social media
Not applicable.
Current sponsors (company names, deal details if public)
No known sponsorships during career.
Sponsorship contract history (previous sponsors, dates)
No historical sponsorship deals recorded.
Poker site ambassadorship (site names, contract details)
None.
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
No documented business ventures outside poker.
Poker project investments (project names, involvement details)
No known poker industry investments.
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
No documented coaching services or efforts.
Coaching rates (if public)
Not applicable.
Educational materials (book titles with ISBN, course names with platforms, video series titles with links)
No known authored poker educational materials.
Affiliate programs (program names, partnerships)
None.
Merchandise (product types, where sold, links)
None.
Written poker books (titles, publication years, ISBN, publisher)
No authored poker books; featured in others’ books such as Doyle Brunson’s "Super System."
Training series participation (series names, platforms, links)
No participation in training series.
Masterclasses and seminars (event names, dates, locations)
No masterclasses or seminars held.
Coaching work (platforms used, student testimonials)
Not documented.
Notable students (names if public, their achievements)
No known coaching students.
YouTube educational content (video titles, view counts, links)
None.
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Referenced in poker history and player profile articles by poker media outlets.
Magazine columns (magazine names, column titles, frequency)
Did not write regular poker columns.
Conference speaking (conference names, dates, topics, video links)
No recorded conference speeches or appearances.
Poker scandal involvement (scandal names, details, outcomes)
No involvement in poker scandals.
Accusations of unfair play (specific incidents, resolutions)
No cheating accusations recorded.
Casino/room conflicts (venue names, incident details)
No casino or poker room conflicts documented.
Legal proceedings (case details, outcomes, court documents)
No public legal proceedings involving Roberts.
Public disputes with colleagues (names involved, details)
No known public disputes with other players.
Tournament rule violations (tournament names, violations, penalties)
No recorded tournament rule violations.
Tax issues (if public, details, resolutions)
No tax-related public issues known.
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
Faced industry typical criticism of risk-taking and unstable bankroll but generally respected.
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
No specific public statements responding to criticism documented.
Poker industry awards (award names, years, organizations)
Posthumous induction to Poker Hall of Fame in 2012.
Hall of Fame inclusion (hall names, induction years)
Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2012 recognizing his impact on poker.
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
Highly respected by peers such as Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim.
Poker publication awards (publication names, award types, years)
No other poker publication awards documented.
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
Notable as one of the original WSOP players and 1975 Main Event champion, pioneering modern tournament poker.
Records associated with name (record descriptions, verification)
Among the first few WSOP Main Event champions, solidified legacy in poker history.
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Key contributor to establishment of WSOP’s prestige and poker’s rise in the 1970s.
Charity tournaments (tournament names, amounts raised, beneficiaries)
No records of participation in charity poker events.
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Regarded as an iconic figure in poker history for pioneering tournament success and legendary road gambler persona.
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
Influenced the popularization of poker tournaments and the road gambler culture foundational to modern poker.
WSOP (World Series of Poker) - all events all years
1975 | United States | World Series of Poker | Binion's Horseshoe, Las Vegas | Main Event | $10,000 NLHE | 1st | $210,000 | 21 | |||| 1974 | United States | World Series of Poker | Binion's Horseshoe, Las Vegas | Event #4: $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw | $5,000 | 1st | $35,850 | |||| 1973 | United States | World Series of Poker | Binion's Horseshoe, Las Vegas | Main Event | $10,000 NLHE | 6th | | 13 | |||| 1974 | United States | World Series of Poker | Binion's Horseshoe, Las Vegas | Main Event | $10,000 NLHE | 3rd | | 16 | |||| 1985 | United States | World Series of Poker | Binion's Horseshoe, Las Vegas | Main Event | $10,000 NLHE | 8th | | 140 |
No commentary work documented.