[4] Brunson's nickname "Darkhorse" comes from a tournament he played early in his career, where he was reckoned to be a huge underdog, but outlasted the likes of poker legend Chip Reese.

[citation needed] Brunson competed in the Poker Superstars 2 Grand Final against Johnny Chan.

[5] In 2006, Brunson competed in the Poker Superstars 3 Grand Final against Antonio Esfandiari and defeated him by winning the first three matches in a best three out of five heads-up format.

[6] In 2006, Brunson competed in the Poker Superstars 2 quarter-finalists freeroll and took home the $500,000 first prize after defeating Ted Forrest in the final heads-up confrontation.

[8][9] Brunson won over $13.5 million in a two-day span in a heads-up, $50,000-$100,000 limit hold-em game,[when?]