He was born in San Jose, Costa Rica in 1951. He currently resides in San Jose, Costa Rica, and is married, with 3 children.
Background
Humberto began a career in gambling by playing baccarat but later made his way into poker, starting to play tournaments from 1974 onwards and became a regular tournament player and a professional in 1988.
Winnings
Brenes has won over $1.5 million in poker to date, and has done so through collecting 2 WSOP bracelets and regular money finishes (40 in his career) in WSOP and WPT tournaments.
Some Recent Winnings
Tournament / Event
2005 Festa al Lago IV
No-Limit Hold'em Final Day
2005 36th Annual World Series of Poker
No-Limit Hold'em Final Day
2005 36th Annual World Series of Poker
No-Limit Hold'em Final Day
2005 36th Annual World Series of Poker
Pot-Limit Hold'em Final Day
2005 36th Annual World Series of Poker
Limit Hold'em Shootout Final Day
2005 36th Annual World Series of Poker
No-Limit Hold'em Short Handed (6/Table) Final Day
2005 L.A. Poker Classic
No-Limit Hold'em Final Day
Speciality
Brenes specialises in hold'em games. His career statistics would suggest that limit hold'em is his strongest game, as he has 3 career runner-up places in limit hold'em and most of his winnings come from that game. No limit hold'em is also one of Humberto's favored games. In his debut WSOP event he finished 4th and recent final table finishes at WPT events would further argue his case.
Weaknesses: Perhaps his laid back personality causes him to play too loosely at times, as seen in the WPT when he lost to Phil Laak heads up. I'm not quite sure as to what his weaker game is, but he has played in many prestigious final tables of 7 card stud and pot limit omaha.
Style
Humberto is undoubtedly one of the most charismatic and unique players in the world and is one of the most popular players on tour. His unique dress sense makes him easy to spot at tournaments as he tends to wear bright tracksuits, two pairs of glasses on top of each other and a visor. He is never shy in table talk and most fellow professionals acknowledge that he has a unique "latin charm" to him which makes him extremely entertaining to watch. One of his notable escapades on the World Poker Tour is to do a running start to his chips before moving them all in.
His two brothers, Eric and Alex Brenes are also professional poker players.
Cash Games: 7
Tournaments: 8
Emotional Stability: 8
Heart: 9
Short Handed: 8
Ring Game: 7
Limit Hold'em: 9