Allen Cunningham - The Best Of The New Generation?

Everyone knows the names of the legends of poker who toiled along the dusty roads of Texas and helped to bring what was, at one time, an illegal gambling event to becoming a legitimate life and career. Brunson, Cloutier and others are a few of those names who, with the "New Generation" of poker players, have made poker into a spectator sport here in the 21st century. But who is the best of these younger players that are still making history today? Many would say that Phil Ivey is the best, while others might choose Erick Lindgren, Daniel Negreanu or John Juanda. Quietly, like an assassin stalking his quarry, Allen Cunningham is a player who has not only the resume to back up his claim to the title but has also demonstrated that he has the game to be a force for years to come.

Allen Cunningham was born in Riverside, CA in 1977 and currently lives in Las Vegas. From an early age, he showed a propensity for card games as he routinely beat his family members in home games. He continued his love of the game throughout his early years in high school, but they exploded during his college years at UCLA. He was able to seriously work on his game in the Indian casinos of California and, once he turned 21 and was able to take his game to the casinos and card rooms of the West, started on the course that would lead him to poker greatness and potential immortality.

Cunningham continued to hone his tournament skills (and in all forms of poker) and the work paid off. In 1999, he achieved his first significant championship when he took the Seven Card Stud title at the United States Poker Championship in Atlantic City. 1999 was also the same year that Allen competed for the first time in the World Series of Poker and, along with the rest of his work for the year, his achievements marked that he was someone that the poker world would have to take notice of.

1999 was also important in the formation of a loose association of players that could be called the "Original Crew". Cunningham hooked up with Juanda, Negreanu, Ivey and Layne Flack as they all began their tournament poker careers at the same time. These early years were formative for all of them because they could replay important hands, talk strategy and share ideas as they began their careers. The impact of this group has been particularly felt as tournament poker has become the lucrative field that it is today and they have gone on to great success in the poker world, including Juanda, Ivey, Flack and Cunningham being a part of Team Full Tilt.

Throughout his career, Cunningham has cashed in over 100 tournaments and has tournament victories around the world. He is the proud owner of four World Series of Poker bracelets and, with a victory at this year's World Series of Poker and making the final table of the Championship Event (where he finished fourth), has made 25 cashes there alone. He has also done well on the World Poker Tour where, while not winning a championship, has made two final tables and cashed in eight tournaments in WPT history. All totaled, Cunningham has made over $8 million in his poker career.

Allen is probably one of the most in-depth thinkers in poker when he is involved in a hand. He silently considers every option before making his move and, normally, deduces the correct action to take. He is not only a threat at the Hold 'Em tournaments that he enters but has also shown that he has skills that cross the gamut of games that could come up in any poker room. Away from the table, Allen is almost shy but he is always willing to talk to fans and assist them with their game.

While not as flashy as some of the other young players in the game or as active in the marketing side of poker today, Allen Cunningham may very well be the best of the "New Generation" of poker. He continues to demonstrate on the tables that he will be around the game for some time to come and, through his dedication to improvement of his game and amazing analytical skills, could potentially end up being spoken about as one of the legends of the game when he eventually concludes his career.

Ed Note: Allen plays poker online at Full Tilt Poker. Join him there, and find out what makes him tick.

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