After earning a master’s degree in economics from the University of California, Brian Townsend had a promising future. Instead of pursuing a career as a budget analyst, as he had originally intended, Townsend decided to pursue a different path. He chose an unconventional path and became a professional poker player. Over the course of his career, he has earned over $500,000 from live tournaments alone, the majority of which he has donated to charity.
Even though he is no longer a professional poker player, he has no regrets about his early career choice. This detailed biography provides information about Brian Townsend’s upbringing, his path to becoming a professional poker player, his charitable contributions, and his current activities.
Initial Years
Brian Townsend was born in the picturesque California hamlet of Dunsmuir on May 15, 1982. He was the firstborn of Richard and Loretta Townsend’s three children. His younger sisters’ names were Marsella and Macie. They frequently went on family camping excursions, savoring the nearby Mt. Shasta’s scenic beauty.
Townsend was perpetually active. He was an avid rock climber, mountain biker, and hiker. Any opportunity he had to be outside, he took it. He was the captain of his secondary school’s lacrosse team and a highly accomplished goalkeeper. He earned a scholarship to attend the University of California, Santa Barbara, due to his exceptional aptitude.
Townsend had difficulty determining his intended concentration. Townsend began his education by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in pre-medicine, initially believing that a vocation in medicine was the best option. He altered his mind midway through his sophomore year and decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in economics instead. Once he had completed that degree, he attended the University of California’s grad school to obtain his master’s degree in economics, as his new goal was to become a budget analyst.
Graduate school was when he was first exposed to poker, as his college companions played poker online nearly every night. Townsend’s first poker game was a.25/.50 Limit Hold’em game, which he lost miserably. Townsend could not tolerate losing, so he spent innumerable evenings refining his poker skills and attempting to improve as a player. Soon, he was formidable when it came to playing low-limit hold’em poker online due to his diligent work.
Over time, he began to take greater risks and play for higher stakes. He ultimately began playing No Limit Hold’em, which remains his preferred game to this day. By the time he was ready to graduate and enter the workforce, he was earning roughly as much as a budget analyst through poker. Townsend decided to become a professional poker player despite his parents’ disapproval.
Career in Professional Poker
Sabrugby, Townsend’s online alias, became a household name in the poker community. While playing on PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, he gained a reputation for his aggressive playing style and skillful bluffing. During this period, he was making about $25,000 a month on average.
His online performance earned him a place on the Game Show Network’s High Stakes Poker television series. This program features both professional and amateur players competing in a succession of No Limit Texas Hold’em cash games. Throughout his tenure on the program, Townsend was unlucky, as he lost $100,000 in just three episodes.