Sunshine Poker League Makes Their Debut

2019 Bar Poker Open National Championship
Level 6: 300/600
Day 1A Entries: 513

Clay Brechter (left) with Donnie Sunshine (right)

Donnie Sunshine was a member of Riverchasers Poker Tour for fifteen years, living in Philadelphia. After about six years of saving up he took the leap of faith and drove cross country, crossing off an item on his bucket list, to pursue his passion.

He got to California for the first time and immediately went and set up the aptly named Sunshine Poker League.

“I bought insurance, I got $1,200 worth of cards, chips,  tables, everything I needed.. I went to the local bars and let them know what my idea was.”

A short time later he secured four venues but wasn’t seeing the traction he’d hoped. Attendance was off to a slow start but Donnie wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“I kept pushing and pushing. I promoted, I went on Facebook and added 3,500 people, whatever it took.” Eventually his hard work paid off, they now get around forty to fifty people at every venue who absolutely love to play.

“Back at Riverchasers I had a lot of strangers that turned into friends that turned into family… that’s my line” Donnie says as he points to his bracelet reading that motto.

Nine months later 58 of his players were invited to the Bar Poker Open National Championship, at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas and Donnie couldn’t be prouder.

“They didn’t know the game, they are just learning. Some of them this is their first time in a casino.”

One player especially, Clay Brechter became Donnie’s protege. “I love the game, I’m a chess player and I just love the mental math. He would text me questions every day. I would help him out and teach him every little thing I knew. Once you learn and get good at something, it’s not really gambling, it’s more of an investment”

Now Brechter is playing for at least $50,000, life changing money.

“I’m so happy, I’ve never been happier. I have two rules when they come to venue, Give me a hug and sign in. That’s it. If I could do this for the rest of my life I’d be the happiest person”