Alex Brenes “Tijo“

Birthplace
San Jose, Costa Rica

Birthday
January 17

Total Winnings
$175,000

Alex was born in San Jose, Costa Rica and was called Tijo as far back as elementary school. The name refers to a small but very energetic blackbird and has stuck with Alex throughout his life. In his youth, he followed the paths of his older brothers, Humberto and Eric, and went into family business with them. In the early 1990's, poker became more than a hobby when he traveled to Las Vegas and placed in the money in a poker tournament. He began traveling around the United States and making a name for himself on the circuit.

By 1994, Alex was cashing at the World Series of Poker, even making a final table in the $2500 pot-limit hold'em event, and he was demonstrating his wide range of poker skills in a variety of events. In 2001, he came the closest to winning a WSOP bracelet but finished as the runner-up in the $3000 limit hold'em event. Within a few years, choosing again to follow the lead of his older brother Humberto, he wound up on the World Poker Tour circuit, which would prove to be the place he would find the most success yet in his poker career.

In January of 2005, Alex placed 11th at the WPT PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, just missing the final table but would make up for that at the next stop on the tour in Los Angeles. With an incredibly aggressive performance, the support of his family, and what seemed to be the moment that the quiet Brenes brother would come out of his shell, he won the WPT Invitational at the L.A. Poker Classic for the $100,000 grand prize. In the subsequent Battle of Champions, he placed third, and he continues to frequent the WPT circuit. He enjoys the poker life of travel and challenge, but he finds the most enjoyment in the Casino Europa poker room in Costa Rica, which is where his closest friends and family gather to play.