Tribute to a Poker Player

[O Doyle Rules]

I lost a very close friend today. He died after a year long battle with cancer.

My friend loved to play poker. In his younger days, he was the type of player that was in the game until the last card was dealt. I remember many times we would play all night long, go eat breakfast together, and then go to work. Some of my best memories of him were around the poker table.

My friend was a real poker player. (However, probably many at this forum would call him "fish".) For him, it wasn't about the winning and losing. It was for the talking, joking, laughing and really enjoying each other's company. This was the REASON why he played. Not to see if he could take the last dollar out of my pocket or anyone else's that was in the game.

My friend lived with many health problems for well over a decade. Heart problems and diabetes forced him into early disability and the diabetes eventually caused him to become legally blind.

I introduced him to the world of online poker a few years ago. Even though being legally blind, he was able to play with the help of a magnifying glass. That was a sight to watch my friend play online poker with a magnifying glass in one hand and his other hand clicking the mouse to call, (which he did alot of) raise, or fold (which he did very little). Online poker provided him with many hours of enjoyment.

He dreamed about going to Vegas to play in the WSOP. Unfortunately, that dream never came true for him. When I was fortunate enough play in the WSOP, he lived the experience vicariously through me.

My friend was not a rich man in the terms of how most of you would define it. However, I consider him to be richer than the players with the largest win rates and the biggest bankrolls that post on this forum. You see, I count the number of friends this man acquired during his lifetime in terms of how rich he was.

I envision being with him again one day, sitting around a poker table, laughing, joking and enjoying each other's company. You see, I believe God loves poker players too. (Especially ones that are like my friend.)

My heart aches today because I lost a very close friend. He was a POKER PLAYER.

[Yogi Rob]

My sincere condolences on the loss of your friend and thank you for this heartwarming eulogy.

[eleventy]

Sorry to hear. Donking it up with good friends is right up there with winning big pots.

[ewile]

Condolences. Very nice words.

[Bobo Fett]

Very eloquent...sounds like you were both very fortunate to have one another for friends. Warmest wishes for you and all of his other loved ones as well.

[BruinEric]

Nice post, thanks. Poker and competition can get mean-spirited, especially when its between strangers. I enjoy puny-stake games with my friends on occasion, and its very fun and some of the nicest memories I have with them.

My condolences on your loss. God bless you.

[RGL]

Poker players are a fraternity, even though we sometimes act willing to eat our own. A lot of this game is about heart, and he had it in spades.

Your words are a wonderful tribute to a friend. I wish I had met him over the felt. Who knows, maybe he's playing now in a game that makes the WSOP look like a pool of pikers.

[JCCARL]

My condolences. Good friends are hard to come by. He is proud of you today.

[O Doyle Rules]

Thanks to everyone for all the kind sentiments.

They are greatly appreciated.

[dogmeat]

Nice.

The end of a good life should be a celebration - thanks for sharing.

No words can be spoken to diminish the good that friends do in life, and after they leave us.

Dogmeat [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]