Chip Reese dead at 56
According to numerous sources, including 2+2, Wicked Chops Poker and Full Contact Poker (Daniel Negreanu's site), one of the greatest players in the history of poker, David "Chip" Reese, has died at the age of 56.
Joe Sebok just confirmed this tragic news for Ante Up. "He was so young," Sebok said. "I was just talking to Bear (Joe's dad, Barry Greenstein) and we're shocked. I used to go into Bobby's Room (at the Bellagio in Las Vegas) and would tell Bear about a hand I just had, and Chip would always ask 'What was the situation, what were the hands?' To see somebody pipe up while he was playing for millions of dollars to hear the details of a meaningless hand just shows you how much he loved poker and how great he was. I have nothing but good memories of Chip; he was truly a mentor to me and we're just crushed."
This is truly a sad day. Mr. Reese, considered by many of his peers to be the greatest mixed game and stud player to ever step foot in a casino, recently had been feeling ill and reportedly died in his sleep. He re-emerged into the spotlight just last year after his children encouraged him to play more televised tournaments, ultimately winning the $50K HORSE event at the World Series of Poker in 2006. Winner of three WSOP bracelets and more than $3-million in tournament earnings, Mr. Reese was a major contributor to the 7-Card Stud chapter in Doyle Brunson's first edition of Super/System.
He will be missed.
We will have more on this story as it develops and we will reflect on Mr. Reese during our show on Friday.
UPDATE: Here is an official statement I just received from the Brunsons:
Doyle: “I have lost one of my oldest and dearest friends today. He was one of the most unique individuals I have ever known and poker has lost one of the greats today.”
Todd: “I have lost a mentor and friend today. He was like a family member to me.”
Funeral arrangement and donation information will be released along with an official statement in the next couple of days.
-- Chris
Photo from Getty Images
Christopher Cosenza is co-host of the longest running poker podcast on the planet, Ante Up! He started playing poker seriously in 2003 and his favorite players are Phil Ivey and Kenna James, though he tends to act like Phil Hellmuth if you make a bad play against him.
Scott Long, Ante Up!'s other co-host, is the author of the monthly Bet on It column in tbt*. He began gambling way too young (don't tell the fuzz!) and in the seventh grade, named his state "Gambleland" for a school project (State Animal? Loan shark, of course).
The passing of one of the best. R.I.P.
Posted by: PokerKnight | December 04, 2007 at 02:58 PM
Being a huge skins fan and Poker fan, hope things don't really happen in 3's...
RIP Chip
Posted by: Tom | December 04, 2007 at 03:34 PM
This is a sad day. I always admired his composure at the table. He took the bad beats and the monster wins the same way. With class.
Nice job on getting that quote Chris.
Posted by: OhCaptain | December 04, 2007 at 03:48 PM
One of the good guys.
Posted by: Godard | December 04, 2007 at 03:50 PM
A class act that will be forever missed.
Posted by: gadzooks64 | December 04, 2007 at 05:51 PM
Stunning. Our prayers go out to his family. Go in Peace Mr. Reese.
Posted by: viii_ball | December 04, 2007 at 06:38 PM
Sad. Just saw this on Full Tilt.
Posted by: crawlingOz | December 04, 2007 at 06:42 PM
What a sad day and news to hear. I have watched Chip Reese on numerous occasions on the TV when he was in a tournament. Such a good mind for poker and played for the love of the game. I tip my hat and bow my head in a moment of silence for a good man and a great player.
Posted by: John Grillo | December 04, 2007 at 07:48 PM
What a huge loss for the poker world. I have a short list of players I would like to meet. He was near the top.
Posted by: Popeye39 | December 04, 2007 at 09:01 PM
Very sad. He is one of the greats. Classy, talented, too young.
It seemed he was looking a little worn and tired in recent years, for such a young man. When I heard the news, it was a big surprise, but somehow not a total shock. I wonder what his ailment was...
My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Posted by: ChicagoJason | December 04, 2007 at 11:47 PM
I just read about Chip, and I have a terrible hollow feeling inside. By all accounts he was a great man, awesome father, and incrediable poker player. I feel real bad that I will never get to meet him, but my heart goes out to the family and the people that have called him a true friend.
RIP..........
Posted by: nate_46 | December 05, 2007 at 12:31 AM
I was playing on FullTilt last night at Jen Harmen's 3/6 Stud8 table. She was there with Howard and they were talking about it. They were just saying how sad it was, how unexpected, how Jenn had talked to Chip that day about playing at the Bellagio today.
Full Tilt did a very nice thing by stopping play on every table for a good 3 minutes and giving Chip a moment of silence.
Howard and Jenn also went onto say that Doyle is taking this really hard. Howard said you can see what sort of impact Chip had on people when guys like Doyle, Gus, and Chau(guys who can lose $1million in a night and not care)are crying.
Posted by: Erik | December 05, 2007 at 08:14 AM
Wow!
This has to be a pretty tough day for the Big Game folks who knew Chip so well. I wonder if the Bellagio is going to do something for him today.
Ante-up nation will be happy to know that the new broke AFTER Rounders taped their show this week so for once, Scott and Chris will have "fresh" news for us on Friday and Rounders will be late on the news.
Posted by: Chi-Guy | December 05, 2007 at 10:59 AM
Truly sad news. My condolences to his friends and family.
Posted by: Nikademus | December 05, 2007 at 01:34 PM
A great shock, I can't believe it the guy looked so well. RIP
Posted by: Boil | December 07, 2007 at 01:28 PM
Very sad day indeed, Chip was a legend
Posted by: getpokerskills | December 07, 2007 at 09:37 PM
What a sad, sad, loss. All I had ever heard about Chip was that he was a class act. We left an empty chair at our weekly game in his memory last night, and I think it would be fitting for the WSOP to memorialize Chip in the same way, most likely in the HORSE event this summer.
Posted by: Grammar-Nazi | December 11, 2007 at 10:42 AM