Chip Reese’s Indomitable Spirit in PokerBeyond the Cards:
In the hallowed halls of poker history, few names resonate as powerfully as that of Chip Reese. His time on this Earth may have been tragically short, but the fire he ignited within the poker world still burns with an intensity that refuses to be dimmed. Chip Reese, a name that evokes passion, dedication, and unwavering love for the game, stands as a testament to the heights of excellence that can be achieved through skill, strategy, and an unparalleled devotion to one’s craft. As we delve into the remarkable journey of this legendary figure, it becomes evident that his contributions, though physically modest when compared to some, cast an indelible shadow over the very essence of poker. Step by step, hand by hand, let us unravel the chronicle of Chip Reese’s life, an embodiment of the relentless pursuit of mastery, culminating in his rightful place in the prestigious Pokerology Hall of Fame.
Chip Reese: A Legendary Poker Icon
Chip Reese’s time on earth was unfortunately cut short, but while he was here, he represented the game of poker with a passion and love for the game that will have a hard time ever being matched again. His physical contributions to the game may not amount to as much as some of the other players in the Pokerology Hall of Fame.
However, he positively impacted many of the best poker players of his time. In 1979 his best friend Doyle Brunson called him one of the two best poker players in the world, and this was not that long into Reese’s career. By the time he passed away, he was considered by Brunson, among many, as the best cash game player in the history of poker. For most of his career, Reese chose to stay out of the spotlight, but there is only so long you can hide before poker fans realize how good of a player you are.
Early Beginnings and a Passion for Poker
David Edward Reese was born in Centerville, Ohio, on March 28, 1951. When he had just started school, he came down with rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease that sometimes arises after another illness, such as strep throat. The condition kept Reese home from school for almost an entire year.
His mom introduced Reese to various games, including Backgammon and Bridge, but the game that stuck out most in young Reese’s mind was poker. When he returned to school the next year, he was only six years old, but that did not keep him from playing poker against the fifth graders. Instead of using money, Reese would use baseball cards, and by the time he was done with elementary school, he’d built up a nice collection.
Education came first in the Reese household, so David worked hard and got a scholarship to Dartmouth University, one of the premier colleges in America. He even turned down an offer from Harvard. Reese majored in economics, which was good because he knew what to do with all the money he was winning in poker games against his fellow students and professors. Reese left such an impression on Dartmouth they named a card room after him in later years. Despite excelling in poker, Reese decided to attend law school and was accepted by Stanford Law, another premier school.
A Serendipitous Turn in Las Vegas
A funny thing happened on the way to Stanford. On his way to attend school, Reese stopped in Las Vegas. The $400 bankroll he brought with him was to have a little fun, but by the end of the trip, Reese had won a tournament for $60,000. He decided he would not be attending Stanford almost immediately after winning. Reese called his friends and family and told them he would be moving to Las Vegas and never moved again.
Mastering Seven Card-Stud and Earning the Nickname “Chip”
Reese excelled in seven card-stud, and in 1979 the biggest legend of the game, Doyle Brunson, asked if Reese would write the stud section of his book “Super System.” Reese had only been in Las Vegas for a couple of years, so this was the biggest honor you could get. Reese accepted, and it was here that Brunson called him one of the best young poker players. Additionally, by this time, Reese had earned his nickname “Chip” because, more often than not, he ended up with all the chips on the table by the end of the night.
Dominating Cash Games and Shining in Tournaments
Reese considered himself a cash game player and never fully enjoyed poker tournaments. However, that didn’t stop him from excelling in them too. Reese won three World Series of Poker bracelets, the first in 1978 for the $1,000 Seven-Card Stud-split event, garnering the attention of Brunson. The second came in the $5,000 Limit Seven Card Stud event in 1982, and his final bracelet came in 2006, in what is considered one of the greatest final tables of all time.
Triumphant Return and Legendary Final Table
Reese took a long break from tournament action but was compelled to return in 2004 when his kids started asking them why they did not see him on T.V. In 2006, his kids would see him on T.V. at an epic final table that would be shown on television for as long as poker lives. It was the first year of the $50,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. Tournament.
Some professionals had complained that “anyone” could win a bracelet now because of how many events the W.S.O.P. had grown to, and they wanted an event that was theirs. Reese made the tournament his when he outlasted eight of the biggest names in poker at the final table. Those with him at the final table in the order they finished were Andy Block, Phil Ivey, Jim Betchel, T.J. Cloutier, David Singer, Dewey Tomko, Brunson, and Patrick Antonius. The final table lasted over 12 hours, while the heads-up battle lasted over seven hours.
Legacy of Achievement and Untimely Departure
More than 15 years before winning what most consider the toughest tournament ever, Reese was the youngest member ever elected to the Poker Hall of Fame. In 1991, at just 40 years old, Reese entered into poker immortality.
Sadly on December 4, 2007, Reese passed away at his Las Vegas home after telling his family and friends he had pneumonia-like symptoms. Some of his friends, including Barry Greenstein, think the result of his death may have been from a blood clot due to his gastric bypass surgery. Others believe that it could even go way back to when he had rheumatic fever, as that illness has been known to cause heart valve defects. While we may never know the true cause of death,, Reese gave his all to poker while he was with us. As with anything, it is tough to speculate what could have been, but while he was here, he showed what he was capable of in all forms of poker. It is our honor to enter Chip Reese into the inaugural class of the Pokerology Hall of Fame.
