Poker legend passes away

POKER legend “Amarillo Slim”, Thomas Preston junior sadly passed away on Sunday morning after a long illness. He was 83 years old & died surrounded by his family. In a statement released after his death, his family said: “We hope everyone will remember our beloved Amarillo Slim for all the positive things he did for poker & to popularise his favourite game, Texas Hold’em.”

Along with veterans like Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim was playing poker, making money & dodging the law at cash games around the United States long before the game became a mass media international phenomenon with multi-million dollar televised tournaments & prizes.

The tall Texan won four live tournament championship bracelets, one of them a World Series of Poker main event back in 1972. He was inducted into Poker’s Hall of Fame in 1992, & played at WSOP level right up to 2008.