David "Chip" Reese, a legendary poker player who anchored one of the biggest cash games in the world and won three World Series of Poker bracelets, has died. He was 56.
Reese died in his sleep and was found by his son early Tuesday morning [December 4] at his Las Vegas home after suffering from symptoms of pneumonia, said longtime friend, poker great Doyle Brunson.
Reese is survived by a son, a daughter, a stepdaughter and a stepgrandson. He was recently divorced from his wife, Noralene Reese.
David Reese Biography from LasVegasvegas.com
Tags:David "Chip" Reese was born 1951 in Dayton, Ohio and played poker as a kid using baseball cards as currency. During his teens in Dayton, Reese regularly played in home games with WPT announcer, Mike Sexton.
Reese graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in economics. He was the best player on campus and crushed the competition. The card room at his fraternity house was named the David E. Reese Memorial Card Room in his honor.
Chip Reese was accepted into law school at Stanford University and was planning on a career as an attorney. As the legend goes, in 1974 on his way out to California to attend law school, Reese stopped off in Las Vegas and started playing poker. He won a tournament worth over $60,000 and decided to skip law school and play poker for a living. He was once quoted saying, "Law doesn't have the same monetary incentive as poker."
Reese has three WSOP bracelets and would have won more if he played more tournaments. He was too busy beating the biggest cash games in the world to waste his time with tournaments.
Reese also wrote a chapter on seven-card stud in Super System.