Poker pro Layne "Back to Back" Flack, who turned 52 in May, passed away Monday afternoon. Details on his death weren't available at the time of publishing.
News spread around Twitter quickly, beginning with Randy Ohel, who is among the top mixed cash game players in the world. Ohel shared brief details with his Twitter followers, but didn't disclose the cause of death. What we know at this point is he passed away in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas.
"I’ve just heard that Layne Flack was found dead within the past hour. It’s a really, really sad loss and he will be missed by everyone who knew him," Ohel tweeted.
Poker community mourns Layne Flack passing
Flack's passing hit the poker world hard on Monday. He was a beloved member of the community and a legendary pro. The South Dakota-born gambler received a fond farewell from poker Twitter following the news of his passing.
"Just got a great quote from Huck Seed about how @back2backflack died - “He must have been murdered no fucking way an OD could kill that guy” Layne would have loved that RIP great friend," Eli Elezra wrote.
Elezra's tweet goes to show the type of impact Flack had on the poker community. The late great gambler was considered one of the most entertaining players to watch on television during the poker boom era. His goofy demeanor on the felt and sense of humor made him perfect for televised poker shows that he appeared on, such as Poker After Dark. Poker Hall of Famer Jennifer Harman echoed Elezra's sentiments and shared another personal story.
"A while, while back, I staked Layne Flack. There were 6 rules that he agreed to. The first night he broke them all. We laughed about it and then business as usual. Rest in Peace Layne. Gonna miss your infectious laugh," Harman tweeted.
"RIP Layne Flack! As a child of the boom he was a big part of growing up in poker!," Brandon Cowles wrote.
Daniel Negreanu, who played cards with Flack numerous times over the years, shared a picture with the late poker pro on Twitter.
"RIP Layne Flack… We go way, way back and I’ll cherish all the crazy memories. Knowing Layne, I imagine he would want us all to celebrate his life and share some laughs about the good old days," Negreanu posted.
All-around talented poker player
Layne Flack was one of the greatest poker players during the early part of the 21st century. Matt Savage, the WPT's executive director, referred to him as "the best in the world" in the early 2000s, "and it's not even close."
That comment isn't so silly when you consider Flack's accomplishments. He won six World Series of poker bracelets, one of only 16 players in history to reach that plateau. His first title came in 1999, a $224,400 score for winning a $3,000 pot-limit hold'em event. Flack's sixth and final WSOP title was in 2008 in $1,500 pot-limit Omaha for $577,725.
He also won a World Poker Tour title in 2003 at the WPT Invitational in Los Angeles, which paid $125,300. Flack reached 10 WPT final tables, including a runner-up finish to Howard Lederer at the World Poker Tour finals during the WPT's first season in 2002. In total, he cashed for just north of $5 million in live tournaments throughout his illustrious career.
Flack, whose cause of death is unknown at this point, leaves behind a 26-year-old daughter, Hailey. He resided in Las Vegas at the time of death, the place he called home the past 25 years.
Featured image source: Flickr
