It is with shock and great sadness that the poker world has learned of the death of Layne Flack. The man known as “Back to Back Flack” was found in his home on Monday after passing in his sleep at the age of 52.
The response from fellow poker pros was swift, with Mike Matusow saying he felt “gutted” after hearing the news, and Phil Hellmuth calling him legendary. Daniel Negreanu said via Twitter that he and Layne went “way back”, and “Knowing Layne, I imagine he would want us all to celebrate his life and share some laughs about the good old days”.
Flack first rose to prominence in the late 90’s and became a well known figure in the glory days of the online poker boom soon after. Born and raised in South Dakota, Flack made a living in small card rooms in Montana prior to heading to Vegas to find fame as a professional.
He earned his “Back to Back Flack” nickname when he won two WSOP bracelets at consecutive events in 2002 and 2003. He earned more that $5 million in tournament winnings over his career. The death of Layne Flack is one more awful reminder of the fragility and fleeting nature of life. You can read more at Card Player.