The poker world received shocking news on Tuesday that World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Matthew Parry, who was a week removed from winning a Wynn Summer Classic title, passed away unexpectedly. Details surrounding his passing are currently unknown.
The news was shared by Parry’s family via the following message on his Facebook account:
It’s with crushing sadness that we’re letting friends of Matt’s and our family know that Matt passed away on Saturday, June 15. As many of you are aware, he had 2 true passions – chess and poker. Happily, he was in Las Vegas attending the WSOP doing what he loved when he died. Last year, he fulfilled his dream when he won his first bracelet. He is deeply and forever missed. At this time, arrangements are being made and we’ll use FB and email to communicate in the event you would like to join us in celebrating his life. Please keep our Matt in your prayers.
Parry, a Scholastic National Champ at chess, hailed from New York where he graduated from Fairport High School and studied at the University of Buffalo. He learned to play poker with friends and online.
He has $1,908,422 in lifetime tournament earnings according to the Hendon Mob including a career-best $480,122 for winning the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #82: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed for a gold bracelet. The win came three years after he nearly won an online bracelet finishing runner-up to Nick Guagenti in the 2020 WSOP.com Online Event #29: $2,000 NLH Deepstack.
Parry, who once told PokerNews he was “mostly a cash game player,” was off to a good start this summer finishing 11th in the 2024 WSOP Event #18: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha for $19,048, and then two days later winning the Wynn Summer Classic $2,200 Pot-Limit Omaha for $106,645. He also placed 25th in the WSOP Event #31: $3,000 NLH 6-Handed for $18,603 and 81st in Event #34: $2,500 NLH Freezeout for $5,946.
“One thing that I like about the tournament versus cash play is it feels like there’s less variance. You see a lot less re-raising and it allows you to navigate through a field like this a lot better,” Parry told PokerNews after his bracelet win last summer.
“You know what? If you have a dream of coming out to the World Series of Poker, you can do it and you should it.”
PokerNews offers condolences to the friends and family of Matthew Parry, a World Series of Poker champion.
PR & Media Manager
PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.