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Last week, the poker world stated goodbye to David Goldberg, a beloved member of the group. The WSOP bracelet winner and long-standing fixture of the Atlantic City poker scene was 74, passing away from problems as a result of COVID.
Goldberg was born on June 18, 1949 in Atlantic City, seemingly destined to be a gambler. When he was simply 13, his grandmother gave him cash for books, which he as an alternative guess on the horse monitor. As the story goes, he then shared his winnings along with his grandmother.
“My brother was a relentless optimist,” stated David’s brother Howard. “‘100 to 1 is better than 100 to none.’ I must have heard that line a million times. That gambling spirit and optimism propelled him through life. When it came to having a good time, David was all in.”
The NYU graduate began out by serving to to develop his father’s firm earlier than taking over a brand new enterprise, buying a neighborhood industrial laundry and founding Atlantic City Linen Supply, which might in the end develop into one of many largest on the east coast and repair a lot of the casinos within the area.
“He took risks… often,” Howard additionally stated. “He was friends with everyone, and I do mean everyone. I liked books, he preferred bookies. But none of that mattered because David bridged all gaps. When you were in my brother’s orbit, you felt closer to him than anyone on Earth.”
When he wasn’t working his enterprise or tending to his spouse Andi and son Larry, you might discover David on the poker desk. Goldberg was a longtime common in Atlantic City cardrooms nicely earlier than the poker growth and after, and made a number of ultimate tables on the U.S. Poker Championship, which was then held on the Taj Mahal.
“Everyone loved David, and he would always help anyone that was down on their luck. Not just the poker community, he helped people in every aspect of life,” defined his good good friend Guy Cicconi. “David had a unique depth and understanding of what you were going through, and was the nicest, most loyal, and genuine a person one could ever meet.”
One such participant that Goldberg impacted was none apart from 10-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey, who was simply beginning his poker profession.
“David was just a terrific and generous person, and I knew him well during my time coming up the ranks in Atlantic City,” stated Ivey. “David even co-signed my first car loan when I was 19 years old. He will be greatly missed by anyone that ever knew him.”
In current years, Goldberg had been splitting his time between New Jersey and Florida whereas making journeys to Las Vegas for poker. Although he had come near WSOP gold earlier than at a ultimate desk again in 1999, he broke by way of in 2021, successful the WSOP Online $1,000 pot-limit Omaha event.
*Photo credit: WSOP – Melissa Haereiti, PokerGO – Antonio Abrego
*Special because of Guy Cicconi for his help.
