Poker Pro Amir Vahedi Dies
Poker lost a champion the other day – a real champ – when Amir Vahedi, poker pro and World Series of Poker bracelet winner, succumbe to complications from diabetes, confirmed his Iranian friends, and died on January 8, 2010. He was 46.
The news was released by a close friend of Vahedi’s and another accomplished and well-known poker player, Mark Seif. With great distress Seif reported on his blog that two others have confirmed Vahedi’s death. Also close with Vahedi was actor Ben Affleck who mentored under Vahedi to better his poker game.
In 2003, Amir Vagedi won Texas Holdem’ Player of the Year and in 2006 he beat Cleve Haley to win a WSOP braceleted event (his first and only WSOP bracelet), the$1,500 NL Holdem event for a $270,000 payday. He finished in 7th place at the 2008 WPT Championship at the Las Vegas Bellagio, for a $237,000 payday.
At the time of his death, Vahedi had amassed about $3 million in career winnings. But as it appears Vahedi has left no survivors to speak of, the question lingers – where’s all that money going to go?
Born in Tehran, Amir Vahedi was known for his fearless and aggressive poker playing style, mixed with a cool-headed, low-key, courteous, and respectful manner at the felt and in front of the cameras.
Many famous poker pros came out (mostly on their blogs) to express the sorrow and mourning over the loss, including Annie Duke, Phil Hellmuth, and “Hollywood” Dave Stann.
