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Sometimes life can be as fragile as a house of cards and the littlest movement or vibration can make it all tumble over. But sometimes, a good deed can zip through the cosmos and illuminate our desolate universe. Anyone who has spent an inordinate amount of time on the circuit knows that tournament poker is a cutthroat business. The word “friend” is often tossed around halfheartedly because, after all, there are no friends at the poker tables.
Las Vegas is a city built on greed and poker is a game that often attracts some of the lowest forms of life. Amidst all the darkness and debauchery, I caught a few glimpses of the bright side of humanity during the fi rst part of the 2005 WSOP; that’s when a small group of professional poker players, led by Barry Greenstein and Marcel Luske, earned my respect and admiration as they rallied around a terminally ill poker fan by the name of Charlie Tuttle. For a brief moment in time, the hearts of some of the biggest sharks in Las Vegas were fi lled with compassion. Although all the goodwill in the world could not prevent Charlie from dying, they reminded everyone involved that there is more to life than poker. Despite the fact that none of the people involved had ever met Charlie Tuttle before, his story still affected many of their lives, the pinnacle of which occurred during a very special night in Las Vegas when Barry Greenstein won a bracelet and dedicated it to Charlie Tuttle.
Charlie was a twenty-six-year-old music enthusiast from Clarksville, Tennessee who loved ice hockey, hanging out with friends, and playing poker. Charlie was dealt a bad hand in life when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, which he courageously battled during the fi rst part of 2005. He could have complained about his terrible situation or just given up right away, but that was not Charlie’s way. He continued to live life to the fullest, attending hockey games, and playing as much poker as he could. However, at the start of the 2005 WSOP, Charlie was hospitalized with breathing problems after two tumors in his chest pressed up against his lungs.
I never met Charlie, but we had a mutual friend in Jason “Spaceman” Kirk. Spaceman and Charlie were best friends. Probably my most interesting Charlie Tuttle story involved me issuing him a wicked bad beat in an online tournament several months earlier. It was an ugly hand where I cracked both pocket aces and pocket kings with 7-2 off-suit, a.k.a. “The Hammer.” Charlie was a good sport about the hand and said he felt honored to have been on that end of a bad beat from me. I collected a bounty for knocking out Charlie and he was generous enough to mail me a Nashville Predator’s hockey puck. I felt bad about snapping off his aces, so I sent him a Phish bootleg.
Looking back at that moment, I often wondered what was going through Charlie’s mind after that bad beat. When faced with your impending mortality, getting busted from a tournament is the least of your problems. I guess that’s why I am now able to take bad beats in stride; whenever I fi nd myself about to go on mega-tilt and curse out the donkey who rivered me, I take a deep breath and remind myself about Charlie’s struggle. The sobering fact that I’m alive and enjoying poker while Charlie is not always humbles me and puts everything in perspective.
Charlie’s favorite poker player was Marcel Luske. He adored the Flying Dutchman. Spaceman wondered if I could encourage Marcel to give Charlie a call since that would lift his spirits. I told my friend Flipchip the story and a couple of hours later, Flipchip tracked down Marcel in the hallway. We told Marcel the situation and he agreed to speak to Charlie. I called Charlie, who was lying in his hospital bed. We had a brief conversation even though he struggled to speak. I told Charlie that someone special wanted to talk to him and handed my phone to Marcel. He and Charlie spoke for ten minutes.
Spaceman later told me that Charlie was laughing for the fi rst time in ages. I was also blown away by Marcel’s compassion. He was in the middle of playing in a tournament and still took time away from the tables to speak with Charlie. A couple of days later, Marcel stopped by media row to ask me how Charlie had been doing. You often hear a lot of bad things about gamblers and poker players, especially in Las Vegas – a dreary city where evil lurks behind every turn of the card. But Marcel’s altruism was refreshing to see, especially because his random act of goodness became infectious and other pros quickly got involved.
My friend Felicia Lee also knew Charlie and took it upon herself to fi nd as many pros as she could and ask them to do something to help shine a little light in Charlie’s world. Max Pescatori, Barry Greenstein, and John Juanda called Charlie in the hospital. More pros attempted to call, but Charlie’s conditioned worsened when his breathing problems intensifi ed, and he was unable to talk on the phone.
“What I really remember the most about that time is that so many people reached out to Charlie, and they made him smile while he still had enough energy to do that,” explained Spaceman on the impact of the poker community’s goodwill.
Pescatori sent Charlie a care package that included a copy of Doyle Brunson’s Super System 2, autographed by Todd Brunson, Jennifer Harman, and the legendary Doyle Brunson himself. Greenstein also sent Charlie a copy of his new book. Then when I least expected it, in one of the most amazing moments I have ever witnessed in poker, Greenstein made a bold prediction and said he was going to win a World Series of Poker event for Charlie Tuttle. Then he went out and did it.
Greenstein made the fi nal table of the $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha event along with Chris “Jesus” Ferguson and Toto Leonidas. During one of the breaks, Barry Greenstein sat in an empty audience seat and ate a cheeseburger. I wandered over and thanked him for calling Charlie. His gesture really meant a lot to Charlie, his family and friends, and to the individuals in the poker community who were aware of Charlie’s situation. Greenstein understood that a simple phone call was the least he could do.
In between bites, Greenstein told me that he was going to dedicate the win to Charlie when he won the event. He specifi cally did not say “if” he won. He said “when” he won. Greenstein is a very confi dent person, especially when it comes to his abilities at the poker table and I knew by the look in his eye that he was serious. When I thanked him again, he said something that I’ll never forget… “It’s very easy to do a good deed.”
Although we’re supposed to be impartial as members of the media, I rooted for Greenstein as he mounted a comeback. Greenstein picked up two decisive pots and busted Toto Leonidas to jump back into contention. Within an hour, Greenstein found himself heads up against Paul Vinci. It didn’t take too long before Greenstein fi nished Vinci off. He won the tournament and collected his second WSOP bracelet. Moments after his emotional victory, Greenstein asked to speak to the crowd.
“This is for you, Charlie Tuttle,” he said to the audience as a round of applause fi lled the room. Greenstein didn’t say much else because he had to rush over to play in the Pot Limit Hold’em event, which had begun earlier in the day. Greenstein and I slowly walked over to his table on the other side of the Amazon Ballroom. Along the way, I thanked him again for all his help as he fought back the tears. At that moment, the events at the World Series of Poker seemed meaningless compared to the battle that Charlie was losing.
Twenty-four hours after Barry Greenstein dedicated his bracelet to Charlie Tuttle, Charlie died at home in Clarksville, Tennessee. He was 26 years old.
The story did not end after Charlie passed away. Greenstein had sent the very fi rst copy of his book Ace on the River to Charlie. Although Charlie never got a chance to read the book, it was among the many items placed on the memento table at his funeral.
As Spaceman explained, “Barry Greenstein dedicating his bracelet to Charlie was a very gracious thing to do and is indicative of why he’s a step above so many others in the game in terms of class. I just think that for those of us here in Tennessee, because of the timing, Barry’s gestures after Charlie’s death were really more impressive and meant a lot more than the bracelet win. The following January at the World Poker Open in Tunica, he met up with Charlie’s parents, spent the day with them, and then took them out to a really nice dinner. I know he has also sought them out on return trips to Tunica. Anyone can dedicate a bracelet, and it’s really cool to do so, but to stay involved after the fact is much more impressive.”
Three years after Barry Greenstein won his bracelet at the 2005 WSOP, Charlie Tuttle’s story continues to be an inspiration to many people in the poker community. Although Charlie’s spirit will live on forever, he is still missed dearly by his friends and family.
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