It is always hard to hear about fellow poker players passing away, but it is especially tragic when their last experience is playing a poker tournament – Everygame Poker players or not. On March 2, poker player Mark "Doc" Toulouse collapsed during a Texas Card House #300 NLH tournament and later passed away.
According to reports, Toulouse collapsed when players were already in the money. Even though he was taken to hospital in the middle of the event, he still finished in 26th place, winning a cash prize of $1,457. But unfortunately, Toulouse wasn't aware of his win, as he passed away after arriving at the hospital.
A spokesperson for TCH provided an update on the day after the incident, stating that Toulouse had a heart attack while at the poker club. As the ambulance took care of him, the establishment staff blinded his stack, and they plan on contacting his family to make sure they get the money their loved one won.
Mark "Doc" Toulouse's Life and Career
Born in Canada, Toulouse worked as a professor at Emmanuel College, retiring in 2017. Around the same time, he started taking poker more seriously, even though his first recorded win took place in 2014.
However, Doc's number of recorded wins skyrocketed once he became a prominent figure in the Texas poker scene. Over the years, Toulouse participated in more than 160 recorded games, earning $553,419 in the process. In 2023 he won 1st place at a WSOP event, leaving the table with $7,642, and a few days later, he won 1st place in a North Texas Series of Poker event.
But his biggest cash win took place in 2022, as he won 1st place in the $250,000 Guaranteed End of Summer event in Dallas, earning $89,197 on that spectacular day.
After his passing, Toulouse's family wrote on social media: " He died last night in dramatic fashion during a game of poker in a community that I know has meant a lot to him over the last few years… We are all a bit shellshocked today, but are working to make arrangements to celebrate the incredible life of our Dad."
Joining the family in posting about the deceased poker pro was Matt Savage, posting on X: " One of our @ClubWPT Stream Team Family…passed away at the table last night…while in the money of an event. If you ever met or played with him you’d remember, he was a great guy that went out doing what he loved."
Goodbye, Dear Friend
The poker community is not small, but every loss is felt keenly by fellow players. We offer our condolences to Tolouse's friends and family.