Todd Terry, one of the most respected pros and online forum voices from the height of the poker boom, passed away this week aged 48 after bravely battling a degenerative brain disease for most of the past decade...
Ohio-born Terry, who graduated from Harvard College and New York University Law School, gave up a promising law career in Manhattan to become a poker professional in the poker boom of the noughties.
Todd is described in his obituary in the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper as “a consummate scholar-athlete, graduating with top honors...” adding that he was involved in “several high-profile, front-page news trials,” as a lawyer before turning his attention to poker.
That transition to poker saw Todd bring the same level of intelligence and ability to the green felt, cashing for $2,366,635 across a decade of tournament play.
His biggest cash came in 2009 with a runner-up spot worth $434,767 at the Borgata Winter Open in Atlantic City, with two other 6-figure scores on his resume, narrowly missing out on a WSOP in 2007.
Todd’s last cash came at the beginning of 2015, after which his battle with the degenerative and incurable brain condition Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) ended his career.
News of his passing was met with shock and sadness among the poker community, a selection of remembrance and condolence messages on Twitter below:
- RIP to Todd Terry, an OG tournament grinder and prolific poster on 2+2. Todd was always curious and courteous, no matter how much flak he caught for posting crazy hands. We’ll miss you on the felt man. – Tony Dunst
- RIP Todd Terry. I’ll never forgot for those 2+2 posts, those ridiculous 3 bets, Those meals (always an adventure), friendship, tourney break needles and more – Christian Harder
- I'm very sad to hear of the death of pro poker player Todd Terry at age 48 from a brain illness. We had many great online discussions on the 2+2 forums in the poker boom and shared a handful of meals at tour stops. He was extremely smart and willing to go his own way. RIP. – Paul Smith
PokerTube offers our sincere condolences to Todd’s family and friends. His family have asked that donations be made in his memory to either the Brain Support Network or Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.