Nancy Thomas, a longtime presence in the South Florida poker community, has died. PokerNews reported the news on October 22 after her friend and fellow player Nancy Birnbaum shared it earlier in the week. A cause of death was not reported.
Thomas was closely associated with the tournament scene at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood. Friends and other players remembered her warmth away from the action as much as her ability at the table.
Her best-known result came during the 2017 Lucky Hearts Poker Open, where she finished second to Jerry Wong in the $360 opening event and earned $109,113. The official Seminole recap confirms that the tournament drew 4,756 entries, making it one of the largest poker events held in Florida at the time.
PokerNews, citing The Hendon Mob, listed Thomas with $274,731 in recorded live tournament earnings. The tributes published after her death focused not only on those results, but also on the affection she inspired among players and staff who knew her.
