button in SafariPhil Hellmuth Remembers Friend & Mentor "Big Al" Emerson, the Creator of the Mixed Game “Archie”
The poker world received sad news over the weekend that Wisconsin poker legend “Big Al” Emerson passed away. The update was shared by his longtime friend, Phil Hellmuth, on social media.
“Folks, today I lost an old friend, and poker lost a great guy, a jovial guy, an high/low split aficionado,” Hellmuth wrote. “Big Al invented ‘Archie’ w qualifiers of a 9’s for a high, 8 or better for a low—and a lifelong lover of our game Big Al was the first professional poker player that I befriended, way back in 1986. I met him in a $10-$20 Limit Hold’em Game at the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas. Al lived in La Crosse, Wis, and I lived in Madison.”
Archie is a popular mixed game that is a five-card triple-draw high-low split poker game with a double qualifier. The pot splits between the best high hand and the best ace-to-five low hand, but players must meet specific minimum requirements to claim either half of the pot.
Hellmuth added: “Al was always the life of the party! He gave plenty of action, and no one minded losing their money to him. When he walked in the whole room smiled! He could get a bit morose whilst losing too much, but he never showed it beyond being uncharacteristically quiet Big Al made a living playing poker for 35 years before he found greener pastures when he began to book a bet or two. He played poker every day for decades, and continued to play 2-3 times a week—the last 25 years in Phoenix—until the very end.”
Big Al was such a prominent force in Hellmuth’s life that he was written about extensively in Poker Brat, Hellmuth’s autobiography.
“With Big Al, I had found a professional poker player I could hang out with, learn from, and observe."
“Big Al was this 6’7”, 320-pound man with light-brown hair, brown eyes, and a pleasant personality. He was warmly received in poker games all over the Midwest, although he was often the big winner in these games. Big Al and I hit it off right away, and when we were back home he introduced me to some of the biggest poker players, and some of the biggest poker games, in the state of Wisconsin.”
Hellmuth shared examples of Big Al’s wild ups and downs, how Big Al was there when Hellmuth collapsed at Caesars Palace, and how, given he was the first poker pro he’d met, he learned firsthand how to be a successful poker professional.
“With Big Al, I had found a professional poker player I could hang out with, learn from, and observe," wrote Hellmuth.
Hellmuth also shared a story from the 1988 WSOP Main Event – the year before he won – when he bluffed off his stack to Johnny Chan.
“My Old buddy Big Al picked this exact moment to come over and get in my face, ‘How could you bluff off all of your chips to Johnny Chan?!? You probably won’t get many chances to win the World Championship throughout your whole life! What were you thinking?’ … I immediately and loudly responded, ‘Al, trust me when I tell you that I will have a chance to win the WSOP every single year for the next 50 years! I’m not done here at the WSOP, I’m just beginning!’”
Of course, Big Al was there to celebrate with Hellmuth the very next year when he took down the 1989 WSOP Main Event and began his journey into the WSOP record books.
Big Al had $237,637 in lifetime tournament earnings dating back to 1985 according to The Hendon Mob. That included a career-high for finishing runner-up in the 1985 World Series of Poker (WSOP) $1,000 NLH event, coming up one spot shy of a gold bracelet.
He also finished fifth in two 1996 WSOP tournaments, first in the $2,500 Seven-Card Stud Split for $14,100 and four days later, in the $3,000 Limit Hold’em for $25,050. Big Al also made a deep run in the 1990 WSOP Main Event, finishing in 14th place for $12,500.
PokerNews offers its condolences to the friends and family of Al Emerson.
