Friends Rail Poker Player Fighting ALS in WSOP Main Event
Andy Talbot, a long-time poker fan battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), entered Day 1d of the 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event on Sunday. He wasn't alone as his home game friends surprised him by showing up to watch him compete. They wound up watching him make it to Day 2 and onward to today's Day 3.
Talbot, 57, is a former general aviation pilot who would fly from his home in Northern Nevada to compete in a home game in San Jose, California, hosted by his friend Mark Atherton, who is also in attendance at the WSOP.
In March 2020, his fiance Melanie Enman told PokerNews, Andy began slurring his speech, which was concerning to his friends and family. It wasn't until June 2021, however, before he was officially diagnosed with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. There is currently no cure for ALS, but that didn't stop Talbot from living out a dream of playing in poker's most prestigious annual tournament.
Click here to read Talbot's full story.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
550,000
-43,000
|
-43,000 |