The music and poker world were both in mourning today after news that Steve Albini, double WSOP bracelet winner and the man behind In Utero, Nirvana’s final album, has died of a heart attack, aged 61.
Albini was not only known for his amazing behind-the-scenes sound abilities for Nirvana, PJ Harvey, and The Pixies, but was also a musician in his own right, forming Big Black in the early 80s and Shellac a decade later.
For fans of poker, Albini first announced his card-playing prowess with a cash at the 2010 WSOP, the only regular event on his poker calendar – informal cash games in his chosen hometown of Chicago filling in the intervening space.
The California-born music maestro had several cashes at the WSOP before landing a prestigious gold bracelet in 2018, outlasting a field that included Bertrand “ElkY” Grospelier, Robert Campbell and Chris “Jesus” Ferguson.
He took down the $1500 Seven-card Stud title by defeating Jeff Lisandro heads-up for a $105,629 payday, though money was never the reason for his card-playing.
In typically self-deprecating manner, Albini stated afterwards: “I am ecstatic that a player as mediocre as me can outlast all of these better players and end up with a bracelet. There’s still hope for everybody!”
Breaking news: Steve Albini, the storied producer and icon of underground rock, has died https://t.co/ws4l8RdHzi
— Pitchfork (@pitchfork) May 8, 2024
In the same vein, he described the field as “kind of historically weak, which allowed a sucker like me to make it to the final table,” and thanked his friends’ coaching as well as admitting: “I ran pretty fucking good as well.”
Four years later, in 2022, Albini proved his win was no fluke, repeating his gold bracelet run, this time in the $1500 H.O.R.S.E. event, Bin Weng and David Williams among the notables who cashed.
Albini bagged the win heads-up against Canada’s James Morgan and told reporters afterwards: “Everything in my life comes in pieces, in parts. Poker is one part of my life.
He added: “So, when I’m playing poker, I try to commit to it. I try to take it seriously. I try to make sure I devote the attention to it that it deserves as an occupation. But it’s only part of my year.”
He also, somehow, managed to break that second bracelet in double-quick time, joking: “The bracelet took a spill… a piece of it broke off… doesn’t matter, nobody wears them – who cares!”
Steve Albini’s most recent poker cash cane at last year’s WSOP Circuit event in Hammond, finishing 17th in the Seniors event.
News of his death stunned poker fans today, a few of the tributes on X/Twitter shown below…
Fucking devastated to find this out. Just got to hang out with him a couple weeks ago and now … what a special and good man. A real model in how to have good principles and how to live by them. Ugh. https://t.co/qMnVPV0ceu
— Scott Seiver (@scott_seiver) May 8, 2024
Devastated to hear about @electricalWSOP’s passing. Steve Albini was a legend in the music industry and a thorn in the side of fascists everywhere
Rest in Peace. pic.twitter.com/4Shhffkphf
— Bonologic 🇵🇸 (@JustinBonomo) May 8, 2024
RIP to a legend. pic.twitter.com/QDl1ukSK7N
— 🃏 David Lappin 🃏 (@dklappin) May 8, 2024
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