RIP - Tom Noyes

 “Tom Mark 'Em Down” Noyes

1928-2011

Poker lost an ambassador with the passing of Tom Noyes, 83, earlier this summer. His family, led by his poker playing brother Dr. Will Noyes, held a memorial in his hometown of Clarks Summit, PA last weekend.

"I'm relieved and happy that he no longer has to suffer and that he's with the Lord," says Noyes, who's back at Borgata for the first time since his brother's death of cancer complications from multiple myeloma.  "I've gotten a lot of cards, emails and phone calls," adding, "it's nice to hear from so many people."

It was one year ago this week that Tom recorded the last win of his career in the Seniors Event of the Borgata Poker Open. It was a banner 2010 Open for Noyes as just two days earlier he finished second in PLO for a combined total of more than $31,000.

"He was a tough old bird," says James Boyd, a poker veteran who has played often with the Noyes brothers.  "He was tough to play against and he wasn't afraid to put his chips in the pot."

Tom was known in the poker world as "Mark 'Em Down," for his days in the auto industry when he gave his customers a mark down on used cars. After retiring from several different careers, Noyes was most comfortable at the poker table, especially with his brother which the blog featured during the 2010 Spring Borgata Poker Open.

"I loved him," says Bill Seymour, another old school player, who joined Dr. Will and Boyd in the PLO tournament where they traded laughs and stories about Tom.  "He used to torture me," Seymour explains, "and it seemed like he drew out on me every time."

Tom, who was five years older than his brother, taught Dr. Will to play cards when the doc was only seven years old.  "We were a card playing family," says Dr. Will who notes that his mother Anita was an international bridge champion. "we were always playing bridge or pinocle."

On this card playing day Dr. Will didn't get any help from his brother as he wasn't catching cards or hitting flops and was eliminated just before the dinner break.

"I will always miss my brother," he says, "but time marches on."

 Dr. Will's First Tournament Back

Brothers at Borgata

(file photo)