In Memoriam: Thayer Rasmussen, Poker Community Mourns the Loss of a Valuable Contributor

The online poker community is mourning the loss of Thayer Rasmussen, a respected veteran of the game who passed away recently. Rasmussen, who played under the screen name “THAY3R,” was well known for his contributions to the Two Plus Two forum and his involvement with the MTT stable “Waffle Crush” with five-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb.

Deeb was among many in the community to pay tribute to Rasmussen on social media, calling him his “1st poker friend.”

Rasmussen’s family issued a statement thanking the community for their support and noting that Rasmussen had left behind a legacy of love. “Thayer had the biggest heart and leaves behind love worthy of it,” the statement read. “The six of us knew every second how much he cared for us, but perhaps many of you did not know how much you meant to him.”

I was asked to share a message from Thayer’s family that they asked me to post on their behalf pic.twitter.com/AgUDSQwOla

— shaun deeb (@shaundeeb) April 2, 2023

Rasmussen had a successful career both online and live. One of his noteworthy online achievements was winning a PokerStars WCOOP title in 2015, where he emerged victorious in a $530 buy-in 6-Max Shootout event, earning $69,825 in prize money.

In addition to his online achievements, Rasmussen was also a skilled live poker player. He boasted $1.70 Million in live earnings (according to his Hendon Mob profile), his best finish being fifth place in the 2014 WSOP $1,500 Monster Stack event for an impressive $356,620.

His success in online and live poker made him a well-respected and admired member of the poker community. But he was also known for his contributions to the poker community and for helping many players.

“He was an absolute beast pre black Friday & always a pleasant presence to be around,” said high-stakes pro Matt Berkey in a tweet. “Saddened to hear of his passing & I wish his friends and family the best moving forward.”

Many other players also paid tribute to Rasmussen, including World Poker Tour (WPT) host Tony Dunst, who called him “one of the OG’s of online poker and an always welcome presence on the table.”

High-stakes pro Sam Greenwood called him “strong willed and a man of integrity.”

“He was a real one,” said Bryan Micon. “Loved running into him in Vegas & trading the old & new war stories.”

Steve O’Dwyer tweeted: “RIP, I have a lot of fond memories of him from on and off the table. He will be greatly missed.”

The loss of Thayer Rasmussen has left a void in the online poker community, but his legacy and contributions to the game will not be forgotten.