Hemish Shah

infobox poker player
firstname=Hemish
lastname=Shah
nickname="None"


caption=Hemish Shah in Late Night Poker episode 2.7
hometown=London, United Kingdom
wsop bracelet count=1
wsop money finishes=2
wsop main event best finish rank="None"
wsop main event best finish year=
multi-year wsop winner=
wpt titles=
wpt final tables=
wpt money finishes=

Hemish Shah (7 April 1968 - 5 September 2001) was an English stock broker before he became a professional poker player, and the winner of Late Night Poker series 4, where he beat the season 2 champion Simon "Aces" Trumper in the final heads-up confrontation.

He won a World Series of Poker bracelet and $312,340 in 2001 for winning the $5,000 Limit Texas Hold-em event. During the event he had to leave the table as he was suffering from stomach cramps. He went to hospital upon returning to England, but suffered a cardiac arrest at 03:00 GMT on 5 September 2001 and died, aged just 33. He was in good health (he didn't smoke, drink alcohol or eat meat) and his death shocked the poker world.

During the tapings of Late Night Poker series 5 (won by Padraig Parkinson) players would look up and say "Thanks, Hemish" when they hit a lucky draw. The final for the season was the same day as Hemish's funeral and the players all insisted on attending it. (The production company flew them to London by helicopter.) In all, over 75 poker players attended his funeral.

External links

* [http://www.pokerpages.com/press-releases/hemish-shah.htm Tribute by Mark Napolitano]
* [http://www.pokerpages.com/press-releases/hemish-shah.htm Another Tribute by Mike Sexton]
* [http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=836 Hendon Mob tournament results]

References

* [http://www.thegoodgamblingguide.co.uk/columns/guardian/no2.htm Article from The Guardian by Victoria Coren]