I’m sure Eskimo Clark would understand. He passed away April 15th and is now playing poker with Devilfish.
Great characters leave us but the show must go on. Eskimo Clark will probably not make the Poker Hall of Fame but he sure as hell had a life worth telling.
I can’t say I knew Eskimo Clark so I did some research. Apparently nobody else can say that either.
It’s probably not a coincidence since the man hardly spoke a word. You have to respect that in a world where information is everything.
He didn’t leave much behind when he died at 67. No wife, no kids and no bracelets. He won three of them but sold them recently to a pawnshop.
A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.
Ahead of the Curve
When I started to play poker Eskimo Clark was a big name. He finished in the top 10 on tournament poker’s money list nine of the 10 years during the 90s. I remember a hand a played at the 1998 World Series in the tent at Binion’s valet parking.
I had a lot of chips midway through a tournament. So did Eskimo Clark to the very left of me.
I raised from early position with AK suited. Eskimo Clark called. The flop came with a very naked king. I bet pot and he called.
The turn was a diamond. Now I had the flush draw as well. Both before the flop and on the flop I had a feeling he had a good hand so I checked planning to check-raise all-in.
I didn’t think he could fold the AK I put him on. But he checked behind. The flush got there on the river and I bet half the pot and he insta-called me.
He showed me the hand I had put him on but he couldn’t have in his range given the turn action. Back then everybody 3-bet with AK and nobody checked behind with top-pair top-kicker on the turn.
Eskimo Clark was ahead of the curve and - you’d better believe it - a real player.
Two Signs of a Man with a Big Heart
His creative style probably couldn’t compete against the new breed in his last years but once he was one of the top poker tournament players in the world.
Björn Borg couldn’t compete with his wood racket, either, when he made a comeback. I asked Eskimo Clark what he would have done if I bet the turn.
“I would have gone all-in.”
He had read me perfectly, too. Eskimo Clark definitely knew how to balance his range and was on top of his game.
He finished 25th in the Main Event that year and 19th the year before.
Chris Björin told me that a few years before then Eskimo Clark was The Man on the tournament scene. He staked 10-20 people every tournament.
That is something Björin respects and so should we. When Eskimo Clark didn’t have money he asked anybody for a stake; when he had money he staked just about anybody.
To me those are two signs of a man with a big heart - and a smart man that knew he would blow it on sports or craps instead.
He Finished Fourth
What people do to get into the action is another story. Eskimo Clark was a betting man. That’s what he spent his money on. He didn’t mind sleeping in his car and I cannot for the life of me picture him in any clothes other than his WSOP leather jacket.
It must have been warm inside of it in the Vegas summer - it sure smelled like it. Sometimes he sold jewelry at tournaments. Björin told me not to buy anything and that was that.
The most famous story about Eskimo Clark is when he had a stroke - likely several - at the final table of the 2007 WSOP Razz event. He was the chip leader when he suddenly fell down to the floor.
They called the paramedics and rolled in a gurney but were denied. Eskimo Clark got back up in the saddle.
A little bit later he hit the floor again. The TD pronounced an early and prolonged dinner break. When it kicked off again Eskimo Clark was back in the saddle. What's a couple of strokes compared to a bracelet?
He was later spotted around 10 pm with some deep fried chicken wings and a cigarette. He finished 4th and was immediately rushed to the hospital after cashing out.
I Always Assumed He Was From Alaska
The less famous story is that he already had a few minor strokes earlier that week that he was taken to hospital for. Perhaps it was his body warning him.
I think he was a person who didn’t listen to his body. Or perhaps he thought it was nothing compared to the things he witnessed as a medic during the Vietnam War.
I always assumed he was from Alaska. He looked the part with his big beard according to my prejudiced idea about guys from Alaska. The nickname “Eskimo” cemented the conclusion.
Many years after I first played against him I heard him speak. I would have fallen off my chair if I wasn’t standing up. Eskimo Clark was speaking in the deepest bayou accent you could imagine.
He was from New Orleans and I find that very fitting. His nickname came from friends who thought he looked like the Inuit on the Alaskan Airlines logo
Here are more special stories about a special man.
The Best Thing I've Ever Read About Bad Beats
Paul “Eskimo” Clark was sometimes a very wise man. This quote is the best thing I’ve ever read about bad beats.
“There’s no such thing as a bad beat. I mean, if a guy pays for a card and gets the card, that’s it.”
Watch the legend utter the immortal words himself with a pizza slice in his hand:
About Ken Lennaárd:
Sweden's most controversial poker blogger Ken Lennaárd has been around the professional poker circuit for almost 20 years. Among his numerous accomplishments are Swedish Championships both live and online, three WSOP final tables and over $1.5m in live earnings. He's now bringing his singular poker voice to the English world via PokerListings.com. Look for new posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Note: Opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not represent the views of PokerListings.com.
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