The Press of Atlantic City ran a heartwarming story about a centenarian gentleman whose love for poker obviously keeps him going. The 102 year old Andrew Amatrudo visits the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort every single day, playing his favorite game and proving that enjoying the simple pleasures in life is the secret to health.
Amatrudo is quoted as saying: “I’m not going to sit home. If I sit home, I’ll go beserk. I love to play poker. That’s all I live for anymore.”
So who is Andy Amatrudo? He was born in Philadelphia in 1909 and worked as a hairdresser most of his life. A widower since 1998, Amatrudo has a 74 year old daughter, five grandchildren and three great-grandchilden – but his true love is poker.
Amatrudo lives strategically next door to the Taj Mahal in a block of apartments and rides his motorized scooter to the poker room and back every day. He even celebrated his last birthday at the poker tables, surrounded by friends and fellow poker players. His favorite poker variant is stud poker and it’s the only one he’ll go near. “He’s pretty good,” said another younger player, 72 year old Paul Nichols. “I call him the ‘Ace Man’ because he likes aces.”
On the odd day that Amatrudo doesn’t turn up, the director of poker at the Taj Mahal says that he will get calls to find out where he is and they’ll check up on him. “He’s a legend,” said Tom Gitto. “You see people in their 80’s and 90’s who have such a hard time, but he’s 102 and he doesn’t miss a beat.”
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