Roger Sippl, the Silicon Valley entrepreneur who became a familiar face in high-stakes poker, has died at the age of 71. Best known in the business world as the founder of Informix Corporation, Sippl was a regular in Phil Hellmuth's private games for two decades, made four appearances on PokerGO's High Stakes Poker, and amassed around $3.8 million in live tournament earnings, including a seven-figure finish at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.
News of his passing was shared by his friend, professional player Andrew Robl, on X and reported by PokerNews on November 9. The exact date of death has not been made public.
A Life That Defied the Odds
Sippl's story begins long before poker. Born on February 22, 1955, in Wisconsin, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease while studying at the University of California, Berkeley. According to the PokerNews report, doctors told him at 19 that he had little chance of surviving past 21. He went on to live another 52 years.
After college he married, raised three children and built one of the more remarkable careers in the early software industry. The Wall Street Journal once described him as a "serial entrepreneur," a label that fits a man who founded multiple companies. The best known was Informix, the database software company that was eventually acquired by IBM.
That background matters for understanding the kind of poker player Sippl was. He belonged to a specific and important group in the game: successful business people who play at the highest stakes not because they need to, but because they love the competition. These players are a core part of the high-stakes ecosystem. Their presence makes the biggest cash games and super high roller tournaments viable, and the best of them, like Sippl, are respected at the table as well as welcomed.
The Poker Career
Hellmuth's Home Game
Sippl was a fixture in Phil Hellmuth's private games for around 20 years. Hellmuth paid tribute by calling him a "colorful character" and a "fearless businessman," adding that Sippl "talked about his family at every opportunity."
Private games involving tech executives and top professionals have been part of poker culture in the Bay Area for decades. They rarely make headlines, but they are where many wealthy amateurs develop their game against elite opposition. Sippl's longevity in that environment says a great deal about both his enjoyment of poker and the regard in which he was held.
High Stakes Poker
Sippl appeared four times on PokerGO's revived High Stakes Poker during Season 10 in 2023. The show is one of the most recognisable formats in the game, and appearing on it places a player in a very small club. For viewers, he represented the classic High Stakes Poker archetype: a successful businessman willing to put serious money on the table against the best cash game players in the world. If you enjoy following high-stakes broadcasts, our guide to poker on TV covers where to watch the major shows.
The PCA Super High Roller
His biggest tournament result came at the 2015 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, where he finished second in the $100,000 Super High Roller for $1,344,420. Reaching heads-up in a $100,000 event, where fields are made up almost entirely of elite professionals and the occasional deep-pocketed amateur, is an outstanding achievement for anyone, let alone a part-time player whose main career was outside poker.
Super high roller events are often discussed as games dominated by solver-trained professionals. Results like Sippl's are a reminder that experience, nerve and a willingness to take on the best can still produce deep runs. For a look at the modern high roller circuit, see our high stakes poker guide.
Close to a Bracelet
At the 2016 World Series of Poker, Sippl finished third in the $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Seniors Championship for $245,389. The Seniors event is one of the largest tournaments on the WSOP schedule each year, so a podium finish there means outlasting thousands of players. It was as close as he came to a WSOP bracelet. For context on the modern series, our WSOP 2026 results page covers this year's winners.
According to The Hendon Mob, Sippl's lifetime live tournament earnings total around $3.8 million.
Tributes From the Poker World
Andrew Robl, who announced the news, described Sippl as a "loving husband, father, founder, and all around poker enjoyer." Robl added that Sippl was a gentleman and that he had never heard anyone say a bad word about him.
That final line is perhaps the most telling tribute. High-stakes poker can be a cutthroat environment, and reputations are made and lost quickly. A player who sat in the biggest games for 20 years without attracting criticism was clearly someone who conducted himself with class, both in victory and defeat.
Hellmuth's tribute was equally warm. He noted that Sippl is the second player from his games to pass away in recent weeks, following investor Jeremy Kaufman.
Why Players Like Sippl Matter to Poker
There is a tendency in poker media to focus on professionals: the bracelet winners, the solver experts, the online crushers. But the game at its highest levels depends on players like Roger Sippl.
First, they create action. Big cash games and super high roller tournaments need a mix of players to function. Wealthy enthusiasts who play for the love of the game are part of what makes those games run.
Second, they bring legitimacy. When respected business figures take part in televised games and major tournaments, it reinforces poker's image as a game of skill and strategy, not merely gambling. Sippl's career outside poker, building companies in a demanding industry, mirrored the qualities poker rewards: calculated risk-taking, patience and the ability to make decisions under uncertainty.
Third, they show that poker is a lifelong game. Sippl was competing in the biggest events into his 60s. His 2016 Seniors result and his 2023 High Stakes Poker appearances demonstrate that the game remains rewarding long after most competitive pursuits have been left behind.
What Players Can Take From His Story
For recreational players, Sippl's career offers a useful model. He played the game seriously, against the best opposition he could find, while keeping it in proportion to the rest of his life. He talked about his family constantly, according to Hellmuth. He treated opponents well, according to Robl. And he chose his spots, producing major results across very different formats, from a $100,000 super high roller to a $1,000 seniors event.
If you are a part-time player looking to improve, the lesson is that results come from experience and good judgment, not volume alone. Sound bankroll management, a solid grasp of the fundamentals of poker strategy and an emotionally steady approach that keeps tilt at bay will take you further than chasing every tournament.
Remembering Roger Sippl
Roger Sippl survived a cancer diagnosis that doctors thought would end his life before 21, then went on to found a major software company, raise a family and compete with the best poker players in the world for decades. He leaves behind a remarkable record at the tables, but the tributes from those who knew him suggest that his character will be remembered even more than his results.
PokerSites.org sends its condolences to Roger Sippl's family, friends and the many players who shared a table with him.