Martin Kabrhel sparks first controversy of 2025 WSOP in $5K PLO

How slow is too slow when you’re playing poker? That debate will never be settled objectively. Some players like it fast. Some players like to dwell and tank before making a decision. 

But when you’re getting the clock called on you all the time by your fellow players, the chances are, you’ve found the line.  

Martin Kabrhel is a player who seems to enjoy finding the line — and stepping over it. He’s a player who’s hugely entertaining to watch and probably very annoying to play against. He doesn’t do anything fast — except talk. And when he talks, he’s usually needling. 

He was joint chip leader heading into the final day of the WSOP $5K PLO event today, with 11 players left, and he immediately attracted a crowd on the rail of his table.

Maybe they’d heard about the situation the day before when Shaun Deeb had called the clock on the Czech pro twice in two hands – prompting, as we reported yesterday, ‘a request for an apology, a refusal and a frosty atmosphere until a tension-relieving table break.’

Martin Kabrhel always amuses himself and his rail.

Katerina Lukina

Entertaining or crossing a line?

Kabrhel was back at it today. One hand we watched went down like this – and this was fairly typical behavior. 

Looks at chips. Thinks. Studies his cards. Looks at his opponent’s chips. Makes a joke to another player. Looks back at his opponent’s chips. Makes another joke. Looks at his chips. And finally, folds when the floor is called. 

The clock was called again and again on Kabrhel on Saturday. It didn't faze him. The video below shows why he always attracts a rail and the ire of his fellow players.

Kabrhel might be annoying, but he’s also a hugely talented poker player. A win today would mark his fourth bracelet. So what gives — personality or tactics? 

It's not easy to find out. He’s also notoriously hard to get an interview with. We tried at the break. “No, I have no time now, I’m busy. Later.” It’s always later with Kabrhel. 

Meanwhile, players started busting. First 2013 Main Event champ Ryan Riess. Then Aaron Mermelstein, Roussos Koliakoudakis, Lawrence Brandt, Jeremy Trojand, Noel Rodriguez, Mark Aridgides, and Matthew Cosentino. 

Kabrhel acted slowly all day but shot out of the tournament room when he bust.

Kabrhel finds a turn of speed 

Kabrhel was fading. With three left, he was critically short-stacked, while Caleb Furth and Fabian Riebau-Schmithals shared almost 95% of the chips in play.

Not even Kabrhel could talk or tank his way out of this one.

He tried. He had the clock called on him three times in a row, and he was still playing to the crowd when he got a walk. “I played this hand perfectly!” he exclaimed. 

But he was eliminated straight after. Furth took him out, and there was no love lost. Furth made it clear he hadn’t enjoyed being on the sharp end of Kabrhel's needles. 

And it turns out Kabrhel can act fast when he wants. He shot straight out of the tournament room after busting.

After Kabrhel’s exit, Furth and Riebau-Schmithals took a short break before resuming their heads-up battle for the bracelet and $620,696. 

It didn't take long to finish with Kabrhel out of the way. Furth came out on top of a fairly quick back-and-forth to win his second WSOP bracelet. 

Caleb Furth suffered the needling but came out on top to win the bracelet and $620,696.

WSOP #5 $5K PLO results