Controversy erupted at the $5,300 PLO Championship at the World Series of Poker Europe after Norwegian player Birger Larsen was disqualified with just 30 players remaining.
Larsen had been extremely vocal for most of the day and took things too far after being awarded a one-orbit penalty.
We spoke with Larsen shortly after the incident, where he admitted to drinking but denied being violent or threatening.
However, footage from the incident has shown Larsen acting in an intimidating manner and slapping at the hands of a person attempting to calm him down on the rail.
We asked tournament director Justin Hammer for his perspective on the incident – and what would lead him to disqualify someone so far into such a prestigious tournament.
How a TD handles situations like this
First of all, Larsen was given a penalty – that part is pretty clear. He is being asked to leave the table for an orbit. There's a tournament director between him and the player that he's upset with. He is being asked to leave, and he's not complying.
In these situations, players put us in a very difficult position. We have a reason for giving you the penalty – and a very important reason for enforcing it.
We hate disqualifying players
I can tell you exactly what I do as a tournament director in situations like this. If I've asked you to leave and you are still there arguing, I will try to get your attention.
I will speak to you very quietly and say the following:
‘Right now you are being asked to leave for one orbit. If you continue what you're doing, you will be asked to leave permanently. You will not be allowed back into the tournament. I understand that you're upset. I'm happy to talk to you about it right over here. You can tell me whatever you want, and we will handle it. But if you keep doing what you're doing, I'm going to have to disqualify you from the tournament.’
If you continue to argue and stay at the table, I have no choice – I’ve done everything I can to give you the opportunity to stay in the tournament.
TDs are like referees
Tournament directors are like referees or umpires – and we have to enforce the rules. We have responsibilities to the operator and the game.
If a player is providing a bad experience for the other players, it’s our job to maintain the integrity of the game. We also have to keep the general atmosphere fun for everyone who is participating in the tournament.
If you are intentionally disrupting the game and not taking a TD’s advice, you run the risk of being disqualified.
I promise you, we hate to disqualify players. We don't want to do it to anybody. But we will if we have to. I will if that's what it takes in order to maintain the integrity of the tournament.
Watch the video above for the full breakdown.
Justin Hammer is the Live Events Director for PokerAtlas, an online tournament director for the Texas-based poker app Hijack, and a tournament director at Thunder Valley Casino Resort. He also works as a consultant and is a minority owner of Desert Bluffs Casino in Kennewick, Washington.
For more info, visit PokerAtlas.com, HijackPoker.com, and bluffs.poker. Follow Justin on X.
Additional image courtesy of Rational Intellectual Holdings Ltd.
