button in SafariBelligerent Poker Player Disqualified Deep in WSOP Europe Bracelet Event
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Please note: This article was updated on April 14th, after Birger Larsen spoke with PokerNews to explain his side of the story.
An angry poker player in a World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) event on Tuesday was disqualified from play for his actions.
PokerNews captured a video of the incident, which occurred on Day 2 during Event #9: €5,300 PLO European Championship in Prague. The player, Birger Larsen, took 30th place out of 379 for €13,000. But his behavior towards staff and his opponents may have cost him a chance to win more.
Poker Player Flips Out
Larsen, a player from Norway with over $800,000 in live tournament cashes recorded by The Hendon Mob, stood to win as much as €395,000 and a gold bracelet. Those chances, however, have ended thanks to, as PokerNews was informed, continually being loud and aggressive towards others at the table.
It's unclear how much alcohol Larsen consumed, but one player at the table said he was drunk. Larsen, short-stacked at the time, was initially given a warning from a floor manager. He then won an all-in to stay alive before continuing his aggressive behavior, which led to receiving a one-orbit penalty. That triggered the poker player even further, leading to the actions recorded by PokerNews in the above video.
Larsen, after slapping an individual on the hand who attempted to calm him down and continuing to refuse to listen to the demands made by WSOP staff, was disqualified in 30th place. No bracelet, no pay jump, no chance to spin up a short stack. His chips were removed from the tournament upon disqualification.
The WSOP confirmed the accuracy of the incident but declined to comment. It's unclear if Larsen is banned from further World Series of Poker (WSOP) events.
Poker Player Responds
Speaking with PokerNews in Prague a few days after the event, Larsen said he “obviously disagree[s] with the decision” and described the disqualification as “really disproportional to what has been happening.” He explained that he was initially given a one-orbit penalty for celebrating a hand, adding, “I’m sitting, I’m celebrating my hand. Nothing bad has happened.”
Larsen admitted he had been drinking and may have been loud, saying, “Yes, I’ve been drinking… my voice may have been loud,” but strongly denied any aggressive behavior. “At no point have I been threatening somebody… not directly or indirectly,” he said, adding that he made a point of keeping his hands tucked in his hoodie to show he was not being physical.
The player also disputed reports of striking anyone, claiming any contact seen on video involved a friend trying to pull him away from the table. “That’s my friend… not aggressive,” he said.
He questioned how the situation escalated from a penalty to disqualification, stating, “It’s still unclear what made the floor go from… an orbit penalty to disqualification,” and added that he has yet to receive an explanation from tournament officials. “Nobody has contacted me… I want to know what’s the crime.”
