Poker cheating allegations arrive at the WSOP

A player gets called out for marking cards, although any proof is missing

The $250,000 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Super High Roller Bowl concluded on Sunday evening, with Chris Brewer emerging victorious and claiming his first gold bracelet, along with a prize of $5,293,556. Controversy ensued during the tournament, however, when Martin Kahbrel, a participant from Prague, was accused of cheating by a fellow player.

Dan Smith’s elimination in sixth place by Kahbrel caused an uproar on the internet due to Kahbrel’s unfavorable reputation in the world of poker. While leaving the table after losing $912,022, Smith voiced his distaste for Kahbrel and directed a comment toward him, wishing for him to be banned. Prior to this altercation, many eyes were fixated on the incident due to Kahbrel’s notorious behavior in the poker community.

Kahbrel was seemingly left confused by Smith’s comment, prompting him to seek clarification. Smith then went on to express his desire for Kahbrel to be banned, citing cheating as the reason for his disdain and calling him the “worst” kind of player. Kahbrel responded by saying there must be someone worse.

Despite not directly accusing him of cheating, Kahbrel’s card-playing antics were scrutinized by fans on Twitter. They said that he could be seen marking the cards, but no WSOP staff intervened.

Kahbrel was also the target of a rule-breaking incident caught on video where poker player Artur Martirosian called him out for standing up. The WSOP prohibits players from standing up during a game, a rule that is meant to prohibit players from peeking at each other’s cards.

Kahbrel has denied the accusations leveled against on various Twitter handles by him stating that he never cheated. He also went on to warn his accusers that he would file a lawsuit against them for tarnishing his reputation.