Norway’s Birger Larsen was disqualified and removed from the venue following a severe outburst and violation of conduct rules.
An incident at the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) resulted in the immediate disqualification of player Birger Larsen during the €5,300 PLO European Championship. The ejection caused him to miss out on potentially taking a bigger piece of the prize pool.
Larsen, who has been a regular tournament player for years, was forcibly removed from the tournament area after a violent outburst following a significant pot loss, according to Poker News. Witnesses reported that Larsen’s behavior included directed profanity at the dealer and the physical displacement of tournament equipment, which constituted a “Level 3” violation of the WSOP Code of Conduct.
Under the official WSOP Rule 40 and Rule 113, tournament directors have the authority to disqualify any participant who engages in “abusive behavior” or “physical disruption.” Upon the ruling by the lead floor official, Larsen’s stack, which was reportedly above the tournament average at the time, was removed from play entirely rather than being blinded out.
This action meant Larsen forfeited his €5,300 buy-in and any rights to the prize pool, which eventually saw Michael Moncek take the chip lead into the final day.
Security personnel escorted Larsen from the King’s Casino premises. This disqualification often carries a broader penalty; the WSOP frequently issues multi-year or permanent bans from all Caesars-affiliated properties for such infractions.
The incident has sparked discussion within the poker community regarding the “zero-tolerance” policy for dealer abuse, especially in high-stakes championship events where the pressure to perform is at its peak.
