Open collusion at Borgata

[kerze]

From Cardplayer:

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Collusion? Ignorance of the Rules is Not a Defense.
In the last hand before the break, Allen Summerville is in the small blind, and Brian Strahl is in the big blind. After everyone else at the table folds to them, they decide to just check it down to the river and flip over their hands face up.

What?

Haralabos Voulgaris immediately calls for a floorperson, and neither Strahl or Summerville even realize that something is wrong, though they do turn their cards back face down. Voulgaris explains the situation to the floorperson, who confirms that players aren't allowed to collude in that fashion, whether they are friends or not. The floorperson gives them both a warning, and tells them not to do it again.

Voulgaris then points out that they already flipped their cards and showed them to each other, expecting them to receive a penalty. But the floorperson sticks with a warning.

The hand continues, and they openly check it down as the board falls K92KJ. Strahl shows his A6 and Summerville shows his A6 -- it's a chopped pot.

After the hand, Summerville confronts Voulgaris, wondering why Voulgaris can't just let it slide. Voulgaris tries to explain what a serious infraction that is, and how big the implications are now that the field is five players away from the money.

Expect more fireworks from this table, as it's not scheduled to break for another three tables.


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BTW, Brian Strahl is the guy who was charged with money laundering and then didn't show up at his sentencing in New Jersey but instead was playing in WSOP and faxed the judge from Bellagion that he couldn't make it. The judge wasn't too impressed and ended up sentencing him to 15 years with no hope for parole until early 2008 - don't know he got out early though.