Poker players in altercation at EPT Barcelona

Poker players in altercation at EPT Barcelona

Friday, 26 November 2010

Reigning EPT Barcelona champion Carter Phillips recently announced a retirement from poker on Facebook, a status that has since been deleted but sparked rumours flying in the industry – especially when a poster on Two Plus Two claimed that a machete was involved in the WSOP bracelet-winner’s decision.

William Reynolds, who earlier this year took down the $25,000 High Roller event at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, explained the incident that took place in Barcelona – he, Phillips and Kayvan Payman were at a shisha/hookah bar when upon leaving Payman was accosted by three pickpockets who took €4,000 from him.


The poker players gave chase and asked a restaurant for help, getting the workers’ attention by banging on the window. They spoke no English and Payman punched the window in frustration. Minutes later, down the road, the two restaurant workers emerged with a frying pan and an 18” machete. Reynolds tried to talk them down but he was threatened with the machete and came very close to being injured while Payman was struck with the frying pan.
Both players were relatively unharmed when “the two realise we are not trying to fight back” and the incident was diffused.


This is not the first time that an incident has tainted the oldest stop on the European Poker Tour – Daniel Negreanu is one of many who have been robbed in Barcelona and any English holiday-goer worth his salt can tell you the effectiveness of Spanish police in dealing with tourist incidents (clue: it’s close to zero).


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