Poker pro Birger Larsen disqualified from WSOP Europe after heated clash

A moment of fury ended his tournament dreams. Larsen's refusal to leave and physical confrontation sealed his fate—leaving €362,000 on the table.

, and Administrator

2026 May 2 . 5:02 PM

1 min read

The image shows a group of men sitting around a table playing poker, with coins and cards spread... — The image shows a group of men sitting around a table playing poker, with coins and cards spread out in front of them. In the background, there is a pillar and other objects, suggesting that the men are participating in a poker tournament.

Poker pro Birger Larsen disqualified from WSOP Europe after heated clash

Birger Larsen was disqualified from a World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe event on Tuesday. The incident followed a heated argument with tournament officials, ending his run in the competition early. Larsen had already faced warnings before the outburst. A floor manager had penalised him with a one-orbit suspension for earlier behaviour. His stack was running low, adding to the tension at the table.

When officials moved to enforce his disqualification, Larsen refused to leave. He then slapped away the hand of a tournament staff member as they escorted him from the area. A friend who attempted to calm him down was also pushed aside.

The disqualification left Larsen in 30th place, earning him €13,000. Without the penalty, he could have continued competing for the €395,000 top prize. Instead, Ole Schemion went on to win the event and claim first place. Larsen’s actions cut short his chance at a larger payout. His €13,000 prize reflected his final position, far below the tournament’s top rewards. The incident marked an abrupt end to his participation in the WSOP Europe event.