The Unfair Call: My Worst Moment Abroad
Unruly Dubliner Lappin Faces Consequences in Barcelona
Ever since my Vegas escapades, Barcelona has been my second favorite place to play poker internationally. There have been moments of joy and frustration, but none compare to the nightmarish incident in San Sebastián that still haunts my memories.
In San Sebastián, the hand started as any other. The big blind, seemingly oblivious to the game, fumbled over his cards and folded, making it my turn in the small blind to scoop the blinds. Or so I thought. To my disbelief, the discarded cards were retrieved from the muck - Kings, as it turned out. The dealer rushed to distribute the flop, turn, and river, sending my chips to the big blind before I could even react. By the time I found the tournament director and explained the situation, it was too late.
I naively thought I should express my concerns to the dealer and soon discovered that either she didn't understand my broken English or chose to ignore me, dismissing my shocked appearance as confusion from a foreigner. The listless manner in which she dealt the following hand signaled my imminent elimination from the tournament.
The Chaotic EPT Barcelona 2016
The 2016 EPT Barcelona remains etched in memory, infamous for its lines, early starts, disgruntled attendees, and the disastrous refund of shame. Pioneering a new global poker championships, Stars announced the dissolution of the EPT brand, a move that didn't last long.
Despite the event's turbulent reputation, the 2016 EPT Barcelona proved crucial for myself and my Chip Race colleague, David. Inspired by the poor management, we blogged our discontent, focusing on player development and experience. To our surprise, our blogs garnered widespread acclaim, ultimately leading to our ambassadorship with Unibet, who shared our values.
Kudos to Stars, as they heeded our criticism and upgraded their staff at Barcelona events ever since, raising the event's standard to a new high.
The Rebellious Lappin
Those following our Lock In episode from the Unibet DeepStack Open (UDSO) in Barcelona are already familiar with the incident that led to David's first-ever full orbit penalty. While opinions vary on the severity of his offense, the questionable handling of the situation left a lasting impression. During a heated exchange in Spanish, with David left without the opportunity to explain his side, a penalty was swiftly imposed.
A week later, I witnessed a masterclass in conflict resolution at the ACOP championship in Dublin. Top American TD Brannon Kingston skillfully defused an argument between players, mediating the situation with empathy and diplomacy, leaving both parties satisfied and the game undisturbed.
Make the Rules Fair and Enforce Equally
On the brink of the UDSO Main Event in Barcelona, I, too, found myself at the receiving end of inconsistent rules. While filming for my Instagram story, I was abruptly ordered to cease, despite many other players flouting the rule. When I brought this to the attention of Brannon and his TD partner, Shawn, they agreed that the rules should either be enforced for everyone or not at all. Brannon later stated that enforcing rules inconsistently isn't worth the effort, as it ultimately hurts the event's atmosphere.
In contrast, I observed that Lappin, testing the limitations, was railing the final table in Dublin from the wrong side. TD Brannon wisdomly circumvented the argument by simply moving the rail around Lappin, taking the pragmatic approach that the rail's exact position was of minimal importance.
These seemingly trivial complaints about Barcelona may appear insignificant to some, but collectively they cast a shadow over player satisfaction and contribute to a negative tournament environment. Some players vowed never to return to Casino Barcelona, and with the post-pandemic boom tapering off, it's crucial for organizers and staff to prioritize player experience and encourage attendance.
- Despite the unpleasant memories of San Sebastián, Barcelona remains my second favorite international destination for casino-games and gambling, especially poker.
- In contrast to the chaotic EPT Barcelona 2016, the poor management at the event inspired my Chip Race colleague, David, and me to blog about player development and experience, which ultimately led to our ambassadorship with Unibet.
- The inconsistent rules enforcement at the UDSO Main Event in Barcelona left me perplexed, as I witnessed many other players flouting the same rule I was penalized for.
- During the ACOP championship in Dublin, top American TD Brannon Kingston demonstrated the art of conflict resolution, skillfully defusing an argument and reinforcing the importance of fairness and equal enforcement of rules.
