€2.6million Winner Kabrhel Jumps Straight Into Kassouf Deeb Fight

Czech pro Martin Kabrhel walked straight from his €2,624,340 Super High Roller win at the WSOP Europe into the shitstorm brewing at a table where arch-enemies Shaun Deeb and William Kassouf were sitting, sparks flying almost immediately as the Czech, US and English trio set to work on each other…

As we reported earlier in the day, the Main Event at the WSOPE saw Kassouf and Deeb drawn to play at the same table, barely 6 weeks after the scandal that engulfed Kassouf at the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour.

The Englishman lost his Grosvenor sponsorship after being accused of palming a friend’s chips during a drunken night at the roulette table, Shaun Deeb spreading the initial rumours on Twitter – having previously accused the Londoner of hitting on his wife – and Kassouf’s subsequent apology for the former incident ringing rather hollow with many.

Enter Martin Kabrhel, who had just seen off a massive Super High Roller field to bag a gold WSOPE bracelet and €2,624,340, and the live reporters at the Kings Casino in Rozvadov immediately had work to do.

Detailing that ‘…Kabrhel took his seat on Deeb's right and they were both visibly not happy about it. It turned into a spat almost immediately’, PokerNews.com added that the pair started a verbal war with ‘Things like "Go back to the US!", "You talk too much!" and more like that were being thrown around between them.

What followed was a mix of farce and petty nastiness, the little-liked Kabrhel raising Deeb and exposing his cards before the unloved American could even call – the floor getting involved and forcing them to play the hand out before making a decision.

A split pot with AK apiece ensued, and ‘Kabrhel received a one-round penalty for exposing his cards too early’ although he wouldn’t let it go, while ‘Kassouf tried to put his two cents forward too but was dealt with quickly’, according to the onsite media.

Quite what the history between Deeb and Kabrhel is remains unclear, and Kassouf getting involved isn’t terribly surprising, but between the Czech’s rudeness, Deeb’s pettiness and Kassouf’s inability to shut up, it makes for a lively, if uneasy, poker environment – and it’s still only day 1b of the Main Event!