An investigation has been launched after a huge dealer error at the WSOP Paradise Main Event, which cost third-placed Daniel Neilson 10 million chips, which equals $116,000 in equity.
Watch the hand in question here from 2:58:04 on:
Play was 3-handed when the mistake was made in a hand that was crucial to the outcome. Aussie player Neilson had been out-flopped by eventual winner Stanislav Zegal and was faced with a massive bet on the turn…
Stanislav Zegal: K♣ Q♣
Daniel Neilson: A♠ K♦
Flop: Q♥ K♥ 5♦
Turn: 9♦
At this point Neilson put Zegal all-in, the German calling and winning after the river bricked…
River: 10♣
However, the dealer told Neilson the count was 48million instead of just 38million, leaving him only 5.2million (5BB) instead of 15.2million (15BB)
Incredibly, nobody at the table or on the livestream picked up on the gross error, despite on-screen graphics displaying the amount of chips Neilson should have had left.
Neilson called off his depleted stack shortly afterwards to end the tournament in 3rd for $900,000, a step he’d likely not have taken had his chips on the table reflected those on the screen.
Our third place finisher is Neilson. For his efforts he will receive $900k!! pic.twitter.com/11ps17HtKJ
— PokerNews (@PokerNews) December 14, 2023
PokerMediaAustralia were told by WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart that an investigation was ongoing and, although the massive ICM implications of the blunder were “heart breaking” for Neilson, the Aussie was unlikely to receive any financial reparations for the dealer error.
“The official position in any tournament is that if action was accepted by all parties there would be no recourse once tournament play has concluded,” said Stewart.
He added: “Any corrective action would need to take place while the player remains in the event. We do not, nor does any operator in the world that I’m aware, retroactively award ICM value or any monetary compensation in such situations.”
“We are thoroughly reviewing the matter,” he concluded.
Zegal, also apparently completely unaware of the unexpected boost to his stack, took full advantage of the extra 10million chips and went on to take down the title and the $2million first prize.
Although poker dealers are generally very good, mistakes do happen and they can prove very costly indeed.
At the 2010 WSOP Main Event, French player Estelle Denis was all-in with aces and set to double up, until the dealer reached out and mucked her cards in error.
The official ruling of this dealer error didn’t make things any better…
The 2019 WSOP Main Event witnessed another monster mistake, when Dario Sammartino asked for a count and was given the wrong number by the dealer. Although the floor ruling that Sammartino had to pay the 22million, things were made much worse by Tournament Director Jack Effel’s ignorant comment: “You’re calling 17, you’re calling 22.”
Thoughts on the Main Event miscount everyone is talking about? #WSOP50 pic.twitter.com/I5h9Yz6z67
— PokerGO Tour (@PokerGOTour) July 14, 2019
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