On Day 1B of the 2017 World Series of Poker main event, a bizarre shouting match at one of the tables led to two players being suspended briefly from the tournament.
ESPN2 last night broadcast an interview with Tony Bracy, who finished 38th in last year’s tournament. He said that, for some reason, Lazaro Hernandez was on his phone during the main event of the World Series of Poker. Bracy then asked the dealer to “control the game” after Hernandez was slow to act from the button.
Picking up from ESPN’s interview, Bracy said:
The guy just loses his mind. He said, “Talk to me like a man.” He doesn’t know what the hell… the next thing we know, he says “let’s go outside,” uses the N-word, and all this other crap.… so, once I said something, it escalated, he said let’s go outside and fight, I called him fat, and [told him to go] eat a Twinkie. Of course I ain’t going to keep my mouth shut.
According to a writeup of the incident from Poker News, Bracy was suspended a round and Hernandez was suspended for three rounds. Hernandez was also warned he’d be disqualified if he made another outburst.
Confusingly, ESPN’s Norman Chad berated Bracy, saying that the player he argued with was a “Las Vegas legend” and told him to “show him respect.” This was when Chad was under the impression the player Bracy argued with was John Esposito. It wasn’t! He later apologized on-air and online.
Both Bracy and Hernandez returned to the tables without incident later in the day.
[ESPN2]
H/t to Kenny