The European Poker Tour doesn’t really do scandals, but it absolutely loves a storm in a teacup. And the good news for fans of infamy is that there’s a typhoon blowin’ through Deauville’s finest china this afternoon.
As we reported earlier, there is a packed schedule of side events today in Deauville, including both the €500 Seniors’ tournament and a €200 Women’s event. The entry requirement for the former is that players must be 50 or older, while it’s more about what you haven’t got (specifically, haven’t got between your legs) that determines your validity for the latter.
Sorry to be crude, but poker has tended to struggle with these directions. Despite reams and reams of chatter about etiquette and rulings and tournament director’s discretion, the simple fact that some events are only open to women has never quite been grasped by some ridiculous individuals.
Here in France, government legislation — ostensibly to guard against inequality, ironically enough — means that tournament organisers are not able to deny anyone the opportunity to play based only on their gender. It means that if a man really wants to be a dick play a women’s event, nobody can actually stop him.
Sure enough, I’m sorry to report, at least nine men registered for today’s women’s event. Groan, yawn, boo and hiss. Let’s ignore them as best we can, huh, and hope somehow they all go out on the bubble to a horrible one-outer. (There was one moment of humour: an announcement over the microphone: “Ladies and gentlemen: 15 minute break in the ladies event.”)
Now, here’s where it gets even more scandalous however: the senior’s event has also been blighted. The same anti-discrimination legislation that somehow allows certain men to be idiots also means that tournament entry cannot be denied on basis of age (provided one is older than 18, the legal gambling age in France). So it is that if anybody between the ages of 18 and 50 decided they wanted to join the senior’s event, they can. And some have. I don’t really know what to make of that.
The first person to be identified as cheekily sneaking into the oldies’ field was Hassan Bitar, but he may just get a pass. Bitar turns 50 in a matter of ten days, so can probably be forgiven for his haste in sampling the seniors’ life.
It’s not quite so clear cut for David Salle, however, who is 40 years old. And as for Luigi Macaluso, that’s just ridiculous. He turned 18 on Friday and decided to celebrate his coming of age with one of the most childish decisions of his life.
Really, joining a senior’s poker tournament within two days of your 18th birthday is either a bizarre mistake, dreadfully petulant or a bet. You decide.
Coverage from the Main Event of EPT Deauville is on the Main Event page. The FPS will wrap up today. Coverage from that is on the FPS Page. And you can follow the action from Australia on the Aussie Millions page.
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