Sensation at the Sandcastle - Blackpool Disqualification!

[suzanne]

I dont play much live and have no idea what the Grosvener rules are but to me this all sounds VERY unfair.

Surely when the alleged incident took place Ali (who I have never met) should have been told that there was a complaint against him and a suspension of 3 days put in place while a decision was being made.

If he had been told this then presumably he would not have OR been allowed to enter the comp and all this would have been avoided.

To pull him out when he has reached the final table is just ridiculous.

[snoopy1239]

It seems to me that there has been a breakdown in communication. Firstly between the Grosvenor Casinos and secondly between Grosvenor and Ali with regards to the 72 hour period.

[totalise]

It seems to me that their has been a breakdown in communication. Firstly between the Grosvenor Casinos and secondly between Grosvenor and Ali with regards to the 72 hour period.

[Rookie (Rodney)]

LOL

[MPOWER]

The main issue is obviously the lack of professionalism shown by Grovesnor.

I think they need to write a Check to Ali regardless. If your banned your banned

I am sure there I.T people have the technology.

This is more likely to be poor management at local level. If Ali took it to
the Gaming Board, I can see Grovesnor being Embarrassed

IMO they should of said nothing let him play out the game. When he has
finished a quite word in the ear asking him to leave.

Regards

M

[roverthtaeh]

Fact 1:
If Grosvenor allow this player to begin a tournament, and he does not incur a ban during the tournament, Grosvenor should allow him to finish the tournament.
Fact 2:
Given the actions Grosvenor took, there is now no fair solution.
Fact 3:
The banned player, the TD, and the remaining players are all totally blameless.
 

[sofa----king]

first of all i must say ive played with ali a lot and i think hes a great guy,
my first point is ,,,
1 this thread maybee only 2 pages if it were mr nobody,
2 i think if ali has done something really bad and knew he could be banned this,it is his own fault,
3 on the other hand if it is not to serious,(of which imho it must be)grovesnor should be ashamed,
4 all the business about a 9 way split,well i think people must know all the facts,what he was banned for ,,,(this could be serious guys).
5 i really R.E.S.P.E.C.T. ali and his game, i really hope he isnt banned,
and wish him luck with his apeal.
6 1 last comment if grovesnor was wrong in this case,well guys you have got to R.E.S.P.E.C.T their decisions as to be fair guys they do provide a service for us poker players, i know we pay,but sometimes mistakes can happen.

as  i said i really like ali and get on great with him,but to be honest guys this must really be something serious for them to ban him and to take him off a final table,grov are not daft,they know how much of a stink this would cause,it must have been a hard decision for them,,,,
on the other hand they would have been at fault, for letting him in the casino in the first place.
good luck ali hope it all works out for you mate.....


very tricky this one guys..,.,.

[ifm]

I don't know the precedures for banning people but i would have assumed you need to be informed in writing.
I had a pal banned from all Grosvenors for life for putting a bottle of pils under the table, he was told in writing a couple of days later. I also asked the lady at grosvenor about an appeal and she said he would NEVER get back in!!

As for the way the comp continued IMO whatever the remaining finalists did was right (they shouldn't even be given an option).

[Rooky9]

I wouldnt chop there and then, no way.

I think Action Man was spot on.

On what to do with the chips... Work out the relative size of the blind in relation to the total chips in play. Remove ALi's chips, then calculate the size of the blinds in the same proportion for the new total amount of chips.. structure maintained and no advantage to certain seats.

[tikay]

Sheriff Fatman said.....

"....The most logical way to deal with it for me (even though I don't agree with the rule) if they were intent on not allowing Ali to complete the tournament would have been for them to leave the chips on the table and apply the 'blinded out every hand after the first orbit rule' that they use in some places for absent players.  I'm not sure if this rule is in place consistently at all Grosvenors but it would have certainly been a more equitable way to do things than to simply take the chips out of play......"

This suggestion WAS proposed to Grosvenor, & I believe they were, or would have been, agreeable to it's use, but it became irrelevant as the vast majority of the players rejected it out of hand.

Let's remember, this was a VERY difficult situation for everyone - Grosvenor, the players, the Cardroom Manager, &, arguably, Ali, too. I believe everyone acted sincerely, & that's all we can ask.

Been a great thread though - it just shows the variety of opinion available on a single issue!

When the Final eventually began, the mood was a bit "dark" though. One guy got put to a decision, & decided to stand up to do his "dwell", as many players do when put to a tough decision. Another player - not even in the hand - said "his hand is dead, he's not at the table".....!

I "live for Live Finals" but after all the ballyhoo, I've never enjoyed one less than this, &, thanks to "moving" with  & getting called by  & busting out 8th (in effect, first to exit) I bid a hasty retreat from Blackpool. I don't blame the other players for this, or Grosvenor, or Ali. It was just one of those things, sadly.

[tikay]

I'd also add that Grosvenor were in a tricky spot. Steve, the Cardroomn Manager, was absent, so it was all left to the Casino Manager to sort this out, not an enviable proposition. Let's be right, poker players are not an easy bunch to please, & this thread proves that whatever decision was made would have provoked argument.

[basher]

The Grosvenor UKPT will not be the same - It is like the premiership without Sir Alex.

Blue Sqaure have invested alot into the tournament with - Do they know that one of the best chaacters in the UK game will be absent??

Perhaps should find 10 independants and go alone, as Mark said it could be you next, I wonder if they would have banned 'The Legand' for the same thing?

[Sheriff Fatman]

Sheriff Fatman said.....

"....The most logical way to deal with it for me (even though I don't agree with the rule) if they were intent on not allowing Ali to complete the tournament would have been for them to leave the chips on the table and apply the 'blinded out every hand after the first orbit rule' that they use in some places for absent players.  I'm not sure if this rule is in place consistently at all Grosvenors but it would have certainly been a more equitable way to do things than to simply take the chips out of play......"

This suggestion WAS proposed to Grosvenor, & I believe they were, or would have been, agreeable to it's use, but it became irrelevant as the vast majority of the players rejected it out of hand.

If they were enforcing this rule for any other type of absence the other players wouldn't get any say on the issue.  I don't see why this should be any different and perhaps it would have avoided the bad feeling you talked about if Grosvenor had just turned around and said, 'this is the rule, its not debateable, lets move on please'.  We still be debating the fact it was a crap decision, but it was Grosvenor's decision and they should be accountable for it.  Dragging the players into it only seems to have worsened the situation.

[tikay]

Sheriff Fatman said.....

"....The most logical way to deal with it for me (even though I don't agree with the rule) if they were intent on not allowing Ali to complete the tournament would have been for them to leave the chips on the table and apply the 'blinded out every hand after the first orbit rule' that they use in some places for absent players.  I'm not sure if this rule is in place consistently at all Grosvenors but it would have certainly been a more equitable way to do things than to simply take the chips out of play......"

This suggestion WAS proposed to Grosvenor, & I believe they were, or would have been, agreeable to it's use, but it became irrelevant as the vast majority of the players rejected it out of hand.

If they were enforcing this rule for any other type of absence the other players wouldn't get any say on the issue.  I don't see why this should be any different and perhaps it would have avoided the bad feeling you talked about if Grosvenor had just turned around and said, 'this is the rule, its not debateable, lets move on please'.  We still be debating the fact it was a crap decision, but it was Grosvenor's decision and they should be accountable for it.  Dragging the players into it only seems to have worsened the situation.

No, Grosvenor did not "drag the players into the decision". They said "we are removing his chips & awarding him 9th place", is was the Players that said "hey, hold up a mo". Grosvenor WOULD have listened to the players views/opinion I believe, but the players could not reach a concensus amongst themselves, so the Grosvenor "suggestion" stood.

[action man]

I agree with Keiths sentiments on this and am glad to hear Tikay was the last man still arguing ali's lost cause on the table, confirms everything I already knew about him. If he had been ill or in a car crash as someone said earlier he would have anted away to about 5th or 6th most likely. To take his chips off and give him 9th was just wrong as is discussing what has allegedly taken place between Ali and Grosvenor on a forum like this. There is no way if Ali had physically assaulted a dealer he would have turned up a couple of days later to play a comp, no man would be that stupid. If he has verbally attacked a dealer then fair enough slap his wrists ban him do whatever but you cannot just throw somebody out of a final like this imo. What has happened between Ali and Grosvenor is their business and should remain that as I am sure there are 2 sides and its none of our business but what happened in todays final is of interest and I think the wrong decision has been made by the card room manager taking his chips out of play and also by the players not doing some sort of deal. No offence to you personally actionman but if I had been in that final I would not have played- I would rather walk away from the final with a clear conscience.

no offence taken, i have a clear conscience as all of the players agreed that ali would have played on if it would have been any other finalist in his spot.