Chip Leader Ali Imsirovic Kicked Out of Florida Poker Tournament
Former GPI Player of the Year and embattled poker pro Ali Imsirovic was kicked out of a poker tournament at Florida's bestbet Jacksonville on Thursday. While no reason was made public, the presumption is it stems from Imsirovic’s checkered past.
Day 1a of the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) $1,200 buy-in Main Event kicked off today with the first of three starting flights. PokerNews is on-site reporting the Main Event action in northeastern Florida.
Imsirovic, who in 2022 was accused of colluding in live events and using real-time assistance (RTA), was among the 80 players in the Day 1a flight, according to PokerNews live reporter Brett Slezak.
The Bosnian high-stakes pro quickly built up a stack and even showed a bluff to one of his opponents after triple-barreling a missed flush draw, as Slezak documented.
Imsirovic made it to dinner break as the chip leader with 30 players left in the Day 1a starting flight. When players returned, his stack was gone. Tournament staff confirmed to PokerNews that Imsirovic was no longer in the tournament.
Read More About the RGPS Jacksonville Stop!
First Appearance Since Texas DQ
This was the first documented appearance of Imsirovic at a poker stop since he was tossed from an event at Champions Club and banned from the Texas poker club in February. In that incident, Imsirovic was refunded his $1,500 entry fee after tournament staff learned he was playing.
"Champions is committed, first and foremost, to the protection of our members," Isaac Trumbo, President of Champions Club, told PokerNews at the time. "If poker is going to continue to thrive, the community must be able to trust operators to prioritize game integrity above all else, including our bottom line."
According to The Hendon Mob, Imsirovic finished third in a World Poker Tour (WPT) bestbet Scramble side event in November 2024 for $16,126 and had a smaller cash in January's Winter Open.
Several poker players have called on operators to take action against Imsirovic. Despite the cheating allegations against him, some of which he admitted to in a June 2023 video, Imsirovic played at both the 2023 and 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) festivals.
The Bosnian high-stakes pro finished 18th in the 2023 $1,500 Shootout for $5,759 and 14th in the 2024 $1,500 Closer for $26,360.
Ali Imsirovic DQ'ed from Texas Tournament Upon Registering
