English Poker Sensation Dealt with Lawsuit after $1.5m Win

• Nick Marchington’s amazing run in the WSOP Main Event started with challenging odds but played out well in his favor.
• Colin Hartley and David Yee, partners in gambling backing company, file a suit against Marchington for fraud and breached contract.
• The state of Nevada rules that until the case is resolved Marchington will not be able to cash in his prize money.

Nick Marchington, the 21-year old English poker sensation, who received global media exposure following his amazing game in the World Series of Poker, has been dealt with a troublesome hand by his backers the morning after his big game night. The Computer Science drop-out emerged seventh out of 8569 entries in the $80,000,000 tournament, starting the WSOP Main Event with the smallest chip haul only to stay alive and win some $1.5 million.

The Balance of the Dealing Hand

Until now the public knew Marchington as a university drop-out who had started taking gambling in a professional manner just one year prior to the big event in question. His case is reminiscent of one Jamie Gold, record winner in 2006, who also found himself on the bad end of a lawsuit, which dabbled over the terms of a pre-arranged agreement.

The morning after the Main event greeted the young poker star with many a great promises. Had luck been more inclined, Marchington could have been the youngest winner of the WSOP Main Event. Despite the favor of the cards from the night before, though, the day went on to place the young Brit in a nasty lawsuit filed in Clark County by two men who claimed to have bought a 10% piece of Nick’s action.

The Case

David Yee and Colin Hartley, C Biscuit Poker Staking partners – a firm which backs gamblers in tournaments – alleged in their lawsuit that they had concluded an agreement with Marchington for a 10% cut of the action in the $5000 Six Max No Limit Hold’em and in the Main Event at 1.1 and 1.2 markups, respectively. Their claim for breach of contract terms states that Marchington tried to back out of the deal and sought to sell for a higher price.

Yee and Hartley had, prior to the tournament, been approached by the young gambler for support, which amounted to $1750. June 4^th was the day when Marchington confirmed receiving two installments of $875, replying in text: “We are booked. Let’s get rich…”

Long story short, from there on out and after a good deal of hesitation in regards to whether or not Marchington would actually take part in the two agreed upon events, he had finally decided to cut their deal for the Main Event. He then offered them to buy back in at higher markups.

I know and understand this was bad practice even though allowable, and I have apologised. Once I cancelled, there was no insistence the piece would still be booked when I made it clear I was still playing. Only arrangements for a refund after which we would be ‘done.’

— Nick Marchington (@NickMarchington) August 3, 2019

Marchington states that he had arranged a refund with C Biscuit via a notion filed by his attorneys. This was confirmed by both sides.

On July 5^th, when Marchington attempted to refund $1,200 the lawsuit was filed and a Clark County judge granted a temporary restraining order, which prevented Marchington from collected his winnings, or at least those he hadn’t already.

The C Biscuit partners require Marchington to pay them $152,500 and the legal fees for the lawsuit.