It’s not unusual to read about the coronavirus costing someone a day’s work, though it is unusual when the virus costs someone a day’s work with a $1.5 million payout.
That terrible reality is the one confronting poker pro Upeshka De Silva.
De Silva was disqualified from the World Series of Poker tournament this week after testing positive for the coronavirus. This, after De Silva, had played his way down from a field that began with 705 competitors, all the way down to the final nine-person table.
“I tested negative on a nasal swab pcr test saturday the 26th, but positive on the official mouth swab pcr test at the rio on the 27th,” De Silva wrote on Twitter.
“This whole experience has been an absolute s–t show,” De Silva continued. “I know I’m drawing slim for options but I want to get the story out at the least about how this was handled and the protocols that were put in place. I have insight on how both wpt (World Poker Tour) and wsop (World Series of Poker) have handled covid.”
As the New York Post reports, “The final table went on without him Monday, with Joseph Hebert claiming the top prize of $1,553,256. De Silva got $98,813 for finishing ninth.”
Somewhat ironically, Herbert will now face international champion Damian Salas – who was denied entry into the United States due to coronavirus protocols despite testing negative – for the world championship.