Nick Marchington had only one live cash to his name prior to his remarkable run at this year\u2019s WSOP Main Event. (Image: Sky News)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOn Friday, a Las Vegas judge lifted an injunction that had frozen ten percent of the $1.5 million haul Marchington won in July for his seventh-place finish at poker\u2019s most prestigious tournament.<\/p>\n
The 21-year-old\u2019s run of a lifetime was temporarily tarnished after a spat erupted between Marchington and his former backer, staking company C Biscuit Stables.<\/p>\n
C Biscuit owners David Yee and Collin Hartley sued the player, claiming they had bought 10 percent of his action prior to the tournament and were entitled to a cut of the riches.<\/p>\n
The current status of the lawsuit is unclear. But the unfreezing of the disputed $150,000 suggests that the judge has sided with Marchington.<\/p>\n
Pay That Man Heez Money<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe Brit admits that he initially had a deal with C Biscuit that offered him $1,200 for 10 percent of his Main Event action, representing a 1.2 markup on the $10,000 buy-in tournament. But he also admits that he reneged on the deal because he subsequently got a better offer — another party proposed $17,000, for 10 percent, representing a 1.7 markup for the same stake.<\/p>\n
According to court filings, Marchington informed C Biscuit of his intention to switch backers before the tournament began and, in the absence of a written contract, the staking company had little recourse but to accept the refund he offered.<\/p>\n
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But what may amount to bad etiquette in the poker community does not necessarily fly in a court of law. Marchington\u2019s legal counsel asserted its client had \u201cthe necessary free will to exit the agreement at any time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
But C Biscuit argued that because the transaction was not completed until after the tournament began, it had a right to a payout.<\/p>\n
The company originally paid Marchington via a dollar transaction into his PokerStars account. But both parties agreed the refund should be paid in cash, which Marchington was unable to source until Day 2 of the tournament, when he was among the chip leaders.<\/p>\n