For the first time all summer, Ali Imsirovic has graced the poker community with his presence at the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP), although some likely weren’t thrilled to see him appear.

The former GPI Player of the Year and high-stakes crusher was accused of cheating last year by many of his peers, including Alex Foxen. He was said to have colluded during live events and used real-time assistance (RTA) tools to assist his online play.

One year after being accused of cheating and remaining silent, Imsirovic admitted to some of the allegations and denied others in a lengthy YouTube video last month. The poker pro claimed he multi-accounted online during COVID but only during a period of less than six months. He also downplayed the usefulness of RTA’s and hinted that some of the players who accused him of cheating are doing the same, although he didn’t provide specific names.

Controversial Poker Pro Enters WSOP Event

On Day 1 of Event #85: $1,500 Shootout, Imsirovic quietly took his seat inside the Paris Ballroom. It was the first time he’d made a live poker appearance since being indefinitely banned from PokerGO events in September 2022. He competed in a number of events at the 2022 World Series of Poker last summer despite facing some serious allegations.

At the time of publishing, Imsirovic was one of seven remaining players at his table, which originally began with 10. In the shootout format, players must win their table to advance in the tournament. Imsirovic was at 45,000 chips, up from his 25,000-chip starting stack. There were nearly 1,000 players registered.

Following Imsirovic’s YouTube video, many within the poker community weren’t buying what he’s selling. Some high-profile players weren’t satisfied with his comments. Matt Berkey, on the Only Friends podcast, went so far as to say the high-stakes pro showed “no remorse” in the video.

Follow Live Coverage of the $1,500 Shootout