Anthony Holden, the author of, ‘Big Deal: A Year As A Professional Poker Player’ is an active member of IFP (International Federation of Poker). The organization has been involved in getting poker a respectable status – similar to that which games like bridge enjoy – for the past few years. Recently, Anthony stated that the fight to make bridge a respectable sport has been a long one. He expects that poker will be acknowledged as a respectable game. Although people bet on bridge and chess, the strategies involved in these games are acknowledged. However, this is not the case for poker.
IFP and Holden Aim at Portraying Poker as a Mental Sport
Holden, along with IFP, has undertaken the task of getting organizations to recognize poker as a mental sport rather than a game based on chance. To achieve the goal, a tournament has been organized by the IFP, called, Nations’ Cup. It is an event of two tournaments to be played in London between November 17th and 20th.
12 Nations to Play Nations’ Cup
12 nations will participate in the Nations’ Cup. Six players will play from each country in a duplicate tournament. In duplicate poker, dealers set up decks for every poker table in an identical manner. Points are awarded to a player based on his performance in comparison to other gamers having similar hands. The second Nations’ Cup tournament to be held is called, ‘The Table’. This will be a No Limit Hold’em tournament. The champion can grab as much as $250,000.
Holden Says Poker Has Still a Long Way to go to Gain Full Acceptance
Holden stated that although poker has achieved considerable respect over the past few years, the game has still a long way to go, to gain full acceptance. Bridge clubs are operated by many schools. The game is also used by teachers to explain game theory and probabilities. However, not many are likely to support the concept of an after school poker club.
According to Holden, both bridge and poker sharpen the ability to calculate. To succeed in poker, players have to know what they are supposed to get in return for the chips they play, what chips can be won and what are the best ways of winning those. Apart from mathematical calculations, an element of psychology too is involved in the game, as a player has to understand the mood of his opponent to predict his moves.
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