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CYPRIOT POKER PLAYERS ON LEGAL FRONT LINE

Cyprus Small 3aug12It could prove to be a pivotal time for Cypriot poker, with the courts on the Mediterranean island examining the case for legalized poker which could eventually overturn current legislation outlawing the game.

At a press conference on Thursday, the Cyprus Poker Association (CPA), which had national trials for the 2012 IFP Nations Cup interrupted by police last month, presented their case to the press, fully backed by the International Federation of Poker.The arguments in favour of legalised poker are persuasive: approximately 800 million players around the world, a game used in the world’s most respected educational centres such as Harvard University, increasingly successful poker tours such as the European and World Poker Tours, and the IFPs membership of the International Mind Sport Association.However, the case for legal poker is not always as straightforward as it should be.

Tony Theophanides, a tireless and spirited advocate for poker in Cyprus, has been instrumental in poker’s defence, despite inevitable frustrations.

“We have proved that legally we can play poker in Cyprus, we have proved that it is our human right to participate in sport, we have proven to everyone that we were not gambling and we have proven that the demand for poker in Cyprus is massive but we still have to defend our position.”

In a statement in support of the CPA, IFP President Anthony Holden was explicit in his backing of poker players in Cyprus, outlining the various arguments while being critical of Cypriot authorities who claimed that national trials constituted illegal gambling.

“Players take part for the love of the game, not for financial gain,” said Holden. “There is no money involved, so it is hard to see how this could remotely be described as gambling.

“IFP exists to demonstrate that poker is a Mind Sport of strategic skill – like chess, bridge, draughts etc., IFP’s fellow-members of the International Mind Sports Association,” he added.

“On the BBC only this week, there has been a call for these Mind Sports to be included in future Olympic Games. This has since publicly received parliamentary support. Poker is now second only to football in terms of global popularity.

“As President of IFP, I urge all concerned to support the Cyprus Poker Association in its perfectly legal and respectable activities. We look forward to welcoming the CPA’s team to our events, and wish to express our unqualified support for CPA and its dynamic vice-president, Tony Theophanides.”

The case continues in Cyprus, although Theophanides is determined to fight for the rights of poker players until successful.

“As we said before,” said Theophanides, “this is one fight that we will not lose.”

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NATIONS BATTLE TO BECOME CHAMPION

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For the past few weeks, soccer fans around Europe have been glued to their television sets, watching the fortunes of their side go up, down and sometimes up again in pursuit of one of the games’ most sought after trophies.

The 16 teams that started Euro 2012 earned their place in the championship after a two year qualifying period. This rigorous process ensures that the Championship, staged jointly in Poland and Ukraine, showcases the very best of European football talent in new state-of-the-art stadia.In this regard it has been a total success. The likes of Spain and Italy have at dazzled in their passage to the semi-finals, as have the dependable Germany and flair-filled Portugal. For the worldwide audience this has been soccer at its most compelling.National teams benefit from a natural fan base, uniting the hard core supporters with the occasional viewers who long gave up on understanding the offside rule. They replace passion with national pride and the spirit of competition, rejoicing when their nation does well, shrugging off any despondency when they fail.

IFP believes that poker could become a similar spectacle, drawing in support from pro poker players, amateurs and casual fans alike, even if they do not completely understand position or c-betting. All can be brought together by a shared appreciation for the talents of world class competitors.

The IFP Nations Cup strives to fill a gap in the poker world; a national team championship bringing together the best players from various qualifying countries to compete alongside each other.

Using an innovative format known as Match Poker (formerly Duplicate Poker), in which players at different tables are dealt identical hands in corresponding seats, the Nations Cup reduces the element of chance while increasing the demands on skill necessary to succeed. In Match Poker you must win and lose in the most profitable manner.

As the inaugural Nations Cup demonstrated in November, it makes for an absorbing and dynamic poker event, with the capacity to watch how several players play the same hand proving to be an educational tool without parallel.

This year IFP will be staging the second IFP Nations Cup, in London, made up of teams of players who have themselves survived an arduous qualification process. This event will once more demonstrate how the best players utilise talent and skill at the highest level to succeed and become Nations Cup champions.

Last year that was Team Germany, a team as gifted and organised as their counterparts on the football field. Will they be able to defend their title this November in London? Details of the line-up of this years’ event will be coming soon on the IFP website.

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INFOGRAPHIC OF THE NATIONS CUP FINAL ROUND

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The 2011 Duplicate Poker Nations Cup final took place on November 18, of the original 12 teams only 6 remained. Brazil, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and the world’s first digital nation Zynga battled it out to be crowned the most skillful nation.

Infographic Nations Cup 07122011 Facebook

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BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE TABLE

The result was a remarkable win for Raul Mestre, with a backdrop perfect for the crowing of a first world champion. But the story of The Table did not begin when players took their seat last month; it began with the creation of the actual table itself.

It was quite something to design and put together, something else entirely to deliver it and install it, as the images below testify…

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CHARITABLE COREN DONATES WINNINGS FROM THE TABLE

For poker players it’s all about the money. Sure, some prestige is fine now and then, but the bottom line is the bottom line. You can’t spend a nice looking resume. Or at least that’s the impression many people have, that of cut throat individuals with only one thing on their mind.

English03But at least one player had someone else on their mind.Victoria Coren (right), a columnist and TV presenter as well as a poker player, finished runner-up to Raul Mestre at The Table last month, a feat worth $100,000. Now you can make that $90,000, with the rest going to Age UK, a British charity which aims to improve the living standards and protect the rights for older people.Philanthropy among poker players is not that unusual. Barry Greenstein, who captained the United States Team during the IFP Nations Cup, famously used to give his tournament winnings away to children’s charities, and many players, including Jennefer Gallenberger of Team Zynga, pledge 1 per cent of poker winnings to charity.Before taking her seat Coren had tweeted that her column in that Sunday’s edition of Observer was “in love with old folk”, before pledging ten per cent of any winnings to Age UK.

Shortly after her success at County Hall she tweeted:

“The 10% went to Age UK this morning, £6,360 with love, on behalf of all us poker players who have no idea what our own future will be.”

Well said.