Skill in poker tournament

Anyone that has ever participated in a poker tournament can vouch for that mental strenght is required, but that physical strength is also required only the few would guess.

When one thinks of sport you would not usually think about a poker tournament, you would be more inclined to think about some physical activity like running, golf, rugby or soccer. Poker is too passive and it is a game of chance where luck is the major factor. Not according to Grant Levy who has become very wealthy because of poker, he say poker does require physical fitness as well as mental acuity. If poker is just a pastime, it is certainly a very lucrative one, Levy has raked in winnings of $260,000 in 5 months of poker playing. Those parties interested in marketing poker are finding it hard because the media does not view poker as a sport nor as newsworthy. The only time poker becomes newsworthy is when it creates instant millionaires. Online poker websites are not allowed to advertise because promoting poker is incitement to gamble. Until poker gains recognition as a sport requiring skill, the struggle will continue.

Levy says that in a poker tournament, players need more skill than chance because if it was only luck then anyone could win a poker tournament. As it is it seems to be the same players that keep on winning. He says that a poker tournament is a sporting event because it will be because of his skill that he will win the tournament and not because of luck. Besides which, he says, one also need a certain amount of physical fitness to sit at a table and be mentally strong for 16 hours. Levy is a former rugby league player who like many former sporting heroes became interested in poker.

Despite the fact that poker is not yet considered a sport, players can turn professional. Professional players usually have a sponsor and do not have to pay their own buy-in fees. Much like an athlete, they compete for the money. Because of the huge popularity of poker tournaments, poker television shows have mushroomed and the major draw card for the audience is celebrity players. PokerStars director, Sam Dawson says that he is close to signing up Michael Phelps, the olympic swimmer and All Black Daniel Carter, both athletes are interested in becoming professional poker players. PokerStars are the sponsors of the $1 million poker tournament taking place at Star City where Grant Levy will be defending his title.