Poker players of all ages and abilities will battle it out to be Kent’s first champion in a tournament next month.
The £20,000 competition at Thanet’s G Casino costs £500 to enter with a £50 registration fee, although less well-off card sharks will still have the chance to play against the professionals by taking part in special qualifying games.
Venue director Peter Donnelly said he wanted the inaugural Kent Cup, which runs from May 1 to 4, to be accessible to as many people as possible.
He said: “We recognise there is a huge market out there for us. There are now more women who play the game, as well as lots of people who play online but maybe haven’t ever been to a casino before.
“Maybe in the past they’ve been a little cautious about coming along but we want to help allay those fears.
“Every game will have a dealer so if they are worried about having to do it themselves, they needn’t be. The competition will also be heavily supervised throughout.
“The cup is all about a variety of people testing their strengths against one another.”
G Casino opened at Broadstairs’ Westwood Cross shopping complex in March last year and has been a popular destination for gamblers thanks to its 120-seat poker room and the large collection of slot machines and games on offer.
The venue also houses a restaurant and late-night bar for those not so confident with their cards, with regular live entertainment also a crowd-pleaser.
Mr Donnelly said previous G Casino tournaments had attracted the likes of footballers-turned-poker players Tony Cascarino and Kenny Sansom, as well as other professional stars.
He added: “One of the joys of this tournament is that you just don’t know who you might find yourself up against.
“People who have never played in a casino atmosphere before often surprise themselves at how good they really are.
“Poker isn’t like football. It’s not going to be like Manchester United coming down to play some Sunday league side. People who play poker a lot online usually acquit themselves quite well against the professionals.”
Poker’s popularity experienced a spike at the beginning of the decade, largely due to the introduction of online versions of the game as well as the invention of the hole-card camera that turned it into a spectator sport.
Mr Donnelly said: “It’s the combination of skill and the ability to read what other people are doing that makes poker such a great game.
“The fact there are substantial amounts of cash on offer obviously helps too.”
Visit www.gcasino.co.uk/thanet for more information on the Kent Cup.
POSTED: 12/04/2009 10:00:00
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