MORE THAN 620 devoted poker players from the Czech Republic, Austria, and Slovakia took part in a four-day tournament at a casino in Bratislava at the beginning of this month, the Nový Čas daily wrote.
In the end, Marek Blaško, a player from Trnava, emerged victorious, and Sk1 million (€33,200) richer.
“Poker is not just about gambling. It is considered a sport, as much as chess or pool,” said Dag Palovič, president of the Slovak Poker Federation.
This designation likely comes from the fact that poker requires a certain level of mental skill, and because it can be played in groups of between two and 10 players, the daily wrote.
Poker tournaments have been making news around the world. An official poker federation exists and the most competitive events have jackpots of as much as €4 million (Sk120 million).
“They say that luck is 20 percent of a poker player’s success. The rest is their skills and ability to bluff,” Palovič added.
