News

Tuesday, 29 June 2010 10:47

It's something poker players have known for a long time and now they have official recognition from the IMSA that it is indeed a skill game.

The IMSA (International Mind Sport Association) now recognises poker as being a skill game, or as they have defined it, a strategically skilled mind-sport. This places poker along side other skill games such as chess and bridge and means that the IFP (International Federation of Poker) now joins the IMSA. It also means that poker will feature with bridge and chess at IMSA's yearly events.

The decision to include poker was taken by the IMSA at their yearly symposium that was held in Dubai. The president of the IFP, Anthony Holden has stated that this acknowledgment has been a key IFP campaign landmark. Their campaign aimed for the recognition of poker as being a game of skill and a mind sport. Holden also noted that poker should soon be liberated from US government intervention as well as the many redundant limitations that exist the world over. The UK will host the IMSA World Mind Sports Games during the 2012 Summer Olympic Games which will be held in London.

Now that the IFP is part of the larger IMSA, it now joins with federations of bridge, chess, Go and draughts. These federations are part of an organisation called SportAccord, which was formed for the promotion of communications and collaboration with various worldwide sports federations. The IFP's next target is to become a SportAccord member, for which an official application will be filed by Holden for membership at SportAccord's symposium. The hope is for approval to be granted at next year's annual general meeting to be held in London.

That approval will not come easily, as several requisites must be satisfied for membership with SportAccord, who demand at least forty member federations coming from three or more continents. The IFP has already met more than fifty percent of the requirements, in part thanks to the IMSA's decision. Achieving the rest of the targets is expected to happen over the course of the next year.

Their achievements so far have not gone unnoticed by the global poker business. This will get a huge boost from participation in the World Mind Sports Games that are happening during the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games. American pro poker player Doyle Brunson who sits on the Advisory Board for the IFP is very pleased with the result and says that it is clear that expertise, skill and other qualities are required to play poker well and it obviously does not only depend on luck.