Underwater poker tournament

Poker fans around the world are constantly trying to diversify their beloved game. In August this year, a unique charity poker tournament took place in Sheffield… under water. The organiser and originator of the first such tournament in Europe was poker and diving enthusiast John Stanley.

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The first ever Extreme Poker event took place in December 2005, under the surface of the Caribbean Sea, where you could be eliminated either after a fatal “bad beat” or if a player’s cylinder ran out of air.

A dive instructor from the local Diveworld club came up with the idea of combining pleasure with utility. The whole event was for charity and all funds raised from the competition went to Macmillan Cancer Support – a foundation that supports people in Sheffield and the surrounding area during their battle with cancer. The tournament was also a tribute to John’s wife, who died of cancer at the age of 44 in May this year.

Six players sat down to play, each equipped with a bottle of air. The card players wore masks, of course, which “made it easier to keep a poker face”. Special cameras placed underwater broadcast the whole event, which could be watched while sitting around the pool. In addition, diving instructors accompanied those wishing to go underwater to see the game. On the surface, on the other hand, card tricks could be admired during the tournament, and various games and activities were prepared for children.

We hope that the tournament has been a success and will continue to grow in popularity each year, attracting more and more diving and poker enthusiasts. Maybe one day it will become an event that will generate interest equal to the final of the World Series of Poker?

Source: poker.co.uk