A new event this year, the International Federation of Poker Nations Cup, will be held this week in London. In order to celebrate the intellectual demands of poker and increase the skill aspect – as opposed to luck aspect – of the game, a variety of poker dubbed “duplicate poker” is employed. In this version of the game, all players are dealt the same cards, and are then judged based on how well they use those cards against opponents with the same hand. This elevates strategy to the forefront of the game and significantly reduces the luck component, allowing skilled players to apply their know-how without being as affected by random draws.

The event is by invitation only at this point, with players from a total of twelve countries around the world participating against one another. So far eleven countries’ teams have been revealed, with one remaining to be named. Surprising, Canada was not on the list – at least not yet. Also surprising is the lack of a Scandinavian country in the competition, especially given that this competition is being held in the UK.

Stay tuned for updates on this unique competition.