S'pore makes cut for poker 'World
Cup'
(From left) Team
manager Vince Lau, Mr Alvin Wong, and team members Freddy Kwek and
Mark Wen. Mr Lau and Mr Wong are the president and vice-president,
respectively, of the Poker Federation of Singapore. ST
PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN
Carolyn Khew
Singapore is going to the
"World Cup" in Brazil next year. The World Cup of poker, that
is.
Its six-man team beat four other countries to take
third place in the first-ever Asian Nations Cup in Sanya, China,
last month.
It meant the Republic qualified for the second
International Federation of Poker World Championship in Rio de
Janeiro next February. There, it will take on 15 other countries,
including heavyweights the United States and China.
The prize pool has yet to be revealed but last year
it stood at half a million euros (S$838,000).
Singapore team manager Vince Lau, 52, told how
qualification was no easy feat. The team was in the bottom two
after the first day and it was only after a change of strategy that
Singapore toppled the likes of Japan and India in the later
sessions.
"It has been quite an experience and a challenge
for us," said Mr Lau, who is also the president of the Poker
Federation of Singapore. "This was our debut match overseas against
other Asian countries. Securing third spot was really quite an
achievement as we are a young team."
The team was assembled only in August based on
performances in local tournaments and is currently looking for
sponsors for the finals next year.
The players include an accountant, a manager and a
full- time professional poker player. All have had experience
playing in tournaments in countries like China and the
Philippines.
Team member Jacky Chang, 25, was a full-time poker
professional before he recently started working as a sales manager
at a trading company. He was introduced to the game by a friend
while doing national service - and was "absolutely devastated" that
Singapore did not win the Asian Nations Cup.
"I was expecting at least second place, but at the
end of the day we did our best," he said.
Teammate Freddy Kwek, 33, a manager, had to get
used to playing in a team rather than individually, which involved
coming up with a strategy to minimise losses. This involved not
just anticipating how their opponents would react but also
pre-empting the actions of his fellow teammates.
Although poker here is not as popular as it is in
other countries, Mr Lau said interest is growing. The Poker
Federation of Singapore, for example, started with about 100
members in 2009, but its membership has grown to about 350
today.
Online poker games have also been gaining traction
on sites like Facebook, said Mr Lau.
The Poker Federation of Singapore aims to create
awareness of poker being a game which involves using the mind
rather than just one associated with gambling.
"It's a stereotype," said Mr Lau. "Many people
don't know that poker is about skill and risk management rather
than being at the mercy of cards. It's about making the correct
decisions based on calculated risks."
Top News, The Sunday Times, November 3, 2013, Pg 12
