IFP CELEBRATES ITS THIRD YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Anthony Holden
With the work of IFP gaining momentum in leaps and bounds, with new initiatives and progress being made almost on a daily basis, it’s sometimes easy to miss the landmarks worth celebrating, like that of yesterday, when the International Federation of Poker celebrated its third year anniversary, following its formation in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2009.
So much has been achieved already but it’s what we have to look forward to that excites us most.
In the coming months they’ll be a new look website. Not only that but soon you will be able to sign up for IFP membership and take advantage of a broad range of benefits aimed at dramatically enhancing your poker playing experience. Most significantly, IFP membership will allow you the chance to qualify for events, such as the 2012 The Table and the Nations Cup, played using Duplicate Poker.
Those familiar with IFPs work will know that duplicate poker, a form of the game in which players at different tables each receive the same cards, is a poker variant that dramatically reduces the element of variance in poker, leaving room for more skill.
IFP is collaborating with the Computer Poker Research Group at the University of Alberta, looking into variants of duplicate poker and exploring the notion of Duplicate Poker Ratings, something which could give members a true measure of a player’s poker skill.
In addition IFP membership will include a ranking system that will use a unique formula that will enable you to compare your progress alongside everyone family and friends, as well as other members across the world.
The IFP is also developing ideas to host duplicate poker online, incorporating the use of Artificial Intelligence, and is in the process of building state-of-the-art poker training tools for all IFP members to enjoy.
Finally, we’d like to thank everyone who sent messages this weekend supporting the work of the IFP, which were gratefully received. IFPs online community grows day by day. We hope you’ll agree that after three great years there is much more to come and we look forward to having you on board as we reach our fourth birthday.
Image: © Action Images / Paul Childs
