It’s unlikely that the poker venue selected by Interpoker for its Extreme Poker championship game this week will catch on in a big way, but it certainly served to publicise the top poker room’s offerings.
The game took place 30 feet under the warm waters of the Caribbean and took almost three months to put together. In the unusual competition, Juha Helppi took the winning honours.
Despite a good-natured feud between top players Juha Helppi, Kenna James and Phil Laak, mutual respect prevailed as the contestants left the water. “Although I went out with one of the worst beats in the history of undersea poker, I congratulate Juha on becoming the first Extreme Poker champ,” said Phil Laak. “I honestly thought that when his mask filled with water that I could take advantage of his broken concentration, but in the end he drew great hole cards and bet very wisely, and I give him credit for that.”
“Juha is one of the best poker players the Caribbean Sea has ever seen. Even though it hurts to lose in a historic tournament such as this, I’m glad Juha was able to claim the bracelet and become the first InterPoker Extreme Poker champ,” said Kenna James.
Also feeling the sting of elimination (possibly from jellyfish) was Louise H., who despite the loss was thrilled to take part in the first underwater poker tournament. “It seems like just yesterday I was at home in Denmark, and then all of a sudden I find myself at the ocean floor playing poker against Phil Laak and Kenna James,” said Louise. “It was a very fun, and very surreal, experience that I will never forget.”
Juha Helppi was awarded the Caribbean Poker Classic Extreme Poker Bracelet, which is made from authentic Caribbean seashells and beads. “Without a doubt, this was one of the most challenging tournaments in which I have ever competed,” said Helppi. “Not only are Phil and Kenna two of the best poker players I have ever faced, I also had to overcome obstacles such as water leaking into my mask and staying away from the stingray. I feel like I truly earned this victory.”
For the event the poker table was submerged using weighted anchors attached to the table’s underside and traditional chips and waterproof cards were used during play. CryptoLogic VP of Poker Software Development Andy Goetsch acted as tournament director and dealer, and all players spent the entire morning training for the event, courtesy of the diving experts at Kenneth’s Dive Center at St. Kitts.
The underwater poker tournament marks the first of many Extreme Poker events, aimed to test the limits of even the most seasoned tournament players, and will be held in exotic locations such as mountaintops, desert plains and arctic wastelands. InterPoker.com is currently accepting suggestions from players and supporters for where and when the next Extreme Poker event should be held. Players can send their submission to Ryan Hartley at ryan@interpoker.com.