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A televised $250K poker tournament sounds exciting. But what kind of animal is the organizer, IPPA, really?

“International Poker Players’ Association” (IPPA) sounds like an interesting initiative for international poker. In November 2010 they will hold an insanely high buy-in double shootout in Monte Carlo. So far, all good.

But if you look up the IPPA, weird facts surface. As a matter of fact, what the hell is the IPPA really?

This is not Anthony Holden

When I first heard of the IPPA, my thoughts went to old chap Anthony Holden and his poker organization that (allegedly) got poker accepted into the International Mind Sports Association. But that’s the International Poker Federation.

IPPA is something else. And it’s something else.

Focusing on the luxury lifestyle

At the IPPA web site they talk of the luxury lifestyle, and you’ll find some surprising sections such as Charities, Food & Entertainment, Tournaments & Travel.

The site is pretty new and doesn’t have that much content, but there’s an interview with Nancy Todd Tyner, 2008 WPT Ladies Champion with some $300K in tournament winnings.

The interview is made from the perspective of a luxurious lifestyle and reads a bit funny to a poker player:

“The beautiful estate in the Las Vegas suburbs, the megawatt career as a political consultant … they are all part of the luxurious lifestyle she leads.  So what could make her leave all of this to spend long days in cavernous poker rooms … ? What I found was a woman as complex as the profundities in David Sklansky’s ‘The Theory of Poker.’ “

Wait a moment, are they questioning how a person could enjoy playing poker? What kind of poker players’ association is this really?!

Not really an association

Looking closer you’ll notice that the IPPA is a privately held company. According to their web site they will be “profiling the social aspects of poker” – that is, the luxury lifestyle.

On their Facebook page they link to an expensive watch and ask “how much do you love the blue on the watch face?” Other posts link to luxurious cars and luxurious beverages. In all evidence, the IPPA is all about luxury consumption.

Why would a global media company carry the name of an international association? Why not something more fitting, like “The Luxury Poker Club” or even “Fancy Ass Card Sharks Inc.”?

I don’t know. I’ve asked the people behind the IPPA, we’ll see if they answer. For the time being I’ll keep a sound skepticism vis-à-vis the IPPA.

Makes the WSOP look cheap

All the while looking forward to the $250K IPPA Championship. That’s more like it! (See my blog about the WSOP being boring.)