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TRAKTOR POKER NOW AN OFFICIAL SPORT IN CHINA
World Poker Tour business coup could have far reaching implications
In a historic day that marked the evolution of Traktor Poker, or Tuo La Ji, from traditional folk game to an officially recognised Sport by the China Leisure Sports Administrative Center (CLSAC), the World Poker Tour (WPT) China National Traktor Poker Tour (see previous InfoPowa reports) crowned its first Provincial Champions this week in Lanzhou, Gansu Province.
The tournament welcomed the province’s best players for the Tour’s inaugural event, which is sanctioned under the CLSAC—the national Sports Federation governing Leisure Sports under the China State Sports Administration—and sponsored by WPT Enterprises (WPTE), the exclusive marketing partner of the Tour.
The Sports Center in Lanzhou, a city famous for its ancient culture and key position on the Silk Road, was filled to capacity with 418 competitors who battled for three days to determine the teams which will represent the Gansu Province in the National Tour Grand Final.
The winning team, led by Zhu An Men and Chen Haili—both residents of Lanzhou City—posted a score of 5 090 to take the Gansu Provincial Title in the hard fought battle of seasoned competitors.
Xing Xiao Quan, Secretary General of the CLSAC said, “October 12th will be remembered as a historic day for poker in China, as the beloved folk game of Traktor poker has been elevated to the position of an official National Sport.”
The tournament was the first of 15 Regional Preliminary tournaments to be held each weekend throughout China during the inaugural Season, which will run October 2007 through April 2008. Tour play is based on a team structure where teams in each tour city compete to qualify for the Grand Final.
“We are proud to recognize these first Provincial Champions. The Gansu tournament has demonstrated that this innovative concept can be successfully executed in China,“ said Peter Hughes, Chief Operating Officer of the WPTE who attended the competition in Lanzhou.
“This inaugural event is a strong sign of the success we anticipate for this Tour. Traktor Poker is a tradition and sport rich with history, and will only grow and build momentum from here.”
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