Described as being a combination of the speed of Internet poker and the thrill of a live game, Speed Poker was designed for television viewing. On Tuesday it made its debut at Melbourne’s Crown Casino before the World Speed Poker Championship at the weekend. The 2005 Australian Poker Championship began January 6 and runs to January 20, and it is the first time that Australian poker will be filmed for television.

Keith Sloan, a professional poker player originally from Bendigo in Australia, devised the game rules for Australia and New Zealand. Six players compete with two dealers and a 15-second clock. As many as 100 hands can be dealt in an hour and games generally last for four or five hours. Keith Sloan will be acting as one of the commentators this weekend and the championship will be televised in the United States as well as Australia. It is said that bluff, strategy, psychology and showmanship are all needed to come out a winner.

The game of poker has been back in fashion for quite a while and younger players have been joining the ranks. Internet poker sites are proliferating and new poker magazines are being published. There was even an extensive range of poker-related gifts available for the holiday season. The Internet has given people the opportunity to learn and practice poker at their own rate; television has brought the game into the homes of millions.

Speed Poker has attracted plenty of interest in Melbourne and beyond, and the World Championship has a prize of A$100,000 for the winner. There is another A$200,000 in prizemoney to be awarded. Tuesday’s demonstration game at the Crown Casino was won by a 25-year old Melbourne woman who was introduced to poker eight months ago in Las Vegas. She described the Speed Poker as a game needing more decisiveness and risk-taking than normal poker. (E-01.13.05)

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