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2024 Harvard Match Poker Championships: Top Winners

The Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University was abuzz with excitement on 20th April 2024, as the inaugural Harvard Match Poker Championships took place in collaboration with the Harvard Poker Club. Hosted on the esteemed campus of Harvard University, this event celebrated the skill and strategy behind Match Poker, solidifying its place as a recognised digital mind sport and esport, and planting the seed of poker-play in education.

The Harvard Match Poker Championships brought together bright minds from Harvard College and University to compete in teams, showcasing their prowess in digital gameplay. Emphasising inclusivity, this competition welcomed both male and female participants, with teams composed exclusively of Harvard students.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Intl Fed of Match Poker (@ifmatchpoker)

Match Poker, a dynamic game of strategy and mental acuity, proved to be a perfect fit for the intellectually driven Harvard community. Unlike traditional poker, Match Poker removes the element of luck by ensuring that all players in the same seat positions are dealt identical hands, placing the emphasis solely on skilful decision-making. This unique format makes poker into a team sport and uses an interesting points system to calculate scores every hand.

At the heart of the event was the creation of a vibrant fan zone, to which the action from the gameplay arena was narrowcast in real-time, with all card information revealed. This innovative approach allowed for unparalleled review and analysis, as players and spectators alike closely followed the live action and leaderboard while cheering on their teams.

“The Harvard Match Poker Championships exemplify the spirit of competition and camaraderie that defines our university,” remarked Natalia Lopez, President of the Harvard Poker Club. “Through this event, students have had the opportunity not only to showcase their strategic acumen but also to develop valuable life skills such as critical thinking, decision-making, and teamwork.”

The climax of the event was the awards ceremony, where the top-performing teams were honoured with medals and trophies for their outstanding achievements. This celebration of skill and sportsmanship underscored the importance of fostering a culture of excellence within the Harvard community.

“We are honoured to introduce the sport of Match Poker to the highly skilled students at Harvard,” stated Patrick Nally, President of the International Federation of Match Poker. “Collaborating with the Harvard Poker Club has been a privilege, and we look forward to future events that will continue to showcase the brilliance and talent of Harvard’s student body.”

Professor Charlie Nesson said “I personally sponsored this event because I believe Match Poker has the potential to lift the gambling stain off poker. I want to put across to the Harvard world, and then to the world beyond, what a powerful tool poker, and especially Match Poker, is for teaching young adults the skills of negotiation, risk analysis, and civil discourse.”

The success of the Harvard Match Poker Championships highlights the growing popularity and recognition of Match Poker as a legitimate mind sport. As the competition concluded, participants left inspired and eager to continue honing their skills, setting the stage for even greater achievements in the future.

Team Information – Harvard Match Poker Championships:

• 1st place – Purple – Willem van Hootegem, Rahim Rastegar, Kevin Gao, TingTing Yan, Mohammed Alasharee, John Marcucci
• 2nd place – ‘Charlie and the EV Factory’ (Blue) – Charlie Welch, Pierre Yan, Austin Wilson, Elliot Chin, Michael Phan, Nicholas Lopez
• 3rd place – ‘Matchsticks’ (Pink) – William Ma, Jessica Li, Matthew Kim, Ronak Malik, Steve Dalla, Regina Lin
• 4th place – ‘Power Rangers’ (Green) – Ahmed Kerman, Sudahn Chitgopkar, Noah Dohrmann, Ken Shen, Gabriel Cardenas, Xinle Dai
• 5th place – ‘Deliberation Lives / Hell Hath No Jury’ (Red) – Dan Donovan, Erin Harp, Bf Burke, Amanda Palmer, Max Neu, Owen Averbuch
• 6th place – Yellow – Armando Guio, Rishabh Ghosh, Sam Koenig, Martin Rather, Sarah Sellman, Rohan Battula Player of the Tournament – John Marcucci

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ALSO READ: 2024 Harvard Match Poker Championships

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A post shared by Intl Fed of Match Poker (@ifmatchpoker)

About Match Poker and IFMP:

Match Poker is a recognised game of skill and mind sport, played digitally and in teams. It challenges players’ strategic thinking, decision-making, and teamwork abilities in a dynamic and competitive environment. Match

Poker is governed by the International Federation of Match Poker (IFMP), which promotes the sport globally and organises international tournaments. Match Poker is a team sport where the luck element in conventional poker via the “random draw of cards” has been removed. Far from being another poker “variation” to sit alongside Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Stud etc it is in fact a revolutionary approach for how any of these variations can be structured into meaningful and sporting competition through a more skill based format. Match Poker is a recognised sport that has reduced the element of luck, while embracing a digital contest based on skill, providing an exciting and challenging team competition. It involves the thrill of strategy, emotions, bluffs, and traps in a game that’s both intellectual and social, with all the fun and excitement of a team sport!

 

About Harvard Poker Club:

The Harvard Poker Club is a student organisation at Harvard University dedicated to engaging students in learning the interactive skills of playing poker and fostering a community of poker enthusiasts. The club provides opportunities for students to improve their poker skills, engage in friendly competition, and promote responsible play.

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