Poker Players Have Chess Up Their Sleeves

Last year, 23 year-old Johnathan Duhamel won the World Series of Poker Main Event, taking home a record $8,944,310. The winner of the 2010 U.S. Chess Championship, Gata Kamsky, raked in $35,000. Good money for a chess player, but simply pocket change compared to the nearly $9 million won by Duhamel.

Every year PokerListings.com, an online poker guide, offers its best bets for who will win the World Series of Poker. Last month, they predicted poker players with a chess background will make some serious noise at the 2011 WSOP.

After reading the article, it comes as no surprise that more chess players are transitioning to poker. There are some similaritites between the two games. Both games require its players to analyze their opponents. This analysis and stoic concentration under immense pressure can make an instant impact on the game at hand. The psychological pressure of both games are also quite similar, according to Jeff Sarwer, child chess prodigy and European Poker Tour player. 

Play chess? This could be you.



Sarwer also admits in the article that poker is a great way for chess players to make money, especially for the mid-level players who have been unable to reach the top 1,000 or 2,000 in the world rankings. 

If you are interested in the WSOP, keep an eye on these players with chess backgrounds who Pokerlistings.com highlighted as contenders for bracelets this year.