By David Richardson

09/04/2008

                Poker has taken hold of Europe over the last few years and the media is drawing attention to it.  Magazines like Bluff Europe and Poker Pro Europe are stretching their influence farther by imbedding themselves in cities where poker is already abundant as well as introducing poker to new countries and people.  So where are they going and where are they setting down roots?

                The UK is where the focus of poker has been in Europe which wasn’t lost to Bluff Europe Magazine, who has the largest readership of any poker publication in Europe.  Last year in the wake of the first WSOPE Bluff Europe choose London as the European Poker Capital 2007, but they have been dethroned after their short reign.

                Bluff Europe recently announced their European Poker Capital 2008 and the winner is last year’s runner-up, Dublin, Ireland.  Some might find this surprising as London has many more poker rooms, more players and is the hub of the World Series of Poker Europe.  However, Dublin has a very strong and burgeoning poker scene that was punctuated by a very good turnout at this year’s Irish Open, which happens to be the oldest poker tournament in Europe.

                Not only that but the deciding committee took into account the atmosphere and community that went into each cities poker scene and Dublin came out the clear winner.  In addition to a growing number of poker clubs and tournaments that encourage social interact action and a good time enjoying the sport of poker, the Dublin poker scene is more relaxed than London.  In Dublin they aren’t stuffy, knowing how to kick back at the tables and have a good time while keeping their mind on the game at hand.

                As Bluff Europe makes headlines by endowing titles, Poker Pro Europe Magazine is doing the same as they announce they are expanding their publication’s reach to the casinos and card rooms of South Africa.  The U.S. version of their magazine is already one of the three largest poker publications in the world and their online magazines devoted to online poker have a sizeable following.  There expansion isn’t only to grow their global market but also to introduce the sport of poker to even more players as it becomes the first poker magazine distributed in Africa.