Poker like chess is a mind game and a never-ending battle of wits. Though it had been around for many decades, its popularity has only reached unparalleled proportion in last 5 years after tournament featuring celebrities are aired on television. A fancy game of poker just used to be played among friends on weekend nights with about 4-6 players vying for the pot. But lately, lifting off from what's being shown regularly on TV, the game is now being played regularly in a tournament style where there are usually up to 8 players seated around an oval table.

It starts off with each player having the same amount of chips and the wager is set to minimum amount and gradually increases every after few hands. A player looses its chance to continue playing the game after no chips left behind. The game continues until all the chips ends up in the hand of a single player who will then be declared as the winner. The victor is then pitted against the winners of other tables until ultimately only one man is left standing and to which he will be named as the tournament champion.

The prices that are given away in a tournament poker usually come from the collection of money taken as an entry fee from every player to enable them to play in the tournament. Pot money is usually shared among the last 8 players that are left out or the ones who will play in the final round. The higher ranked players will get a bigger slice of the pot and the top 3 are usually given a trophy or a memento to remind them of their wonderful feat.

Tournaments are done regularly and attract some of the most recognizable name in the game of poker. However, no matter how they fared from previous tournaments, every player goes back to square one and go through the same process all over again. It is only through this route where one can see who really emerged as the best of the best. On some instances, even the most respected poker players bow down even during the early stages and the final round is left out to new and upcoming stars. This process makes the tournament style very popular since the outcome is unpredictable and you will never know who will be in the final round. As to the players, everyone regardless of your previous performances carries an equal amount of chance to capture the top spot.

Around the world, the poker fever is invading both the young and old and its appeal has steadily grown among girls as well. It wasn't long ago where the game is mostly preferred and played by men but as time goes by; the girls have been gaining grounds and are seen to register in droves every new tournament opens. Today, poker can no longer be labeled as a man's game but would be more aptly called a universal game since it captures the heart of both men and women and it cuts all ages.