2008 Norwegian Poker Championships Forced to Relocate

April 2 - Poker players originating from Norway and other Scandinavian countries have developed quite a name for themselves in the industry. In recent years, Norwegian players, such as teen wunderkind Annette Obrestad, have taken the online poker world by storm, bringing this country's poker scene to the forefront of the industry and creating a surge in the game's popularity on local ground.

As a result of this growing increase in poker's popularity, authorities have declared that the game is illegal under current laws. Raids on live tournaments throughout the course of last year, as well as the ambiguous legal status of the game both offline and online, have led the organizers of one of Norway's most prestigious poker events, the Norwegian Poker Championships, to move to a more poker-friendly environment.

As a result, the 2008 Norwegian Poker Championships will take place in Nottingham England, far away from the controversy that the game continues to inspire in Norway, where the issue is divided into strong pro and anti poker factions.

Between 400 and 500 Norwegian players will be transported in a special charter flight to Nottingham to take part in the seventh Norwegian Poker Championships, due to take place between April 28th and May 5th, 2008.

 Expekt.com, the championship sponsor said that it would also consider allowing a certain number of English participants to join the game as a goodwill gesture for allowing Norwegians to play in the United Kingdom, however the exact number has still not been determined.

Approximately ten events have been planned for this year's championships, with buy-ins ranging from 100 to 500 UK Pounds. Events are varied to ensure an exciting mix, and include pot-limit Omaha, no-limit Hold 'em and second chance tournaments.