Gadling

If the Travel Channel can foist gambling off as travel then so can we.

Tomorrow kicks off the very first World Strip Poker Championship at Café Royal in London. Contestants will be competing for £10,000 in prize money and will be playing "No Limit Texas Hold 'em" (get it?, Hold 'em. har har har).

The game is similar to regular poker, butt with a few exceptions. Here are just a couple of the official rules from the main sponsor, Paddy Power:

Each player must wear five items of clothing which will be supplied by Paddy Power.
Each participant will be given a towel to sit on and cover them selves with when naked.
Participants can only cover themselves with the towel after they have taken off all their clothes otherwise they will forfeit any prize they have won.
Inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated and security will eject anyone engaging in activity deemed inappropriate.

Hmm... This promises to be much tamer than initially expected and begs the question; why in the world would anyone hold this event in England? No offense, but wouldn't the less modest and genetically richer Scandinavians make for a far better host?

Filed under: Festivals and Events, United Kingdom