Mind Sport Partners' mission is to create and enhance commercial and social value across the range of mind sports represented by its clients. The individual sports are chess, bridge,Go, draughts, xiangqi (Chinese Chess) and duplicate poker.
The IFP's inaugural Duplicate Poker Nations Cup featured 12 representative teams from the member federations of the IFP includingThe USA, UK, Brazil, France, Japan,Ireland, Denmark and the first digital nation, Zynga.
The initial phase took place in 22 capsules on the EDF Energy London Eye over the first two days of the festival; 12 Poker capsules, eight hospitality and two capsules each for the different sports.
The International Federation of Poker's World Championship, The Table, saw 130 of the world's leading players competing for a US$500,000 prize fund in a no buy-in Texas Hold'em competition at County Hall on 19 and 20 November.
"Mind sports are played by over one billion people worldwide and that number is set to rise exponentially with the spread of digital media which will enable new competitions, leagues and federations to be established," Nally said. "They are real sports which demand many of the characteristics and qualities of physical sports including self-discipline, competition, training, stamina and fair-play."
innovision took full responsibility for all production elements across County Hall and the EDF Energy London Eye for this festival.
Jonty Perry, head of operations for Mind Sports Partners, said, "This was a world first for us and Dentsu. We chose innovision for two reasons; firstly their broad depth of experience in managing and delivering hugely complex events and secondly because of their long standing relationship with the EDF Energy London Eye. innovision rose to the challenge for this highly demanding four day event and we look forward to working with innovision on future Mind Sports and Poker events."
innovision project director Henry McDonald said, "This is the second innovative event in the space of five weeks that we have produced using the EDF Energy London Eye - Red Bull Music Academy being the other. Loading professional Mind Sports tables, TV crews and of course players and VIP guests into a rotating venue presents us with a different set of challenges all of which have been managed effectively. Thursday's night's sequence of press events, launch party and competition on the EDF Energy London Eye was truly spectacular."
(Jim Evans)
