NEW YORK -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- DuplicatePoker.com announced today the launch of the first-ever Duplicate Poker World Championship. The inaugural competition aims to determine the world's best poker player by using the Duplicate Poker format, which dramatically reduces luck and emphasizes skill. Players can qualify now to earn their chance to play in the world championship.

Duplicate Poker's innovative twist on poker limits the luck of the draw by dealing to each table in the tournament from the same deck. Players in each seat are ranked against players at other tables who were dealt the exact same cards. Since Duplicate Poker is viewed as a skill game, it's legal in most jurisdictions within the United States.

The Duplicate Poker World Championship combines online and live poker. Initial qualifying rounds are now running online at DuplicatePoker.com. Qualifications began on February 4 and continue for 30 consecutive weeks through September 14th, when the first round of regional online tournaments will take place. The regional round is divided into six distinct geographical regions totaling 180 players. This will be followed by a round of quarterfinals, also to be played online at DuplicatePoker.com.

Quarterfinal winners will be placed on a regional team of seven players. These finalists will win complete travel packages (hotel accommodations, airfare and meals) at a live venue where the semi-final and championship rounds will be played. The championship round will be scored both individually and as a team. An announcement of the exact location and dates of play will be made soon.

Entry into the Duplicate Poker World Championship costs nothing; players just need to make the top of the weekly Duplicate Poker Tournament Leader Board during one of the qualifying weeks. This means a new player who makes a very small deposit and plays for as short as a week could conceivably become the first Duplicate Poker World Champion.

Qualifying details, terms and conditions are available at duplicatepoker.com/Teams.aspx. For new players, the website also offers a short and fun interactive video tutorial which explains how to play. DuplicatePoker.com offers both play money and real money games. Play money games allow new players a chance to become more familiar with the nuances of Duplicate Poker. Real money players, even in the US, can deposit funds using either Visa or MasterCard.

DuplicatePoker.com also offers cash bonuses just for signing up and frequently holds free tournaments for its players. The site now offers a 200 percent sign-up bonus on initial deposits up to $100, and even provides $3 in free money for new players to experiment with playing for real money.

Visit the web site to try out the next big thing in skill-based gaming which can be found at: duplicatepoker.com.