Located at the mouth of the Pearl River Delta in the South China Sea, Hong Kong is a bustling metropolis, boasting a unique blend of Western and Eastern cultures. While it may lack the glitzy casinos of nearby Macau, Hong Kong has its own thriving poker scene, built around tightly-knit communities in private card rooms – lively enough to rival that in Asia’s gambling Mecca, Macau.
With Macau being just a 50-minute ferry ride away, many people overlook the fact that Hong Kong actually has excellent options on offer for poker junkies looking for action on the felt. The Hong Kong Poker League (HKPL) caters to casual and recreational players, offering freeroll tournaments that give players the chance to win attractive prizes. The HKPL is essentially a pub-poker style league offering beginners the chance to learn the game in a fun and friendly environment.
“Our main objective is to educate people about the game of poker,” said Jeffrey Ng, Managing Director of HKPL. The former advertising professional returned to Hong Kong from New York because he was excited about the prospect of promoting poker in the island. He runs regular Poker School sessions for new players and teaches them the basics of the game. “The younger generation of Hong Kongers, especially those who went to college and have degrees, are turning to poker because of how intellectual and complex it is,” he tells Baller.
For more serious players looking for a juicy cash game, the Hong Kong Poker House (HKPH) is located in the heart of the Lan Kwai Fong entertainment district. Inconspicuously located on the corner of Hollywood Road and Graham Street, it’s hard not to feel that you’ve just stepped onto the set of Rounders and inadvertently walked into Teddy KGB’s place. Unlike in the movie, however, everything is above board. You might even spot a poker star or two – both Phil Laak and Joe Hachem own a stake in the club.
Hachem himself has nothing but praise for the way HKPH is run. “They’re booked out every night of the week and offer great service to the locals who want to come and play some poker,” says the 2005 World Series of Poker champion. “They can come with their buddies, they get tournaments every week, giveaways, it’s right in the heart of Hong Kong.”
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