| The first considerable victory was marked in Austria. In | | | | January 2007. Derek Kelly faced trial, he is an owner |
| 1993 an entrepreneur and a great fun of poker Peter | | | | of a poker club "Gutshot Club" in London downtown. |
| Zanoni opened in Vienna a poker club "Concord Card | | | | Unfortunately for Derek and all English poker fans |
| Casino". The club positioned itself as the place where | | | | British law turned to be less liberal than Austrian one. |
| they play only poker as a skill game not a gambling | | | | Having recognized a skill compound in poker games it |
| game. Substantially immediately the club became | | | | gave preference to a chance in the game. But British |
| interesting for the gambling business which saw a | | | | people should not be upset the attitude to skill sports in |
| competitor therein. At the suggestion of the gambling | | | | their country is still complicated, for instance, chess |
| business the press began attacking the club, the | | | | was officially recognized a sport only some years ago. |
| managers of the club were accused in organization of | | | | Derek Kelly's case had provoked in society a live |
| illegal gambling games, contacts with criminals etc. | | | | discussion which was taken up by politicians. Very |
| Very soon gambling lobby provoked the state to bring | | | | soon British media suggest that poker, bridge should be |
| a charge in organization of illegal gambles against the | | | | put together with chess. |
| managers of the club. The court took place the | | | | In the end of July 2007 good news for poker fans |
| resolution of which shocked many people. The | | | | came from Denmark. Court proceedings as to |
| advocates of the club tried to prove that poker is not | | | | Frederic Hostrup, a chairman of Danish poker |
| a gamble but a competition of skills, know-how. The | | | | association finished in favor of Frederic and poker. As |
| court applied for consultation of the experts, they | | | | in Austria Hostrup was accused in organization of |
| carried out an independent mathematical expertise of | | | | illegal gambling games. The advocate Henrick Hoffman |
| poker rules the results of which expressly showed | | | | proved to the court that poker is not a gamble but a |
| that skills dominated over a chance in this game. Poker | | | | skill game. The winners have already declared that |
| was brought into the line with chess. The court | | | | now they will fight for the rights of their favourite game |
| accepted the results of the expertise and took the | | | | on the territory of all Europe. |
| resolution in favor of the poker club. For today the | | | | Poker smoothly fitted well into the society of the 20th |
| "Concord Card Casino" is one of the greatest poker | | | | century and a number of their fans grow in |
| clubs of Europe. The founder of the club Peter Zanoni | | | | geometrical progression. In the modern world not to |
| inspired with his victory, he is now successfully working | | | | know how to play poker becomes a mauvais ton. In |
| on popularization of poker and its recognition as a kind | | | | such conditions the authorities cannot but take into |
| of sport in Europe. For this purpose he founded first | | | | account the people's opinion which is the part of it. The |
| Austrian association of poker sport and in 2006 he | | | | authorities should go away from prejudices and be |
| founded European association of poker sport. | | | | guided by common sense and the opinion of majority. |
| A similar court session took place in Great Britain in | | | | |