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Match Poker Online Officially Launches To “Sportify” the Game of Poker

Published

4 years ago

February 10, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Poker players around the world now have the opportunity to play the game they love in a truly unique format. The Match Poker Online app officially launches on Feb. 14 (Feb. 15 in Australia/Asia time zones) and transforms poker into a sporting competition – giving players the opportunity for the first time to realistically compare their own skills against others.

What sets Match Poker Online apart? The game truly gauges where a player stands by having players across the platform play the same hands. Players can work on their skills by comparing their own play and decisions to others around the world who have played exactly the same hand.

For the first time, players can finally answer questions like: “Should I have raised in this position preflop instead of flat calling? Has this guy got the nuts or is he bluffing? Can I take this pot with a bluff or will I get caught?”

The app is packed with features, statistics, excellent graphics, and exciting gameplay. You can even compare your own play against friends in a fantasy sports-style competition. There’s no longer a need for arguing or debate on which players are better based on conjecture and insufficient data. With Match Poker, all that data is now available.

When playing, you’re not just competing against the players at your table, but against players seated at other tables in the same seat you are. All players in that seat are dealt the same two “hole” cards and see the same flop, turn, and river.

“It’s not poker as you’ve ever played it before – it’s a Battle Royale where you compete against opponents playing the same hand as you to survive elimination,” Match Poker Online head of customer relations Jake Colman says. “This makes it a pure test of skill – a sport – an official mind sport. And, for the first time in the history of poker, you can obtain an official world ranking. No other poker experience gives you this.”

The Battle Royale version kicks off the app’s launch. Players win chips at their normal poker table, but their real opponents are the players in the same seat at other tables. These same users receive the exact same cards. In this way, the luck of the cards has no effect on a player’s result compared to the others. If your full house was smashed by quads, so was theirs – the only question being “did you score better than them?”

“Match Poker shows you how better players played exactly the same cards, offering a unique learning experience,” Colman says. “Plus, the app collects stats on your play and uses them to tell you if you are playing too aggressively, too passively, too loose, or too tight.”

Here’s a look at what’s ahead for Match Poker Online users in the coming months:

After launch, the year will be split into “Seasons” with players battling to move through the rankings toward a place on their country’s national team.
Match Poker will hold national events of almost every ranking level. This is all overseen by the International Federation of Match Poker, which has its sights set on making Match Poker an Olympic sport.
Players can leverage the Match Poker database of thousands of results for every hand played. This allows for unique insights into how you can become a better poker player.
The “Famous Hands” feature will allow players to relive some of the biggest hands in poker history and replay these moments themselves.
More features and game types will be unveiled.

The release comes after years of development and now offers players some high-powered insight on their poker skills as well as plenty of fun. How do you match up? Download and find out.

Match Poker Online will be available in the App Store and Google Play Store beginning a few days before the official launch date.

Alona Shevtsova

Sends CEO Alona Shevtsova moderates Global Gaming Expansion panel in Riyadh

Published

5 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

sends-ceo-alona-shevtsova-moderates-global-gaming-expansion-panel-in-riyadh

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, will moderate a panel at The Blockchain show on 29^th June, bringing together experts from entertainment, location-based gaming, and content localisation to examine what it takes to build sustainable gaming ecosystems across emerging markets.

The panel, titled “Global Gaming Expansion: Lessons from Untapped Markets,” will structure its discussion across four themes: the growth dynamics reshaping emerging gaming markets; the role of localisation in creating experiences that genuinely connect with new audiences; the infrastructure and communities needed to build gaming ecosystems beyond the game itself; and the lessons and opportunities that will define successful expansion in the years ahead.

Alona Shevtsova plans to frame the discussion around the central challenge for companies looking to expand globally: entering a new market requires far more than bringing an existing product to a new audience. Understanding local cultures, building communities, adapting experiences, and creating ecosystems that allow gaming to grow sustainably are all as important as the product itself.

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, said:

“The future growth of gaming will come not only from new technologies, but from understanding people — their cultures, communities, and the experiences they want to be part of. Successful expansion will belong to those who can combine global ambition with local understanding.”

The first segment will examine why regions including the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are becoming increasingly significant for developers, operators, and investors — driven by young audiences, accelerating digital adoption, and new entertainment models creating substantial growth potential. Panellists will explore how consumer preferences differ across markets and what trends among younger audiences are shaping the future of gaming and entertainment.

The third segment will broaden the lens beyond the game itself, exploring the role of location-based entertainment, gaming centres, esports, and experiential destinations in attracting new audiences and building long-term communities. Panellists plan to address how entertainment ecosystems — spanning physical venues, events, and community infrastructure — accelerate gaming adoption in markets where the category is still establishing itself.

Earlier this month, Alona Shevtsova was shortlisted for the 2026 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Established Business of the Year category. Her team is also preparing for the Fintech Connect conference in London later this year. Sends will be a leading sponsor of this event.

*Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED, registered in England and Wales (Company No.11070048). For more information, visit sends.co .

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