The Gutshot Case was ruled on by the jury on Tuesday 16 January. They took less than two hours to find the club guilty of running unlicensed poker games.

This was a totally correct decision and would be similarly if a case was brought about blackjack, that being like poker, a game of both chance and skill. A license is required because they are gambling games. Duplicate bridge avoided being kept in the same category because the protagonists received the same cards.

Interestingly, the prosecutor's case, that poker is a game of chance, was very weak. There can be an element of chance even in chess tournaments, that does not prevent it being a game of skill.

The problem for and sometimes advantage of poker is that it is lumped alongside games of total chance, such as roulette, craps, slot machines and punto banco.

No doubt the Gutshot will appeal against the verdict. Sensible poker players should want poker professional games to be officially licensed.