By Benjamin Boas

Lifestyle Apr. 25, 2009 - 05:05AM JST ( 4 )

TOKYO —

Want a shot at a million dollars? How about 10 million? As any poker enthusiast knows, the shortest path to a big prize is the annual World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Normally, you’d need $10,000 to enter, but next month players will have a chance to get in for free. Just win the All Japan Poker Championship (AJPC), and soon you’ll be rubbing elbows with the pros in Vegas. Of course, with 1,000 Japanese players standing in your way, this may be easier said than done.

The AJPC is only in its third year, but it’s already become the biggest and most prestigious poker tournament in Japan. With over a dozen qualifying rounds attracting players from Osaka to Otaru, you can be sure the main tournament will feature the best competitors in the country. All eyes are on the prize: the 2009 AJPC bracelet and a $10,000 buy-in to the 2009 World Series of Poker. The tournament will be hosted at the Ota-ku headquarters of videogame kingpin Sega, where a bust of Sonic the Hedgehog will oversee play.

Poker may not enjoy the same popularity in Japan that it does in the West, but the game has been steadily gaining adherents thanks to the efforts of organizers like Japan Poker Association Chairman Ichiro Tanioka. By inviting famous players from the shogi and mahjong worlds, Tanioka hopes to tap into Japan’s fascination with board games — and introduce a greater appreciation for gambling. “Because not enough Japanese have experience with taking risks, many people went too far during the bubble and gambled their way to ruin,” he says.

So, how good are the Japanese players? Although the country has its fair share of top-level competitors — including the winner of last year’s Asia Pacific Poker Tour — it may be a while before the locals bring a WSOP bracelet back home. Japanese players, for the most part, tend to be passive, which in high-level poker is a no-no. Maybe it’s an under-exposure to gambling, or maybe it’s out of a desire not to stand out, but time after time players will call and match the previous bet in some sort of futile attempt to maintain harmony at the table. Family hands and six-hand showdowns were common at last year’s championship, which saw more bad checks than Bernie Madoff’s investors.

Even if you’re confident in your skills, you won’t be able to enter the tournament unless you pass one of the qualifiers, so some practice is definitely recommended. Poker Bar Bluff in Shibuya hosts daily (non-cash) tournaments. Those looking for a more interesting experience can visit Akiba Guild, an Akihabara “casino” where women in maid uniforms deal the cards at weekly tournaments.

Qualifiers for the main AJPC tournament will be held May 9-10 at 9 a.m. Walk-ins are welcome but a spot is not guaranteed. With 400 seats available both days, though, odds are good there will be vacancies. Women and seniors may also enter their own tournaments, for which no qualifier is necessary.

May 9-10 (qualifiers) and May 16-17 (finals), Sega headquarters. Email info@ajpc.jp for details.

Bar Bluff 3F, 2-20-9 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-3770-0587 (some English spoken). Tournaments weekdays from 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Nearest station: Shibuya.

Akiba Guild 8F, 3-15-7 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku. Open Mon-Fri 3-10:30 p.m., Sat-Sun & hols 1-10:30 p.m. Nearest station: Akihabara or Suehirocho. http://akibacc.com (Japanese)

This story originally appeared in Metropolis magazine (www.metropolis.co.jp).