World news

2002 WSOP Winner Robert Varkonyi recently won InterPoker.com's Extreme Poker Challenge event held in Kemi, Finland. In order to nab the coveted winner title, Varkonyi had to outplay several prominent fellow poker pros and, what is worst, battle subzero temperatures. The event's twist lied in the fact that players were allowed to regain their lost chips in exchange for their coats.

Varkonyi lost his chip stack within the first three hands, which made him renounce his coat so he can stay in the poker tournament. Eventually, only Varkonyi and local favorite, Finnish player Juha Helppi remained in the tournament, with Varkonyi playing in nothing but a T-Shirt.

Commenting on the Finland poker event, 2002 WSOP Champion was quoted as saying, "Winning this title makes my suffering through the most excruciating cold I've ever experienced worth it, and I know this tournament will prepare me well for the 2006 World Series of Poker. [...] Juha really gave me a run for the title, and my hat and coat are off to him."