The long holiday of the Chinese New Year has entered its countdown. Are you eagerly looking forward to a relaxing and enjoyable vacation life? But don't get too excited just yet. I believe that many people's holidays will be spent at the smoke-filled poker table. I have heard that the craziest card game can last from 3 pm to 3 am the next day, and even after it's over, the sound of playing cards lingers in your ears.
From this perspective, poker seems to be just a pastime for busy "working people". But now I want to tell you that this view is completely wrong. Playing poker, especially Chinese-style poker, has long been a daily activity for many financial tycoons!
According to media reports such as the Shanghai Securities News, on January 27th, the Shanghai Guandan Sports Association was officially established, and the director of the Shanghai Sports Bureau attended the meeting and gave a speech. This indicates that Guandan has become just like esports and is no longer just a leisure and entertainment activity, but has officially become part of competitive sports!
Furthermore, the chairman of the council is none other than the chairman of Oriental Fortune (note: "Itsire" is a pen name, the real name is Shen Jun). It's important to note that he is a true "academic-type" big shot! He studied at the Materials Engineering Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and began investing in stocks during his college years. He has since made his way up in the financial industry. According to the Hurun Rich List in 2023, Itsire ranked 66th with a fortune of 60 billion RMB, although it has since dwindled.
With such a high-ranking financial tycoon being enthusiastic about "Guandan", it is evident that this game has some real skills. And beneath the recent popularity of "Guandan" lies a "hidden current": the direction of the investment world is starting to change!
"Guandan", what is it exactly?
According to relevant information, "Guandan" is a kind of upgraded card game originated in Huai'an, Jiangsu Province, and later spread to various parts of Jiangsu. It can be said to be the essence of Jiangsu Province. From elderly people in their eighties to three-year-old children, there is no one who doesn't know how to play, only those who play poorly. It seems that only "Guandan" can unify Jiangsu's "Thirteen Guardians"!
So how exactly do you play "Guandan"? There is a popular online phrase that goes:
"Guandan" rulesTo be honest, as a poker novice like myself, when faced with these seemingly encrypted words, it's like "I understand each word individually, but when put together, it becomes incomprehensible". But don't worry, there are already numerous enthusiasts who have mastered it!
The development of Guandan has long surpassed Jiangsu and spread to the entire country. According to Shanghai Observer, incomplete statistics show that the number of Guandan players nationwide has reached 140 million. According to People's Daily Online, there are more than 20 million people in Jiangsu and Anhui who frequently participate in Guandan, and at least 16 TV stations have launched Guandan programs, some even with dedicated guest commentators.
Shanghai started relatively late, but in recent years, the number of Guandan players has been increasing rapidly, and it is gradually becoming more "formal". In September of last year, a national open tournament for Guandan was held in Shanghai, featuring men and women in teams. A total of 72 teams with 144 players participated.
Competition participantsAccording to Shanghai Observer, search index data shows that since July 2023, the search volume for Guandan on the Internet has experienced several peaks. The city with the highest search volume is Beijing, followed by Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. It is predicted that within the next three to five years, the number of people playing Guandan will exceed 300 million.
Any game that wants to become widespread cannot do without rules. According to relevant information, as early as 2017, the Jiangsu Social Sports Management Center issued the "Simplified Rules for Guandan Competition in Jiangsu Province" (2017 edition). By the end of 2022, the Chess and Card Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China has formulated unified national competition rules for competitive Guandan, providing guarantee for the popularization and development of Guandan sports. According to Labor Daily, Guandan was included as a demonstration event in the 5th National Intelligence Games in 2023, but the Shanghai team did not qualify for the final.
From this perspective, Guandan has become a real "mind sport" just like chess. In recent years, this kind of mind sport has quietly spread to the financial industry. The election of the chairman of the Guandan Association by the chairman of Oriental Fortune is just a concentrated manifestation after years of spread!
Guandan is all the rage in the financial industry
You may still remember that "Guandan" became popular in the financial industry more than half a year ago: according to reports from Phoenix Finance and other sources, as early as July of that year, top securities firm CITIC Securities directly gave customers a "Guandan gift box". According to netizens who posted pictures, the gift box contains Guandan playing cards
