Barrels of a PokerStars flavour including sponsored pro-Andre Akkari striking a deal with Puma; The Open renamed within a week, and Shaun Deeb chooses poker over the birth of his little pooper.

 Andre Akkari has nailed down one of the most incredible endorsement deals in the history of the game.

In an industry that can’t seem to stop the word ‘legitimate’ from floating around the ether, Akkari’s new deal with the sportswear giant Puma is increíble. The poker industry struggles to attract mainstream sponsors, but fortunately for Akkari he hails from a country where the rule makers accept that poker is a mind sport, hence the willingness from Puma to do the deal.

Akkari is also a very popular sports star in his home nation and is friends with his fellow PokerStars teammate Neymar. At the recent Olympic festival in Rio, Neymar won a gold medal when the Brazilian football side beat Germany 5-4 on penalties after drawing 1-1 in normal time, and Akkari got to carry the Olympic torch representing Brazilian mind sports.