Britain’s oldest poker player, 100-year-old Ivor Parker, says playing cards is what has kept him sharp and is encouraging other older people to take up the game.
Speaking at a GG Poker event for the launch of the Goliath 2026 tournament, Parker explained that playing regular poker was “definitely” what had kept him so sharp, as “you’re constantly using your brain”.
Reading Opponents
Parker gave tips on how to read other players, saying he looks for “little habits” that can give information away. He revealed: “Sometimes you’ll see someone sitting back, and they’ll suddenly sit forward, and you know their cards are very good because they’ve taken an interest.”
He also noted that poker requires constant mental work: “You’ve got to work out percentages, odds, studying your opponents. These are all things to take into consideration.”
A Lifetime of Experience
Parker started playing poker with friends at a pub in Boston, Lincolnshire in 1940 when he was 14. He says he uses all 86 years of experience to give him the best chance of victory.
He is concerned that too many elderly people are not keeping their brains active and hopes more will take up the game. He is adamant that relaxed, low-stakes poker with friends can improve quality of life.
Advice for Beginners
Parker said: “People retire and just sit at home. They’re not going out, they’re not meeting people, they’re not using their brains. Poker allows them to be active.”
For those who start, his key advice is to keep a cool head: “If you’ve had a bad hand or you got beat, forget it. The secret is to learn to live with your bad things and just wipe them out completely.”
