Nearly three years after a poker game raid in a private residence in South Carolina first made headlines, an expected ruling tomorrow in a Charleston courthouse may finally conclude whether Bob Chimento's home game was illegal gambling according to South Carolina laws.

It was clear when the home game was raided by police in April 2006 that local officials saw Chimento's gathering as illegal; however, the precedent to decide what's considered illegal gambling in South Carolina seems to hinge on whether the activity in question is based more on luck or on skill, according to a recent article on the case by the Associated Press. Since many of the men fined believed poker fell under the skill category, a handful of the 20 some players involved decided to fight their fines in court.

As this case seems to revolve around that very important question, the Poker Players Alliance once again got involved, and even brought in the World Poker Tour's Mike Sexton, to argue that poker is indeed primarily a game of skill.

Sexton's arguments must have worked, or perhaps Municipal Judge Larry Duffy didn't even think the question was worthy of debate, as he made a surprising statement before the prosecutions case was even rested that seemed to concede the defendant's primary argument.

"I have determined in my mind that Texas Hold'em is a game of skill." - Judge Larry Duffy.

Judge Duffy should hand down his official ruling on the case tomorrow, but given his own earlier statements, things definitely seem to be looking good for Chimento and the gang; it looks like they may have saved themselves $250.

Story by Mark Anderson