LONDON - Up to 200 strip poker players will compete Saturday to see who will lose their shirts -- and more -- and who will scoop 10,000 pounds by retaining their clothes and modesty.

Organized by Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, the inaugural World Strip Poker Championship takes place at the prestigious Cafe Royal in central London with players battling it out in games of "No Limit Texas Hold 'em."

"We are holding the competition because we got so much interest from our spoof April Fool this year about a strip poker competition that we thought, 'why not? let's do it for real," Paddy Power's Darren Haines told Reuters Friday.

He said players of both sexes from over 12 countries would battle it out for the "Gold Fig Leaf" trophy and the right to revel in the title of World Strip Poker Champion.

Aside from strict rules governing the poker play, Paddy Power has laid down clear guidelines on the stripping element -- most importantly that each player starts the match by wearing five items of clothing supplied by the organizers.

Each contestant will be given a towel to sit on and to cover themselves when naked, but only after they have stripped completely.

"Inappropriate behavior," will not be tolerated, said Paddy Power.