High Stakes Poker -- January 23

[obsidian]

Damn, looks like it might be worth the $5/month to pick up this channel (and a bunch of others I won't watch).

[Timer]

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I [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] high stakes poker so much.

it's the only poker I watch on TV anymore.

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Here's some info about this show in case you missed it or don't care.

Henry Orenstein (sp?) is the producer of the show. In case you didn’t know, he invented the first camera to observe hole cards, and it’s the same type of camera being used in this show. No, it's not as sophisticated as the so called "hole card cam" used by the WPT and the WSOP, and actually it's kind of lame, especially when they show the camera angle that looks up a player’s nose, which thank God, they have kept to a minimum, but the advantage it does have is that they don't have to raise the cushion ring that runs around the table so damn high it look like they're playing in high chairs, which not only looks ridiculous, but it's just plain silly.

Eric Drache and Mori Escandanti (sp?) are the consultants for the show. Mori is from Portland/Vancouver originally and worked his way up from the small games there and in Las Vegas to host of the top section at the Bellagio. I don't believe he's the host there any longer, but he is a highly respected player, especially at stud. I think you all know or have heard of Eric Drache.

This program has some things going for it that other poker programs don't have, but it has some of the same monotonous drawbacks. All in all I would I have to agree that it is the best show going, but it could do with some improvements.

I Tivo everything, so I don’t have to suffer through the endless commercials. This is the first poker program in ages I didn't shut off after about two minutes. Poker Celebrities whatever, that Fox show, the WPT and that obnoxious Norman Chad are all unwatchable. In my opinion they disrespect poker to such an extent and their ridiculous production values are so weak and just plain dumb that it's been ruined.

The only other show I found watchable was the heads up challenge on NBC.

Let me say this about Gabe Kaplan. He may not be the world’s greatest poker player but he’s been around the scene playing pretty high as long as I can remember. He was good buddies with Stu Ungar, and he used to play in the big game with those guys. So to say he doesn’t know poker is lame. He knows poker, and he’s a decent, not over the top, commentator. A little bit of that, “This is the greatest hand in poker history while we wait thirty seconds to put out the next card goes a long ways. The people who think this type of thing is entertaining have their head up their asses.

Fixes:

Get rid of the big bundles of cash.

Shut up for a while and let everybody listen to the table talk and allow the viewers to get into the rhythm of the game.

Don't allow donkeys like Hellmuth to play, because he won't be putting up his own money anyway. He'll go into is crybaby act, because he thinks that's where his fame and next paycheck is coming from, and he knows and everybody else knows he can't beat that game and those players anyway. Inviting him is just production BS. He has no business being there. Giving him airtime is validating his existence. I’m sick of Hellmuth. Poker doesn’t need him. When the stupid producers and press figure this out poker on TV will be much better. Your fifteen minutes are up Hellmuth.

Don't show everybody's hands! Have you ever watched any old episodes of the WSOP when they didn't have hole card cams? They were just as interesting if you ask me. Keep some hands a mystery.

That announcer actually said, and I swear I heard this, "He has the best hand if he doesn't fold." Jesus, haven't we heard that stupid line enough already?

Move the rail. Get rid of those railbirds sitting around eating yo' yo's and sucking down free drinks. They’re background distractions and you don’t need em.

With all of the problems this show has it also has a lot of promise. The remaining episodes should be pretty good if they don’t let things get out of hand, but I think they’re already in the can, so we can probably expect to see a lot more of the same.

[duma]

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1. Did AJ Dickweed call Jerry Buss "Dr. Jerry Buss" in the opening segement? They had just finished talking about Dr. Amir Nasseri....What a tool.

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Jerry Buss is a doctor!

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2. In the Brick & Morter forum there is this thread. Seems ted forrest has a stack of red birds for tipping. usually $5 per win. I didn't see anyone else tip the dealer.

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Negreanu was also tipping $5 in the first episode.

[Rianna]

I LOVE this show, only wish it was in 2 hours segments (or more).

As for Ted, he has one MILLIONS playing in all types of _cash_ games. Read the "Suicide King" for a SMALL example (also a great poker read about high stakes poker..million dollar pots etc.).

Laugh and make fun at Doyle also. At 71 he's STILL one of the most _feared_ of the 'highest' limit players IN THE WORLD. If your wealthy and want to take on Doyle, Chip, Barry, Daniel, Ted (and for that matter Jennifer) you, over time, arn't going to like it.

GSN allowing us to see this real world of hi limit CASH play IMHO is awesome, I thank them.

I used to be a stakehorse for high limit games, $100-200 blind NL, Pl. These guys (and gal) are not only very deep but very good. It's an ultimate rush to play NL at this level.

I, too don't like the one announcer, but love Gabe. Played with him in high home games in the 80's, he's got a lot of true class and REALY knows the game(s). He's played as high as it comes for years with people like Stuey, Chip, Doyle etc. To hear him bad mothed here really upsets me altho I respect the opinions of all on this forum.

My only real complaint about the show is I can't get enough of it. I love it. I'm in agreement with those above that feel the same way.

[elric]

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Don't show everybody's hands! Have you ever watched any old episodes of the WSOP when they didn't have hole card cams? They were just as interesting if you ask me. Keep some hands a mystery.

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WRONG! Seeing the hole cards is what makes this such a great show to watch. In fact we would like to see everyones cards and a better diagram of what position everyone is in since they are obviously skipping lots of hands in between.

[cold_cash]

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Don't show everybody's hands! Have you ever watched any old episodes of the WSOP when they didn't have hole card cams? They were just as interesting if you ask me. Keep some hands a mystery.

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WRONG! Seeing the hole cards is what makes this such a great show to watch. In fact we would like to see everyones cards and a better diagram of what position everyone is in since they are obviously skipping lots of hands in between.

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I think it would be cool if they took a few selected hands and only showed one player's cards. (Until showdown of course.) That way we could put ourselves in that player's position and decide what we'd do, etc.

[spamhead]

They have to keep the bundles of cash on the table. Most high limit players don't want to have to convert their cash into chips becasue of the Revenue Department rule that every transaction over $10K has to be recorded.

Cash $10K for chips, it gets recorded. Put a $50K brick of $100s on the table, and the goverment never finds out about it.

That's the main reason why the big cash players would not play side games at Caesar's Indiana during last years WSOP. Cash doesn't play in Indiana.

[burningyen]

I wish they would show all the folded hands.

[chucksim]

I understand what you're saying about IRS regs regarding the bundles of cash, and I'm sure that is being considered in a lot of cases.

However, I'm just wondering...Negreanu had 2 bricks on the table ($100K total) but he bought in for a million. So, he must have had $900K in chips. Is that extra $100K really all that much (10% of his total) to have these IRS considerations being taken into account? Might there have been another reason for the cash being on the table? For show, maybe?

[Jeffage]

It really is enjoyable to hear $100k bounce on the felt like that though. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Jeff