Did the holecam change the game?

[gwhiz_612]

Just theorizing, but after watching the sick plays on USPC and other events I wonder if the holecam is somehow causing good players to get better. Before holecams, the information on how the best players were playing hands was far more limited. Not to mention the slew of good resources that have emerged such as books, websites etc. I think the game is being played on a higher level than it has been in the past. With the rise of better players in the game I just wonder how much of an effect the holecam has had in all of this.

[Poker Face]

I don't know about you, but if I was playing on Tv and I knew my hole cards would be seen later by other players and my friends, I would play fewer hands just to avoid making a mistake and looking stupid.

Also, I would most likely call too often after the flop, just to reduce the chance of getting bluffed out and then later going on tilt in front of the television cameras. I'd rather win quickly or lose my money fast so I could get away from those stress inducing hole cameras and also reduce the frequency of any negative comments made by the tv announcers about my play.

However, once I got used to the idea of having my hole cards being seen,I would probably mix up my pre-flop play more than I would normally, just to advertise to the players watching on tv that I sometimes play 7-4 offsuit for fun.

Of course, I'd be lucky to even be on tv once, so I'm sure I would just have a heart attack and die, before ever getting a chance to find out what my friends thought of my play anyway.

[holdemft]

Of course! You watch video after video after video of certain players and you can learn alot. Pros have mentioned they were able to make certain plays against other pros they never played against because they watched enough video of them. Its like a Pro athlete watching film before a game.

[Chimera]

When the holecard cams first became popular, some of the top players, like Erik Seidel, were reluctant to show their cards to the camera, for fear that doing so would allow inferior players to "catch up" to them.

[holdemft]

One more thing, if I'm not mistaken doesn't Erik Seidel not allow them to film his hole cards for these reasons? I've watched him on TV before and it was mentioned during the final table that he doesn't let them use a hole cam on him. You never knew what he had.

Do you think more pros will try this, or do they have to sign some kind of agreement to allow TV producers to use the hole cam??

[holdemft]

[ QUOTE ]
When the holecard cams first became popular, some of the top players, like Erik Seidel, were reluctant to show their cards to the camera, for fear that doing so would allow inferior players to "catch up" to them.

[/ QUOTE ]

didn't see your post, but to note, this wasn't awhile ago. It was a FTP Pro tournament on TV about 2 months ago, and Seidel did not allow his hole cards to be shown.

[Chimera]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
When the holecard cams first became popular, some of the top players, like Erik Seidel, were reluctant to show their cards to the camera, for fear that doing so would allow inferior players to "catch up" to them.

[/ QUOTE ]

didn't see your post, but to note, this wasn't awhile ago. It was a FTP Pro tournament on TV about 2 months ago, and Seidel did not allow his hole cards to be shown.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I was referring to something that he said at the final table of the USPC about 3 or 4 years ago (the year that Toto Leonidas won it). Since then, I've seen Seidel reveal his cards to the camera on many occasions. I don't think I saw the event that you're talking about.

[Poker Face]

How about making it part of the rules that if a player fails to show one of their cards to the hole-cam they have to put in a penalty amount equal to the big blind into the current or next hand's pot, and if they fail to show both cards then they have to put in an amount equal to the small and big blinds combined.

Then if players like Seidel preferred to NOT show their cards early on in a tournament when the blinds were low, they could just pay the penalty immediately, or on the next hand.

I think it would be a nice change to not know every player's cards on every hand but if they all started to do it then perhaps you'd have to increase the penalty to maybe the full pot, etc.

However,even though only one table usually has the hole-cams, it most likely would cause more problems than it's worth and be tough to enforce but I'd still like them to try it.

Perhaps each player can get a red flag to throw out and have a player's hole-card cam be reviewed by instant replay.

Tournaments would take longer to complete but it would be nice to see Matusow throw his flag into someone's face and pretend it was an accident.

[gwhiz_612]

One thing I notice...TV poker used to most hands even the ones the players would fold but lately, like on HSP we are only seeing the hands that are being played. This is probably favorable for the majority of the Pro's.

[stephenNUTS]

IMHO the better/more creative the player is on the aggressive side,as compared to another player at the table(first timer/newbie on HSP for instance) afraid of eventually being flamed for a "bad play" for example........the greater the advantage to that original player!

e.g aba/Brian Townsand does NOT look comfortable in every aspect of the game in front of the cameras,whether he is nervous,used to internet play,dealing with an A++ field,playing-fumbling with his chips,etc.

Taking nothing away from Brian's AWESOME play,it does take some getting used to the camera/holecam/live play situation though!