Showing posts with label Televised Poker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Televised Poker. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

High Stakes Poker Season 6, New Co-host Kara Scott and Starting Lineup

The 6st season of High Stakes Poker will air February 14, 2010. Changes include new co-host Kara Scott who will be replacing A.J. Benza.



GSN Vice President of Programming and Development David Schiff said;



We’re into the sixth season and we felt like it was time to freshen it up. Our feeling was that we wanted viewers to be in the room with the players. Gabe and A.J. did a good job, but they were disconnected from the action.




Kara Scott,







Starting lineups for the



Day 1:



  • Dwan
  • Ivey
  • Negreanu
  • Esfandiari
  • Minieri
  • Gus Hansen
  • Andreas Hoivoid
  • Phil Hellmuth


Day 2:



  • Dwan
  • Ivey
  • Negreanu
  • Antonius
  • Dennis Phillips
  • Lex Veldhuis
  • Andrew Robl
  • Barry Greenstein


Day 3:



  • Dwan
  • Ivey
  • Negreanu
  • Benyamine
  • Elezra
  • D. Brunson
  • Matusow
  • Elky










  • Phil Ivey
  • Daniel Negreanu
  • Phil Hellmuth
  • Tom "durrrr" Dwan
  • Doyle Brunson
  • Mike Matusow
  • Patrik Antonius
  • Antonio Esfandiari
  • Barry Greenstein
  • Dennis Phillips
  • David Benyamine
  • Eli Elezra
  • Yevgeniy Timoshenko
  • Allan Meltzer
  • Lex Veldhuis
  • Sammy George
  • Andreas Hoivold










World Series of Backgammon











Bonuses:

- Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

- 378% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

UFC Poker After Dark and UFC 106



UFC Poker After Dark

A new episode of Poker After Dark is coming out. It's a special episode with UFC fighters Randy "The Natural" Couture, Dan "Hollywood" Henderson and UFC announcer Bruce Buffer. Along for the match are Full Tilt Pros Patrik Antonius, "The Professor" Howard Lederer and Erick "E-Dog" Lindgren.

I've watched Bruce Buffer play and he's a great player! I watched him play at 2007 WSOP and he outplayed Chris MoneyMaker but got unlucky. Buffer talked about the show on his blog: BufferZone. He said Henderson impressed him and Couture was a cerebral player. It should be a great match!

UFC 106

I watched the UFC 106 preliminary fights on Spike TV on the weekend, I haven't seen the main card yet. My favourite fight was the Kendall Grove Vs. Jake Rosholt‎ fight. Rosholt‎ slammed Kendall 3 times, he's a strong dude! Rosholt was overpowering Kendall but lost after getting caught in a triangle submission.

Randy Couture fought at UFC 105 and clearly lost the match 29-28 but the judges gave Couture the win. I understand the reasonsing for the judges decision. The match meant everything to Couture, if he loses this match then it may very well be his last fight. Couture mentioned he was going to take his last run at the light heavy weight title before retiring. I think it's amazing that he is still fighting at this high level at age 46!

Bonuses:
- Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker
- 378% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

UFC Poker After Dark and UFC 106

UFC Poker After Dark

A new episode of Poker After Dark is coming out. It's a special episode with UFC fighters Randy "The Natural" Couture, Dan "Hollywood" Henderson and UFC announcer Bruce Buffer. Along for the match are Full Tilt Pros Patrik Antonius, "The Professor" Howard Lederer and Erick "E-Dog" Lindgren.

UFC Poker After Dark


I've watched Bruce Buffer play and he's a great player! I watched him play at 2007 WSOP and he outplayed Chris MoneyMaker but got unlucky. Buffer talked about the show on his blog: BufferZone. He said Henderson impressed him and Couture was a cerebral player. It should be a great match!

There are a bunch of other Poker After Dark episodes coming up soon including $150,000 Buy-in Cash Game with Tom "Durrrr" Dwan which should be good!

UFC 106

I watched the UFC 106 preliminary fights on Spike TV on the weekend, I haven't seen the main card yet. My favourite fight was the Kendall Grove Vs. Jake Rosholt‎ fight. Rosholt‎ slammed Kendall 3 times, he's a strong dude! Rosholt was overpowering Kendall but lost after getting caught in a triangle submission. I heard the Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin was a close fight.

Randy Couture fought at UFC 105 and clearly lost the match 29-28 but the judges gave Couture the win. I understand the reasonsing for the judges decision. The match meant everything to Couture, if he loses this match then it may very well be his last fight. Couture mentioned he was going to take his last run at the light heavy weight title before retiring. I think it's amazing that he is still fighting at this high level at age 46!

Bonuses:
- Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker
- 378% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Thursday, May 7, 2009

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 10 - Watch The Full Episode

Here is the full episode of High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 10



Returning players are some of the world’s best, including Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. They will be challenged by well known, but new to HIGH STAKES POKER players: Tom Dwan, Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Alan Meltzer, Peter Eastgate, Dario Minieri, David Peat, Ilari Sahamies and Sam Simon. Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza will host with popular poker analyst Gabe Kaplan. Henry Orenstein of HSPR, L.L.C. and Mori Eskandani of Poker Productions serve as executive producers. The fifth season of HIGH STAKES POKER is filmed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Past Episodes Below:


High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 9 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 8 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 7 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 6 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 5 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 4 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 3 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 2 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 1 - Watch The Full Episode

27% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 9 - Watch The Full Episode

Here is the full episode of High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 9

Click here to watch the full episode on youtube (GSN disabled embeding on episode 9, I don't know why)

Returning players are some of the world’s best, including Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. They will be challenged by well known, but new to HIGH STAKES POKER players: Tom Dwan, Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Alan Meltzer, Peter Eastgate, Dario Minieri, David Peat, Ilari Sahamies and Sam Simon. Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza will host with popular poker analyst Gabe Kaplan. Henry Orenstein of HSPR, L.L.C. and Mori Eskandani of Poker Productions serve as executive producers. The fifth season of HIGH STAKES POKER is filmed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Past Episodes Below:


High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 8 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 7 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 6 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 5 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 4 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 3 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 2 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 1 - Watch The Full Episode

27% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

Monday, April 20, 2009

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 8 - Watch The Full Episode

Here is the full episode of High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 8



Returning players are some of the world’s best, including Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. They will be challenged by well known, but new to HIGH STAKES POKER players: Tom Dwan, Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Alan Meltzer, Peter Eastgate, Dario Minieri, David Peat, Ilari Sahamies and Sam Simon. Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza will host with popular poker analyst Gabe Kaplan. Henry Orenstein of HSPR, L.L.C. and Mori Eskandani of Poker Productions serve as executive producers. The fifth season of HIGH STAKES POKER is filmed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Past Episodes Below:


High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 7 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 6 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 5 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 4 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 3 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 2 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 1 - Watch The Full Episode

27% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 7 - Watch The Full Episode

Here is the full episode of High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 7, it is split into 3 parts

Part 1 of 3:



Part 2 of 3:



Part 3 of 3:



Returning players are some of the world’s best, including Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. They will be challenged by well known, but new to HIGH STAKES POKER players: Tom Dwan, Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Alan Meltzer, Peter Eastgate, Dario Minieri, David Peat, Ilari Sahamies and Sam Simon. Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza will host with popular poker analyst Gabe Kaplan. Henry Orenstein of HSPR, L.L.C. and Mori Eskandani of Poker Productions serve as executive producers. The fifth season of HIGH STAKES POKER is filmed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Past Episodes Below:

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 6 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 5 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 4 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 3 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 2 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 1 - Watch The Full Episode

27% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 6 - Watch The Full Episode

Here is the full episode of High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 6, it is split into 3 parts

Part 1 of 3:



Part 2 of 3:



Part 3 of 3:



Returning players are some of the world’s best, including Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. They will be challenged by well known, but new to HIGH STAKES POKER players: Tom Dwan, Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Alan Meltzer, Peter Eastgate, Dario Minieri, David Peat, Ilari Sahamies and Sam Simon. Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza will host with popular poker analyst Gabe Kaplan. Henry Orenstein of HSPR, L.L.C. and Mori Eskandani of Poker Productions serve as executive producers. The fifth season of HIGH STAKES POKER is filmed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Past Episodes Below:

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 5 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 4 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 3 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 2 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 1 - Watch The Full Episode

27% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 5 - Watch The Full Episode

If you missed High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 5, you can watch the full episode below;



Returning players are some of the world’s best, including Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. They will be challenged by well known, but new to HIGH STAKES POKER players: Tom Dwan, Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Alan Meltzer, Peter Eastgate, Dario Minieri, David Peat, Ilari Sahamies and Sam Simon. Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza will host with popular poker analyst Gabe Kaplan. Henry Orenstein of HSPR, L.L.C. and Mori Eskandani of Poker Productions serve as executive producers. The fifth season of HIGH STAKES POKER is filmed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Past Episodes Below:

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 4 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 3 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 2 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 1 - Watch The Full Episode

27% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 4 - Watch The Full Episode

If you missed High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 4, you can watch the full episode below;



Returning players are some of the world’s best, including Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. They will be challenged by well known, but new to HIGH STAKES POKER players: Tom Dwan, Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Alan Meltzer, Peter Eastgate, Dario Minieri, David Peat, Ilari Sahamies and Sam Simon. Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza will host with popular poker analyst Gabe Kaplan. Henry Orenstein of HSPR, L.L.C. and Mori Eskandani of Poker Productions serve as executive producers. The fifth season of HIGH STAKES POKER is filmed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Past Episodes Below:

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 3 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 2 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 1 - Watch The Full Episode

27% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 3 - Watch The Full Episode

If you missed High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 3, you can watch the full episode below;


Returning players are some of the world’s best, including Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. They will be challenged by well known, but new to HIGH STAKES POKER players: Tom Dwan, Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Alan Meltzer, Peter Eastgate, Dario Minieri, David Peat, Ilari Sahamies and Sam Simon. Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza will host with popular poker analyst Gabe Kaplan. Henry Orenstein of HSPR, L.L.C. and Mori Eskandani of Poker Productions serve as executive producers. The fifth season of HIGH STAKES POKER is filmed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 2 - Watch The Full Episode

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 1 - Watch The Full Episode

27% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Phil Hellmuth - Top 3 "Blows Ups"

Phil Hellmuth is well known for his "blow ups" and for criticizing his opponent's skills after taking bad beats. Here is Hellmuth's top 3 blow ups;

1. Hellmuth Vs. Dragomir
On day 5 of the 2008 WSOP, Hellmuth folded a hand to Cristian Dragomir. Asked by the table to show his hand, Dragomir revealed that he had called Hellmuth's pre-flop re-raise with T♦4♦. Hellmuth proceeded to call Dragomir an "idiot," among other terms. He was eventually issued a warning by the floorperson for continued berating of another player.


In addition, he was advised by other players (including close friend Mike Matusow, who was seated at the same table) that he should stop. Nonetheless, he continued to berate Dragomir, until he was given a one-round penalty. The penalty was to be carried out at the beginning of play the next day.[25] However, overnight, Hellmuth had a private meeting with WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, after which Pollack overruled the floorperson's decision.[26] (Hellmuth eventually finished this tournament in 45th place, while Dragomir finished in 29th.)

2. Hellmuth Vs. Annie Duke
In the first week of Poker After Dark, Phil raised with ace 10 and was reraised by Annie Duke. Phil was trying to pick up a read from Annie Duke but Shawn Sheikhan, Steve Zolotow, Gus Hansen and Huck Seed refused to stop talking. Hellmuth threatened never to play in these tournaments again and stormed off. Phil returned and was eliminated a few hands later by Sheikhan.



3. Hellmuth Vs. Jim Pittman
During the Main Event of the 2005 World Series of Poker, Hellmuth accused an opponent of not even being able to spell poker after the player put all of his money in the pot preflop with King Jack against Hellmuth's Ace King; Hellmuth's opponent hit a three-outer to win the pot.



Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

Thursday, March 12, 2009

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 2 - Watch The Full Episode

If you missed High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 2, you can watch the full episode below;


Returning players are some of the world’s best, including Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. They will be challenged by well known, but new to HIGH STAKES POKER players: Tom Dwan, Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Alan Meltzer, Peter Eastgate, Dario Minieri, David Peat, Ilari Sahamies and Sam Simon. Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza will host with popular poker analyst Gabe Kaplan. Henry Orenstein of HSPR, L.L.C. and Mori Eskandani of Poker Productions serve as executive producers. The fifth season of HIGH STAKES POKER is filmed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

High Stakes Poker Season 5, Episode 1 - Watch The Full Episode

27% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Monday, March 2, 2009

High Stakes Poker Season 5 - Watch The Full Episode

If you missed the High Stakes Episode on March 1st, you can watch the full episode below;


The players in first episode;

Tom "durrrr" Dwan
Ilari "Ziigmund" Sahamies
Peter Eastgate
Daniel Negreanu
Doyle Brunson
David Benyamine
Eli Elezra
Barry Greenstein

For more info on High Stakes Poker Season 5 check out my last post;

High Stakes Poker Season 5 Airing March 1st On GSN - Plus Sneak Preview

27% Rakeback at Full Tilt Poker

Thursday, February 26, 2009

High Stakes Poker Season 5 Airing March 1st On GSN - Plus Sneak Preview

The Much Anticipated High Stakes Poker Season 5 will air on March 1st, 9pm/8c on GSN. Season 5 will have a minimum buy-in of $200,000 which is the largest for an entire run of a television series.


Returning players are some of the world’s best, including Doyle Brunson, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. They will be challenged by well known, but new to HIGH STAKES POKER players: Tom Dwan, Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, Alan Meltzer, Peter Eastgate, Dario Minieri, David Peat, Ilari Sahamies and Sam Simon. Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza will host with popular poker analyst Gabe Kaplan. Henry Orenstein of HSPR, L.L.C. and Mori Eskandani of Poker Productions serve as executive producers. The fifth season of HIGH STAKES POKER is filmed at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Host: A.J. Benza
AJ Benza returns for his fifth season as the host of television’s only cash game no limit Texas hold ‘em poker series, HIGH STAKES POKER. Benza, a New York native, has made several appearances on the big screen including: “Rocky Balboa,” “Ransom,” “Conspiracy Theory,” “The Deli,” “Not Even the Trees,” “Chump Change” and “P.S. Your Cat Is Dead.” The multi-talented Benza recently published his memoir, “Fame, Ain’t It A Bitch,” a highly-charged account of his rise to power and fall from grace as New York City’s most controversial columnist of the 1990’s. Benza is also a regular contributor to Playboy and has been published in many magazines including George, Cosmopolitan and Manhattan File. Benza first started in the industry as a sportswriter for Newsday in 1984. From there, he moved on to the New York Daily News and soon became the city’s most celebrated and feared gossip columnist, writing and editing both the daily “Hot Copy” and “Downtown” columns.

Host: Gabe Kaplan
Kaplan returns for his fifth season as HIGH STAKES POKER’s analyst. Kaplan’s poker knowledge and ability to explain the nuances of the game have made him a viewer favorite. Kaplan is no stranger to high stakes games and tournaments. He has made the final table in six World Series of Poker events, won the Super Bowl of Poker twice and finished third in the WPT 2004 Mirage Poker Showdown. Best known for his starring role as the teacher and reformed “Sweathog” on the hit television series “Welcome Back Kotter,” Kaplan has also appeared in theater productions, originating the role of “Groucho, A Life In Review,” and starred in the national touring company of the Broadway comedy, “Doubles.” Kaplan is an active stock market participant whose Wall Street investment strategies have been written about in several leading financial magazines. In addition to being on HIGH STAKES POKER, Kaplan performs as a stand-up comedian, speaking at corporate and civic events.

Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Poker After Dark: Nets vs. Vets cash game - Eagerly Awaited Game Sure To Attract Viewers From All Age Groups

The first of seven weeks of cash games that will air on the 5th season of NBC’s Poker After Dark takes place this week as three of poker’s most successful online cash game players battle against three of poker’s more seasoned veterans of live cash games. Putting up a minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $250,000 to begin play are Taylor “Green Plastic” Caby, Cole “CTS” South, and David “Raptor” Benefield, all instructors at the poker training site CardRunners.com, as well as long-time cash game players and fan favorites Doyle Brunson, Gabe Kaplan, and Eli Elezra.


Anticipation for this week’s game has been building for some time among members of the Internet community. Caby, South, and Benefield have gained considerable recognition in the poker world for their success playing in cash games online, creating quite a fan base as a result. While Benefield has had some television time as he has played in more tournaments, this will be the first television appearance ever for both Caby and South, so it will be interesting to see how they all fare under the lights and with cameras scrutinizing their every move.

Brunson, Kaplan, and Elezra, of course, are used to all of the hoopla involved in playing on television, as they have done so many times in the past. All three participated in the cash game that took place during Week 37 of Poker After Dark, one in which Brunson continued his streak of never losing in a cash game played on television. Whether he can keep his record intact against this group should be only one of the reasons for fans to tune in this week and watch.

Brief profiles of all six players follow. The match will begin airing on NBC late night Monday at 2:05 a.m., February 16, and will continue for five consecutive nights in the same time slot. A special program called the “Director’s Cut” will air late night Saturday, February 21, at 1:00 a.m., right after Saturday Night Live. This show will feature Leeann Tweeden with a behind-the-scenes look at the week with highlights and insightful player interviews. Viewers can also watch the match at www.nbcsports/msnbc.com/poker.

The game will start with blinds at $200/$400, but look for antes to be added and the stakes to be raised with the mutual consent of the players. Straddles will be prevalent, and the deuce/seven prop bet will also be introduced very early into the action. The table is cordial and friendly, and despite the large sums of money at stake, everyone clearly appears to be having a good time, making for an enjoyable as well as educational viewing experience.

Caby, Taylor: (Seat 1)
· Also known as “Green Plastic,” a name he took from the band Radiohead’s semi-official fan website, GreenPlastic.com
· A 25 year-old native of Chicago, he graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in finance is the founding member and a lead instructor for CardRunners.com
· After losing an initial $50 online deposit as a college freshman, he turned his next $35 deposit into six figures
· Rarely plays live tournaments, preferring instead to play in online NLHE cash games
· Once was invited to New York City by one of his online opponents who was impressed with his intelligence to serve as his apprentice for a prominent hedge fund

South, Cole: (Seat 2)
· Also known as “CTS” online and a 21 year-old native of Williamsburg, VA
· Is a member and lead instructor at CardRunners.com, and whose first instructional video was viewed 14,000 times on its first day of availability, a single day record
· Began playing poker online in 2005 and is recognized for his hyper-loose aggressive style of play, both in NLHE and Pot-Limit Omaha
· Frequent player in the highest stakes cash games online, competing regularly against the likes of Gus Hansen, Phil Ivey, and David Benyamine
· Purchased a $200,000 Bentley coupe with his online poker winnings, a small fraction of what he has amassed in ring game winnings

Kaplan, Gabe: (Seat 3)
· Long time actor and comedian best remembered for his role in the 1970’s hit television sitcom Welcome Back Kotter
· Proficient in many games, and has played poker for more than 30 years
· Career tournament winnings in excess of $1.34 million
· In 1980, challenged 1978 World Champion Bobby Baldwin and 1979 World Champion Hal Fowler to $200,000 heads-up freezeouts, and defeated them both
· Oft-seen analyst on several poker television programs and highly regarded for his knowledge of the game and the humor he infuses into his commentary

Benefield, David: (Seat 4)
· Also known as “Raptor” online, and a 22 year-old native of Fort Worth, TX
· Became an instructor for CardRunners.com in April 2008, and now makes videos targeted at improving play in mid- and high-stakes NLHE cash games
· Lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $202,000
· Went deep in the 2008 WSOP Championship, finishing 77th, and was the chip leader at one point during Day 5
· Began playing poker online in 2004, and is known for an unorthodox playing style which has resulted in him winning a substantial amount of money

Brunson, Doyle: (Seat 5)
· At the age of 75, perhaps the greatest player of all time, and is the author of several books, including Super System and Super System II
· Back-to-back World Series of Poker Champion in 1976 and 1977
· Lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $5.55 million, and ranks 34th on the all-time money list
· Owner of 10 WSOP bracelets, tied for 2nd with Johnny Chan
· Had the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic renamed the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic in his honor in 2007

Elezra, Eli: (Seat 6)
· A native of Israel, he served in the Israeli army in a commando unit similar to the Green Berets in the United States
· Won his first World Series bracelet in 2007 in 7-card stud hi/lo, and also owns one WPT title
· Lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $1.89 million
· Highly successful Las Vegas businessman and entrepreneur who owns several retail establishments on the Las Vegas Strip
· Frequent player in the “Big Game” at Bellagio, but considers poker just a hobby

By Dennis Oehring

Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Poker After Dark: Brilliant Minds (New Episodes) - Extraordinary Match Features Six of The Game’s Top Mathematical Mindsets

This week on NBC’s Poker After Dark viewers will witness six successful professional players highly regarded in the world of poker for their analytical thinking and mathematical prowess in a match which is being called “Brilliant Minds.” The match brings together two familiar faces in Chris Ferguson and Andy Bloch, and four newcomers in Brandon Adams, Bill Chen, Jimmy Warren, and David Sklansky. Each will put up $20,000 and compete for the $120,000 winner-take-all first prize.


Ferguson and Bloch tangled in the finals of the 2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, with Ferguson taking home the title. Chris, who earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCLA, is 1-6 on PAD with a victory in Match 7. Andy, who is now being referred to by many as the best player in the world without a World Series bracelet, holds two electrical engineering degrees from M.I.T. and a law degree from Harvard. He is 0-3 on PAD, coming close in Match 25 before losing a heads-up battle with Gabe Kaplan.

Adams and Chen both lead double lives, splitting their time between playing poker and their chosen professions. Brandon holds Master’s Degrees in Finance and Real Estate, and teaches Applied Game Theory at Harvard. Bill was the winner of two World Series of Poker bracelets in 2006, one of only two players that year to do so. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from UC Berkeley, and his day job is developing mathematical models for an investment firm on the markets his company trades in. Both are also published authors.

Sklansky has won three World Series of Poker bracelets, but is probably best known for the many books he has written about gambling theory and poker. Though he does not hold an advanced degree, he is known as “The Mathematician” for his extensive knowledge of math and how it applies to the game. Warren may be the least known among this group, but he is well-known at the Las Vegas high-stakes cash game tables, where he has been making his living for many years. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University and worked as a research physicist before becoming a professional poker player.

Brief profiles of all six players follow. The match will begin airing on NBC late night Monday at 2:05 a.m., February 9, and will continue for five consecutive nights in the same time slot. A special program called the “Director’s Cut” will air late night Saturday, February 14, at 1:00 a.m., right after Saturday Night Live. This show will feature Leeann Tweeden with a behind-the-scenes look at the week with highlights and insightful player interviews. Viewers can also watch the match at www.nbcsports/msnbc.com/poker.

The conversation in this match is very different from what has been heard during previous PAD matches, and those who are interested in mathematical aspects of the game will be fascinated by it. This week’s players possess a level of intelligence that most people would envy, and as such this is a very unique matchup and one that viewers are sure to enjoy.

Adams, Brandon: (Seat 1)
· Born in New Orleans in 1978, and now resides in Cambridge, MA
· Semi-professional cash game player, playing NLHE as high as $200/$400, and appeared on the 4th season of GSN’s High Stakes Poker
· Career tournament winnings in excess of $510,000
· A college graduate at the age of 19, holds Master’s degrees in Finance and Real Estate, and now teaches Applied Game Theory at Harvard
· Has written 2 books, one entitled Broke: A Poker Novel

Ferguson, Chris: (Seat 2)
· Nicknamed “Jesus” and one of poker’s most recognizable players
· World Series of Poker Champion in 2000 and owner of five WSOP bracelets
· Career tournament winnings in excess of $7.42 million, and ranks 18th on the all-time money list
· Runner-up in both the 2005 and 2006 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, and the winner in 2008, bringing his record in this event to an unprecedented 16-3
· Earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCLA in 1999, and is a former ballroom and swing dance instructor

Bloch, Andy: (Seat 3)
· Holds two electrical engineering degrees from MIT and a law degree from Harvard
· Finished 2nd to the late Chip Reese at the 2006 $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, and was runner-up to Chris Ferguson in the 2008 NHPC
· Lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $4.07 million
· Former member of the MIT blackjack team, the subject of a book entitled Bringing Down the House
· Began wearing his unique hat full time to play poker about 2 years ago, but wore it prior from time to time as part of an Irish rock star costume

Chen, Bill: (Seat 4)
· Discovered he had a gift for mathematics at an early age, as he was a Rubik’s Cube champion in junior high school and was studying calculus in the 7th grade
· Owns two WSOP bracelets, both in 2006, and was one of only two players that year to win more than one
· Lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $981,000
· Earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics from UC Berkeley in 1999, and works for an investment firm that makes mathematical models on many of the markets his company trades in
· Along with Jerrod Ankenman, co-authored the book The Mathematics of Poker published in 2006

Warren, Jimmy: (Seat 5)
· Long-time successful professional cash game player, with emphasis on all forms of limit poker
· A Dartmouth College graduate, he earned a Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University and worked as a research physicist before moving to Las Vegas with girlfriend Jeannie in 1986
· Has derived 100% of his income from playing in cash games since then
· Profiled in Card Player magazine as one of the top ten 7-card stud players in the world
· One of the first pioneers to apply a scientific approach using mathematical and computer skills to winning professional poker

Sklansky, David: (Seat 6)
· Born in New Jersey to the father of a Colombia University math professor, which may help explain his keen interest in math and how he applies it to the game of poker
· Winner of three WSOP bracelets
· Lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $1.25 million
· Is associated with the 2+2 Publishing empire, owned by Mason Malmuth
· Has authored or co-authored 13 books on gambling theory and poker, with The Theory of Poker, published in 1987, perhaps his most respected work

Free $100 Bankroll at Full Tilt Poker