High Stakes Poker
You know what’s better than the World Series of Poker on television? The High Stakes Poker show, which has run multiple seasons. Nothing gets me in the mood to check raise and bluff my ass off like some crappy country western music.
Of course, names like Chan, Negreanu of Poker Stars and Hellmuth don’t hurt, either.
There’s just no way to really capture the mood of these games, you have to watch them for yourself. But they’re great fun to watch, and I’d imagine even more fun to play in. You see professionals and amateurs mix in together, with the stakes ranging from at least $100,000 up to a nice, round one million bucks.
There’s incredible drama and humor fused together in a boiling pot of gambling, with every wager you place and lose equal to a wager that comes right out of your checkbook. This isn’t tournament time, where there’s a limit to your losses through the buy-in amount. It’s much more ruthless than that.
What I love about this show is that through the amateurs (mostly) you see so many incorrect moves, bets and wrong reads, that not only does money fly across the table like a vulture darting toward a dead deer, but the insults, verbal jabs and quips get lobbed back and forth just as much. Since I never shy away from a friendly trash-talking session, I’m studying these lines as much as I’m studying the game going on at the same time.
In fact, there’s so much chatter that you can see the likes of poker legend Doyle Brunson of Doyles Room begin to simmer with annoyance as he casually goes all-in for a half million dollars on an Ace, King off suit hand.
And, nobody even flinches, with the words, at least. The chatter doesn’t even quiet down. You have to strain yourself to hear the commentary over the actual players. Now that’s how you know you’ve got a lively poker game going.
Eventually when the other players realize Brunson of FullTiltPoker.com ain’t kidding, they quickly fold their hand, and turn over the paltry $63K that was already in there to the king of kings.
Find a way to watch these internet poker episodes, not only for the entertainment value, but to see a different game and technique than the World Series of Poker. Beneath the chatter and sunglasses is a lot to be learned for the watchful eye.