October 17 2012, Donnie Peters

I haven’t always loved poker. Heck, I barely knew what the game was until I got a call from a good friend of mine while I was in college several years ago. He told me about this new game he and the guys came across: no-limit hold’em. He told me about how he and the guys had been watching episodes of the World Series of Poker on television, how fun the game looked and how much he wanted us to start playing.

While flying home recently after a long stint covering the WSOP Europe and the European Poker Tour Sanremo, a very interesting question came to me: What happened to poker?

There was a media tournament at EPT Sanremo, but I couldn’t help but ponder how lame it was that our group of media members were constantly being told we have to quiet down because there was an event – the $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em side event – going on a few rows of tables over. I remember sitting there, not being particularly loud myself, but watching my colleagues have some drinks and enjoy their time away from the grind. We were all having a great time; plenty of laughs were had and celebrations occurred after just about every hand. When told we had to quiet down because of the other event running, I looked over at them and thought to myself, “Wow, no one over there looks like they are having fun.”

At the root of it all, I couldn’t help but wonder where all the fun in poker has gone over the years. Isn’t poker supposed to be fun? Do you remember in 2006 when Bryan Micon did the Thriller dance while all in during the WSOP Main Event? How about Marcel Luske breaking into song during a hand in the 2004 WSOP Main Event? Or what speaks to my point the best, Steve Dannenmann’s lackadaisical attitude and No. 1 rule on his notes during the 2005 WSOP Main Event final table – the largest stage in poker?

What I’m getting at here is that poker no longer seems to be fun. It’s not as fun for the players, it’s not as fun for the media, and it’s not as fun for the fans. The latter of that trio is the most important part and something that needs attention.

Fans are what drive poker and the industry. Without fans, who are Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth? Certainly not everybody’s favorite “kid,” the Michael Jordan of the game, or the “poker brat.” Would Doyle Brunson still be the Godfather? Would Mike Matusow still have a “mouth”? The fans drive the game, and they also bring new money into the game.

Over the past few years, the poker industry as a whole has been at a standstill. It’s extremely stale. There aren’t hoards of new players flocking to the game, and in my opinion, that’s simply because it’s not seen as “fun” to them anymore. There are a lot of reasons for this, and most of them can be dealt with and changed for the better of the game.

Televised poker has turned to a more analytical style, instead of the old entertainment style we used to see. I’d argue that when it comes to poker on TV, people want to be entertained. The common fan – the person we’re trying to draw into the industry as “new money” – doesn’t care about three- and four-bets, ranges, merging, floating, or fold equity. They don’t talk in terms of big blinds or know ICM, and they are generally playing for fun. They’d much rather see Phil Hellmuth and Beth Shak dancing around the table while Brett Richey contemplates what to do with two kings than know the three-bet percentage of someone from the cutoff seat. It’s called attraction, and that’s what poker needs.

Then you’ve got the players themselves, and you all know who I’m talking about. I’m looking at the ones hiding under the hooded sweatshirts, behind the sunglasses or beneath the tightly pulled down baseball caps. These guys make up the majority of what we see on TV nowadays and, to put it as simply as possible, it’s dull. Where’s the personality? You could stick a few cardboard cutouts around a televised table and have more personality than a lot of these players.

Poker needs more personalities like Phil Laak and Jean-Robert Bellande; it needs more of Tony G berating the Russians; and it definitely could use some more table talk, smooth chip tricks, and magic from Antonio Esfandiari. When a poker fan turns on the TV and sees a bunch of 20-somethings not saying a word or barely moving a muscle, they’re turned off. They don’t want to head to their local card room to mimic their idols, and they certainly don’t want to put aside some extra cash to travel out to Las Vegas in the heat of the summer chasing their dream.

Furthermore, who wants to go and play with poker’s new generation? I certainly don’t, and everyone I’ve talked to that’s a common fan of the game seems to share similar sentiments. Many people are scared to get their feet wet by dabbling into poker because of how serious and analytical the game has become. The spectacle they once enjoyed, and the one that once attracted hundreds and thousands of new players to the WSOP every year, is gone. It also doesn’t help that this new generation of players often talks down on someone for playing a hand “incorrectly” or rambles off the stats on how badly someone has performed.

Prior to the early 2000s, being a poker player was widely shunned. Then, Chris Moneymaker burst onto the scene, and everything changed. It was suddenly “cool” to be a poker player. For the past couple of years, I’ve asked myself more and more, “Is it even cool to be a poker player anymore?”

Honestly, I just don’t know about the direction of the game anymore, which is mostly guided by the way it’s being pushed on TV. Don’t get me wrong, there will always be diehards of the game who want to see all the stats and listen to pros analyzing hands – I’m one of them. A true diehard of the game, though, is someone who wants to constantly do what’s best for the advancement of the game. Live streams, podcasts, articles or featured TV segments seem like a better way go for the more analytical approach to the game, but the regular shows aired to millions of viewers around the world need to stick to what entertains.

Bring back the ranting of Hellmuth, the barking of Ted Bort, the bulldozing from Hevad Khan and Kenny Tran’s sick calls. In the end, it’s those characters and that entertainment that are best for poker. The diehards will always dig and find the things they need to feed their appetite, but I’m afraid we’re shutting out the common fan too much from falling in love, or staying in love, with the game.

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October 16 2012, Brett Collson

Looking for the day’s top poker stories? You’ve come to the right place. In this edition of the Nightly Turbo, we’re covering a new member of Team PokerStars Online, talks of a $50,000 boxing match between Shaun Deeb and Richard Ashby, and more.

In Case You Missed It

Daniel Negreanu tackled The Lederer Files in his latest rant on Monday. Rich Ryan touched on that topic and more in his Five Thoughts piece.

PokerStars is working on remodeling its software. PokerNews’ Chad Holloway recently got a first look at the new client during a presentation by Lee Jones.

Two members of the PokerNews team battled it out for the EPT Sanremo Media Event title. Who took it down? Chad Holloway provides a recap in The Muck.

Take A Guess

PokerStars is preparing to announce a new member of its Team Online roster. But before the new pro is unveiled, PokerStars is giving customers a chance to cash in on a promotion tied to the introduction.

If you can guess who is joining Team Online this week, you will be entered into a drawing for a $50 prize added your PokerStars account. Up to 50 winners have a shot at the $2,500 in cash prizes. Here’s how to qualify:

• Step 1: Go to Team Online’s Twitter page.
• Step 2: Follow @PSTeamOnline on Twitter.
• Step 3: Tweet your guess on who is the newest Team Online member to @PSTeamOnline using the hashtag #GuessTeamOnline in the following format: I’m (insert PS Username here) on @PokerStars, and I think the new @PSTeamOnline member is (Insert the PS Username or Real Name of your guess here) #GuessTeamOnline

You can only guess once, so be sure to make it count (Don’t guess Viktor Blom). And if you need some help, PokerStars is giving away one clue per day. The first clue comes from Team Online’s Randy “nanonoko” Lew:

Keep an eye on more clues at the PokerStars Blog.

Shaun the Boxer?

For whatever reason, poker players are drawn to the boxing ring. In the past we’ve seen Theo Jorgensen battle Gus Hansen, Lex Veldhuis take on Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, and Liv Boeree traded punches with Melissa Castello.

Now, Shaun Deeb is contemplating a fight against fellow high-stakes poker pro Richard “Chufty” Ashby.

Deeb tweeted over the weekend that Ashby wants to duke it out for a $50,000 purse. Deeb, who plays massive cash games with pots sometimes growing larger than $50K, looks at the opportunity as incentive to work out. “Could be fun way to get in some kind of shape besides round,” he wrote.

Deeb has a history of indecisiveness (see: 2009 poker retirement), so we’re not holding our breath on this one. But we’re certainly rooting for it to happen purely for the entertainment value.

Tomaž Kogovšek Wins WPT National Series Vienna

A winner was crowned at the “1,100 World Poker Tour National Series Main Event in Vienna on Tuesday. Young Slovenian Tomaž Kogovšek began the final table as the chip leader and carried that momentum all the way to his first WPT National title, picking up “60,600 in the process.

After dominating most of the final table, Kogovšek began heads-up play with a sizable lead over Thomas Mühlöcker. The two battled for a short time before Mühlöcker got his short stack all-in preflop with against Kogovšek’s . Mühlöcker was poised for a double, but the flop sent Kogovšek into the lead. The on the turn gave Mühlöcker a few more outs to a higher two pair, but the on the river sealed the deal for Kogovšek, who celebrated with friends after the victory.

Here’s a look at the final table results of the 2012 World Poker Tour National Series Vienna Main Event:

Photo courtesy of Poker770.com.

William Hill Takeover

Gambling firms Sportingbet and William Hill have reportedly agreed on terms for William Hill to take over its rival online bookmaker.

According to BBC News, William Hill sweetened an offer to buy the company for £530 million, 20 percent higher than the offer made last month. If true, the proposed deal would be subject to agreement on certain terms and conditions.

Under the agreement, William Hill, Britain’s largest bookmaker, would acquire Sportingbet’s operations in Australia and Spain, where gambling is regulated. GVC Holdings, William Hill’s partner in the deal, would take Sportingbet’s businesses in other parts of the world where regulatory laws are vague.

Sportingbet owns Paradise Poker, the once popular U.S.-facing poker site which exited that market in 2006. Paradise Poker now resides on the International Poker Network, while William Hill’s poker offering runs on the iPoker Network.

BBC News has more.

WSOP on ESPN

ESPN’s coverage of the World Series of Poker continues Tuesday night with more action from Day 7 of the Main Event. The broadcast begins at 9:10 p.m. ET and will focus on the remaining 22 players battling for a spot at the final table.

When the broadcast begins, the energetic Rob Salaburu will be leading the way with 23,155,000 in chips. Among the remaining contenders in the field are Greg Merson, Jesse Sylvia, and Paul Volpe. Also in the field are Elisabeth Hille and Gaelle Baumann, who are both looking to become the first female to make the final table since 1995.

The coverage will also feature 21-year-old Jake Balsiger, who aims to overtake Joe Cada as the youngest player ever to win the WSOP Main Event. Here’s a teaser of tonight’s broadcast:

For more on tonight’s ESPN coverage, check out the story at WSOP.com.

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