A few weeks ago it was announced that 2015 will see the launch of the first 24/7 poker channel. While many poker players agree that the heyday of televised poker has passed, this is still an interesting development for poker, which shows that the game is not as ‘dead’ as many make it out to be.
It’s unclear at this point what kind of new poker programming viewers can expect, but as long as we are waiting for the possible new poker shows to appear, let’s take a look at some of the craziest hands played on TV up to this point.
10. Going with Your Read the Isaac Haxton Way
This was one of Isaac’s first major televised event appearances and despite him wearing a really goofy wig (it has to be, right?), he did show off some serious skill. There’s a big difference between making the right read and making the right read with hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line and going with it all the way.
9. Folding Aces Preflop like a Pro
When you get a university mathematics instructor into the Big Game, don’t be surprised when he makes the right decision, even if it’s insanely counterintuitive.
There was actually a good reason for Fishman to fold any hand preflop, since at this point in the Big Game there were 50 hands left to go and he was up nearly $150,000. Considering this, Fishman decided that it would be wise to simply fold every hand, which would leave him a guaranteed $140,000 in profit at the end of the game, instead of going head to head with the pros at the table.
8. Never Bluff Jason Mercier
A tip for all the aspiring poker pros out there: When your tournament life is on the line on a huge bluff, don’t give away your nervousness by drinking out of an empty bottle like Eric Koskas at the 2:40 mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJXed_dvvng
Another tip: Move up to where Jason Mercier respects your raises.
7. Jamie Gold Convinces Sam Farha to Check the River
High Stakes Poker is undoubtedly one of the most successful poker shows ever aired on television. If you were to take a poll asking viewers of the show to tell you the first hand that comes to mind when they think of High Stakes Poker, this would probably rate in first place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=601&v=erNjXtuKawU
6. Does Running It Four Times Reduce Variance? Not For Phil Hellmuth
Between eating burgers on camera and screaming at all those idiots from Northern Europe, being Phil Hellmuth is hard work. Not to mention that sometimes you get it in as a 90% favorite on the flop, decide to run it four times and some of the run outs just don’t go your way.
5. Biggest Pot in Televised Poker History
There are bad turn cards, and then there are bad turn cards that will guarantee you going broke. Combine that with the biggest pot in televised poker history and some of the best players in the world and you get one unforgettable hand.
4. The Right Way to Play the 72 Game
It’s hard to imagine how many people have lost their stacks chasing a $10 bounty while playing the 7-2 game at their local home game. Of course it doesn’t get any better than when the 7-2 game is introduced at the highest stakes cash games.
3. Craziest Bluff Ever
There are a lot of ridiculous hands floating around, but this one might be remembered as ‘The One’ for a long time to come. It’s really hard to grasp what is going through the mind of both of the high stakes giants, Vincente and Alfonso, even if you watch this a hundred times.
2. The Million Dollar Bad Beat
The Big One for One Drop is not only the biggest tournament in the world, but also the biggest potential heartbreak waiting to happen to anyone who dares to enter this event. So far, the most unfortunate of all the players is Connor Drinan, who got a once in a lifetime bad beat dealt at the worst possible moment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V7aA0RHK-Q
1. Quads over Quads
Losing to quads is never fun, and neither is losing with quads. And if you happen to lose to quads while holding quads on television, you might want to think about taking a vacation.
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