Phil Ivey sitting out WSOP in protest-Running 2011 World Series of Poker thread

Esfandiari was great.

As for what can be done to jazz up the show ... About the only thing I can think of would be to seal the room and ban all electronic communication devices for the players and the fans. Then, show the hole cards. But I don't see that happening with the money that's at stake. I think ESPN did great just to get the gaming commission to allow what they got -- 15-minute delay and show the cards after the hand is over.

I think I said this up higher, but I didn't like that during breaks the players could get information on previous hands from their backers.

 

Esfandiari and Hellmuth have been great... not as much use for Norm Chad in the 'plausibly live' format.

 

I thought Esfandiari was head and shoulders above Hellmuth. Hellmuth was OK, but if I wanted to base my poker game based on what he had to say, I'd guess you never, ever call a raise pre-flop without pocket aces or kings. He talks as though he's never made a call to see a flop without the nuts.

 

He was pretty good. An hour of it was sufficient for me. I left it on for much longer, but it became boring. I don't expect them to be able to show the hole cards live. I understand the 15-minute delay was as good as it will get from that standpoint. I just didn't find this type of broadcast preferable to the edited ones.

 

Yeah, I think it is definitely for a very small niche. I didn't really tune in for good until about the 95th hand, I think, so who knows how long I would have hung on if they had played for another hour. Again, my only question is that they would take up all that valuable air time on the main channel for it. But, I'm also pretty sure I wouldn't have watched any of it if it was only streaming online.

 

In reference to the thread title, has anyone heard from Phil Ivey since the charges against Lederer et al. (and Ivey's non-charges but obvious involvement with Full Tilt) came down from the government?

 

I was out playing in a tournament last night and they had it on in the bar. But I went to my recording this afternoon to watch the Lamb elimination. I note that at the start of the show Norman Chad said Lamb would have the "home-felt advantage." Yeah, for about four hands.

 

WSOP and MAC football -- biggest beneficiaries of the NBA lockout.

I also think this type of broadcast appeals to a very very narrow audience. I actually prefer the edited shows because they provide a skewed version of what poker is, which sends people out to casinos with all sorts of crazy ideas.