After Dark Dreams

On my main blog (before this one came about) I wrote at length of my love for the best poker show on television, "High Stakes Poker". Fantastic coverage of the best poker players in the world, playing for their own money in the world's largest regularly televised cash game. With a minimum buy-in of 100K the stakes are incredible, and the poker is out of this world. As a poker skill showcase, it simply can't be beat; even by the WSOP.

But lately, thanks to the miracle of the DVR, I have discovered another program - that while still not AS good as HSP in my opinion, deserves recognition and appreciation in it's own right.

The show is "Poker After Dark" and it airs every night of the week on NBC at 2 in the morning. Each week shows an entire one table tournament, a six handed sit-n-go of top tournament players. What makes the show unique, and great in my opinion, is that it airs pretty much unedited. Every single hand is shown, including the "inconsequential" ones, as well as all the chit chat and dead spots in between.

This show, more than even HSP, gives you a true feel as to how the pros actually play. You get a much truer sense of their personalities than any edited program, WSOP, WPT, HSP, etc. could ever hope to deliver. By sitting down and watching a weeks worth of recorded shows, I truly get an amazing lesson in short-handed tournament poker.

For entertainment, and the "wow" factor - HSP is the best poker show on television. But for tournament poker in it's purest form, you absolutely cannot beat Poker After Dark. And as sit-n-go tournament play is my favorite way to play, this is the show that was made for me. I'm truly in love with it, and grateful for the technology of Tivo.

Recently a new season has kicked off, and this last week they tried something a bit different. First, they have a new hostess; she seems capable enough - but she doesn't have the lovely and pendulous breasts of the recently departed Shauna Hiatt. Oh well, I can get used to her I suppose.

Second, and more interestingly, they had a single amateur at the table - who won his way onto the program through a series of free roll tournaments on Full Tilt. I have played in these free rolls as well, and I must say to actually win your way through them is pretty impressive.

The twist was, the amateur got to pick his "dream table". The players he would most like to play with. I love this concept and hereby submit my own ideal final table. (Interestingly, this weeks amateur picked some of the same players, the first four on my list.)

These are the 9 players I would love to have a chance to play with; even though I'd be so nervous that any coherent thought would probably be impossible.

Jennifer Harman - She's just so adorable! But she's also an absolutely fearless player who specializes in cash limit HE. I love her demeanor of humility and quiet relentless aggression. I try hard to live up to her standard of table manners and decorum. She managed to keep her cool in the WSOP even when she got a speech from some amateur dick head who had a straight flush and slow rolled her. Class act. World Class poker player.

Scotty Nguyen - A great tournament player, winner of the 1998 WSOP main event. Of all the players, this is the man I would most like to meet and shake hands with. He is absolutely genuine and without pretension. I can tell just from watching him, that there is no "act". He is 100% real. I am in awe of his story - a Vietnamese refugee who came here with NOTHING, and built a life as a professional poker player. He has faced unimaginable tragedy (losing his brother on the night of his main event win) and yet still perseveres and manages to support his rather large family. Every flaw and every charm is absolutely unfiltered. What an amazing man.

Daniel Negraneau - A bit of a shyster, but a hell of a card player. I'd love to sit down with him just for the entertainment value. I'd have to keep my mouth shut though, this is a guy who routinely calls out the EXACT hole cards of his opponents.

Phil Hellmuth - I am a bit of a glutton for punishment, so I wouldn't mind being berated by the poker brat. Or as I like to call him, the poker asshole. His play is tremendous, and I'd say after Jennifer, his poker skill is right up my alley. Note I said PLAYING skill, NOT manners. His demeanor is just about the WORST on the planet; yet as with Scotty, I feel it is mostly genuine. He just can't help himself to belittle people, as an instinctive response to his own insecurities and flaws as a player and as a human being.

Doyle Brunson - What can you say. The man is a legend, and it would be an honor to sit at the same table with him. Plus, from what I have read and seen - for all his prowess at taking people's money and coming from the old school of angle shooting and soft play among fellow pros, he has a genuine warmth and humility in his heart before God.

Johnny Chan - another quiet legend. I love his stoic demeanor, and his play is as renowned as anybody in the game.

Phil Ivey - Yikes! He's probably the most formidable player alive today. I would probably crap my pants, but he would have to be included. Great tournament player, legendary cash game prowess.

Allen Cunningham - Tremendous young gun, who's not so young anymore. Probably the most underrated tournament player ever. Five bracelets, over a million in tournament cashes. But like Jennifer, he let's his moves do the talking at the table. Another role model for my table demeanor and play.

Annette Obrestad - I would just be thrilled to be at a table with this 18 year old Norwegian phenomenon. Not for conversation or insight (she comes across as a bit naive and boorish) but just to witness how she more than any other online flavor of the week has taken the tournament world by storm with her fearless aggression and mostly absolute perfect timing. Google her and behold her amazing accomplishments. And she's not even old enough to step into a Vegas casino.


There is one more player I should mention, that I would like to play with even more than any others listed above, the man that Doyle Brunson calls the greatest all around poker player who ever lived. Chip Reese.

Chip passed away last month of pneumonia, he was 56. But anyone who follows poker knows he was one of a kind. Definitely the best stud player of all time and likely the best mixed game player ever, he played at the absolute highest level of stakes in cash games for the last 20 years. And best of all in my book, he was a quiet family man who let his skill do the talking at the table.

I had no idea how the loss of Chip would affect me. I followed his career somewhat, but he was a guy who spent less time at tournaments (and thus less time on tv) and more time making lots of money in "side" games. Yet he emerged on the tournament scene recently on behest of his kids who said to him in effect "If you're supposedly one of the best players in the world, how come we never see you on tv?"

When Chip died I felt my heart sink and sink as each voice in the poker world sung praises of this gentle man who was a giant even among poker legends. A nice guy who beat everyone. What a tragic fate for someone so young, skilled and yet nice to be around.

In 2006 Chip won the inaugural 50K H.O.R.S.E. event at the World Series of Poker. This event is regarded now as the "true" main event, as it is only an elite field of pokers absolute best players that can bankroll the hefty entry fee. Plus, the mixed game format of Hold-Em, Omaha/8, Razz, Seven Stud and Seven Stud/8, truly showcases who is the actual BEST poker player in the world.

This guy WAS poker. And he did it quietly and without malice in his heart. He exemplified how you should play the game. Be the best and be relentless with genuine kindness.

Starting this year, the winner of the 50K H.O.R.S.E. event will receive a trophy in addition to the bracelet. The trophy will of course, be the Chip Reese Trophy.