On Thursday, High Stakes Poker branches out from its traditional format of highlights from the most famous cash game on poker television. April 27th will see a very special live edition of High Stakes Poker broadcast only on PokerGO and the PokerGO YouTube channel. With a minimum buy-in of $100,000, some of the most controversial characters from the world of live poker will take to the felt. Who’ll be left with bragging rights?
Who Will Feature in the Line-Up?
The seven players already slated to play in the $100,000 buy-in cash game are a sensational mix of superstars, each of whom will bring something different to the party. Maverick Casino owner and cash game monster Eric Persson, Hollywood actress and High Stakes Poker regular Jennifer Tilly, Solve For Why founder Matt Berkey, controversial character Nikhil ‘Airball’ Arcot, WSOP bracelet winner and YouTube legend Doug Polk, British cardroom owner Rob Yong, and retired American entrepreneur and businessman Bill Klein have all confirmed their presence.
Of the seven, each player will tip the balance of entertainment in a different direction. All class, Jen Tilly is no stranger to taking people’s money at the cash game felt and has a WSOP bracelet too, something few at the felt can claim. One who can is The Lodge co-owner Doug Polk, who for all his YouTube sensationalism, will point to his three successes in a live poker career which at the WSOP tournament felt alone has won him $4.5 million.
Players such as Rob Yong, Bill Klein and Eric Persson will doubtless play with the no-fear attitude that they have displayed in recent years. All come from money and have accrued it in its millions since entering the world of poker. Bill Klein’s popularity on PokerGO is legendary. Rob Yong didn’t grow Dusk Till Dawn in the United Kingdom from nothing without showing his poker chops and Eric Persson may have become the must-have pick for televised poker cash games due to his ability to instigate action among his fellow players.
Berkey/Polk/Airball Beef Sure to Boil Over
While each of the players are sure to shape the dynamic at the table in their own ways, there can be no doubt about the biggest draw for poker fans – the possibility of some serious fireworks. The blue touch paper has been well and truly lit between Matt Berkey and Nik ‘Airball’ over recent weeks and their personalities are sure to be laid bare. With Doug Polk acting equally as referee and cheerleader while holding some wet dynamite, we can all expect the sparks to fly.
In the recent heads-up match between Berkey and Airball, the duelling duo got involved in some floor-calling, but Berkey’s record at the close of the most recent session told all. Airball was down an incredible $325,000 on the day to give Berkey bragging rights as they swap the Hustler Casino Live felt for the High Stakes Poker Live felt at the PokerGO Studio at ARIA in Las Vegas.
There’s no doubt that their heads-up match matters more for personal bragging rights, but it will be very interesting to see how the dynamic shifts between them, especially in heads-up pots. Will other players step aside or play against the drama to create more action for themselves. With Doug Polk in amongst it too, it’s hard to see anything but the latter taking place.
Who’ll Be the Biggest Winner?
“CASH GAME POKER LIVESTREAMS HAVE NEVER BEEN IN HIGHER DEMAND.”
The High Stakes Poker Live stream will see players sit down at blinds of $200-$400 with a $400 big blind ante. Poker fans are excited to watch the action as it plays out and the President of PokerGO, award-winning and Poker Hall of Fame producer Mori Eskandani is too.
“We could not be more excited to bring to life the first-ever livestream broadcast of High Stakes Poker,” he said in a statement. “PokerGO is committed to increasing the worldwide visibility of the game we all love so much, and part of our strategy is new content offerings such as this live broadcast of High Stakes Poker that allows us to showcase poker and the community on the biggest platform.”
With cash games on the rise, PokerGO are doing all they can to make sure that fans not only have the best resource for archive footage and the news tournaments out there by subscribing to PokerGO, but they also have all the cash game action they want as well.
“Cash-game poker livestreams have never been in higher demand,” said Brent Hanks, PokerGO’s Director of Programming and co-host of No Gamble, No Future. “It’s only fitting that PokerGO, the global leader in live poker streaming, brings poker’s most iconic cash game into a live format. This line-up at these stakes with the added dynamic of livestream engagement is the perfect recipe for a truly can’t-miss event.”
We couldn’t agree, but who’s most likely to profit when the fireworks have all burned out and the smoke clears? Of the main protagonists in the recent furore between Berkey and Airball, the former appeals to lose less, but we can see Eric Persson profiting from his ability to raise the stakes in the fearless manner he has displayed recently. Don’t sleep of either Jen Tilly or Bill Klein, either. They know what they’re doing and have sat back and made money with drama kicking off all around them many times before.
Originally Appeared on Pokerstake.com
