White Belt Poker

Given the current controversy over the WPT release form that several prominent pros (including Paul Phillips, Andy Bloch and Chris Ferguson) have declined to sign, thus ruling themselves out of playing in future WPT events, I was reminded of this post that I forgot to mention here at the time by Barny Boatman on the Hendon Mob website where he describes how a film crew actually interrupted a crucial hand he was playing at the EPT event in Dublin back in October:

It was early in the tournament and we still had around three quarters of the field, but I had got off to a flyer and with over 40K was probably chip leader. It seemed that all the big stacks were on my table with me. Perfect.

I was on the button in a re-raised pot holding AQ clubs and the flop came three rag clubs. The re-raiser led out rapidly for five thousand, a pot sized bet. I was obviously hoping he had a big hand, possibly kings. It’s normal to slow-play in this situation but I felt that if I moved in instantly his momentum would carry him forward, and, perhaps reading me for the bare Ace he might call quickly. I shoved my stack across the line and he sat forward. I can’t be sure but I, and others watching, felt I was about to get called. We’ll never know because as that moment one of the TV crew who was watching and obviously believed he was about to shove his chips in, said ‘ Stop! Don’t do anything yet. We’ll get the camera.’ The player froze and waited.

A minute or two later, with the camera in his face and the adrenaline replaced by the cold dread of defeat, he sat back and calmly tried to put me on a hand. A call would cost him his remaining twenty grand. ‘I don’t think you’d do that with the Ace of clubs’. He said. ‘You could have trips.’

After a long time, he mucked his overpair and the disappointed film crew shuffled off to get yet more footage that will never be aired.

Further illustrating his point that TV crews also have a responsibility to the game, Barny goes on to detail a conversation he once had with Barry Hearn (the well-known British sports promoter):

Years ago I was talking to Barry Hearn and he told me that he was thinking of filming the final of the Poker Million in the Isle of Mann, including hole cards, and broadcasting it live. I offered the opinion that players should be told of this before the event began as some might not want to enter if they knew their hole cards would be shown in the final. ‘Barny’ he said. ‘This is television. If I ask them to roller skate naked across the poker table, they’ll do it!’