WorldPokerTour

The World Poker Tour is more than just a television show. It has become a cultural phenomenon. Not only is it hugely popular for the Travel Channel, it has transformed the game itself. Thanks to the World Poker Tour and some of its internet-cardroom sponsors, poker has gone from a strange pursuit of middle-aged white guys in a smoke-filled corner of a casino that would rather use the space for more slot machines, to a passion for thousands of players of all ages and backgrounds. The show has already spawned other similar shows, including Celebrity Poker Showdown and the World Series of Blackjack. ESPN has been covering the World Series of Poker for years, but they have increased their coverage from a single show to a series, and have been hugely successful with it as well.

But what is the show like? Well, the production standards are high, and you can tell that having a tournament televised is a big deal to the tournament organizers. The producers do a good job in backgrounding the players, which is important since most of these people are not known by the public. And the Hole Card Cam is tremendously beneficial, since it allows viewers to see what the players are doing as they are doing it, instead of waiting until the cards are turned over. I've watched poker coverage without this advantage, and it is about as interesting as C-SPAN in Spanish.

The commentary is mixed. Mike Sexton does a terrific job explaining the players' moves, and isn't afraid to say when he thinks that someone made a bad one. But "Hollywood Home Gamer" Vince Van Patten seems to me more about generating excitement than about anything resembling analysis. Former Coppertone model and host of "Wild On" Shana Hiatt is not exactly a poker pro either. But in her case, it is much more forgivable, since her role has more to do with interviewing players and presenting the casino to viewers than any kind of hard-core analysis. Plus, she's a breath of fresh air in a sport that is still dominated by middle-aged men who, well, let's say they could use some more time in the hotel exercise room.

All in all, the World Poker Tour is imperfect, but still one of the best things on television. It is a must-see for fans of card games, but be careful. Once you watch for the first time, it could very well become a permanent part of your Wednesday nights.

The World Poker Tour is the best show about poker currently on television. I will sit mesmerized at the screen every week for 2 hours watching the pros and learning some tricks. Also it's not like baseball or football where you feel you must know every player to understand the game. That's because even the top players don't always make it to the final table. So every week you learn someone new. The WPT is even a place where amateurs can flourish (Win an inexpensive satellite tournament and you can take on the likes of Phil Hellmuth, Vinny Vinh, Hoyt Corkins or Annie Duke in the main tournament).

The show is hosted by poker pro Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten, who has dubbed himself king of the hollywood home game. The two have different styles of announcing. Sexton gives a no-nonsense view on the players and will even teach you some of the lingo. Patten, on the other hand, takes a Vince McMahon approach to announcing. He wants you to believe that every word he says in crucial. The two even have their own different style on playing the game. The other host, Shana Hiatt, really isn't a poker pro either. Her job is basically to look pretty in the skits she is in & interview players (This is where she falls back on her "Wild On" experience to get her through).

The players themselves are quite characters. They each come with their own customs: Phil Hellmuth throws temper tantrums, Hoyt Corkins dresses in black and wears reflected sunglasses, Annie Duke depends on psychology to win, Vinnie Vinh is full of charisma, and the rookies all want to steal a huge pot away from the pros. It's quite exciting.

Before I discovered Texas Hold 'Em (which is what is played on the show), I played draw and stud poker for 10 years. But I have found my niche with hold 'em. There are more chances make better hands (I can't tell you how many times I have made four of a kind), and I have rack up so much money in play chips (I have yet to play for real money). I also play pretty well in online tournaments (I can usually make it into the top 100 and my highest finish is 12th place). WPT is responsible for my obsessive habit with hold 'em. I love the show and the game. DEAL ME IN!!!

The World Poker Tour is more than just a television show. It has become a cultural phenomenon. Not only is it hugely popular for the Travel Channel, it has transformed the game itself. Thanks to the World Poker Tour and some of its internet-cardroom sponsors, poker has gone from a strange pursuit of middle-aged white guys in a smoke-filled corner of a casino that would rather use the space for more slot machines, to a passion for thousands of players of all ages and backgrounds. The show has already spawned other similar shows, including Celebrity Poker Showdown and the World Series of Blackjack. ESPN has been covering the World Series of Poker for years, but they have increased their coverage from a single show to a series, and have been hugely successful with it as well.

But what is the show like? Well, the production standards are high, and you can tell that having a tournament televised is a big deal to the tournament organizers. The producers do a good job in backgrounding the players, which is important since most of these people are not known by the public. And the Hole Card Cam is tremendously beneficial, since it allows viewers to see what the players are doing as they are doing it, instead of waiting until the cards are turned over. I've watched poker coverage without this advantage, and it is about as interesting as C-SPAN in Spanish.

The commentary is mixed. Mike Sexton does a terrific job explaining the players' moves, and isn't afraid to say when he thinks that someone made a bad one. But "Hollywood Home Gamer" Vince Van Patten seems to me more about generating excitement than about anything resembling analysis. Former Coppertone model and host of "Wild On" Shana Hiatt is not exactly a poker pro either. But in her case, it is much more forgivable, since her role has more to do with interviewing players and presenting the casino to viewers than any kind of hard-core analysis. Plus, she's a breath of fresh air in a sport that is still dominated by middle-aged men who, well, let's say they could use some more time in the hotel exercise room.

All in all, the World Poker Tour is imperfect, but still one of the best things on television. It is a must-see for fans of card games, but be careful. Once you watch for the first time, it could very well become a permanent part of your Wednesday nights.