The coronavirus pandemic has brought lives to a standstill – travel bans, movement restrictions, home quarantine protocols. As much as we want to quickly return to our normal lives, the current situation prevents us from doing so, and the best thing we can do is to simply stay home until this global crisis abates.
In the world of poker though, the action continues, despite the fact that several major live poker festivals have already been cancelled. Online poker has come to the rescue, with some live events now going online in partnership with major online poker brands. Players can compete from the comfort of their own homes, and still get the chance to win big!
Poker enthusiasts will be excited to know that there is going to be new poker content on TV as Poker Central has recently released two new shows!
Poker Central President Sam Simmons says the demand for poker content has grown bigger than ever, and they are responding to that demand by bringing two new exciting shows that will take poker audiences to a trip down memory lane. Poker Central aims to bring the spirit of poker to spectators at home who might be feeling some sort of disconnection from the game due to the ongoing pandemic.
Run It Back with Remko
Hosted by Dutch poker content creator Remko Rinkema, Run It Back with Remko features interviews and special commentaries from poker superstars as they look back on some classic footage. In the first episode of the show which was released on March 26, Remko sits with former all-time money list leader Daniel Negreanu. It features some old footage of players, including Negreanu himself and fellow poker superstar Phil Hellmuth.
Negreanu, one of the most successful poker players of all time, shares his observations on his fellow poker pros, and offers his views on the changes that the game has gone through over the years.
The episode provides an insight into the evolution of poker, supported by Negreanu’ s background knowledge and extensive experience. Remko’s hosting skills are also commendable. Due to the show’s exciting format which will likely draw viewers, it may actually be extended for longer, and may still be here even after the COVID-19 crisis.
The Championship Run
Jeff Platt brings back the glorious moments of poker in The Championship Run. The show’s first episode was shown on March 27, featuring one of the most remarkable victories in poker history which has been widely credited with the poker boom. In 2003, Chris Moneymaker, then a 27-year-old accountant and unknown poker player from Tennessee, took down the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, defeating a more experienced poker pro Sam Farha.
The first episode of The Championship Run travels back to that revolutionizing moment when an online qualifier was able to turn his $86 buy-in into a massive $2.5 million top prize, his first attempt at the live poker arena. Moneymaker was also the first player to win a world title after qualifying via an online poker site. After his massive victory, Moneymaker joined PokerStars as one of its roster of ambassadors. He still represents the brand up to this day.
Over the course of two and a half months, Jeff Platt will be featuring highlights of several other iconic poker victories in the past. The show will serve as a source of inspiration for those who want to make it big in the world of poker.
As the shows have just started, it would inappropriate to judge their entirety, but definitely, the first two episodes have already left a good impression. PokerGO is offering free access to viewers for one month, so this is something you shouldn’t miss!
Let’s continue to hope and pray that the governments ultimately find an effective solution to this pandemic as soon as possible, so everything goes back on track.
The two new shows will be broadcast on a weekly basis (every Thursday and Friday). For more details, check out pokercentral.com.