167 replies to this topic

[gatortom64]

Las Vegas Sun Article on HSP

Eight of the players from High Stakes Poker pose for a photo at the Golden Nugget. From left to right, they are Andreas Hoivold, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Dario Minieri, Gus Hansen, Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Antonio Esfandiari.

By Case Keefer (contact)

High Stakes Poker
Season 6 Confirmed Players
Patrick Antonius
David Benyamine
Doyle Brunson
Tom Dwan
Eli Elezra
Antonio Esfandiari
Barry Greenstein
Phil Hellmuth
Andreas Hoivold
Phil Ivey
Mike Matusow
Daniel Negreanu
Dennis Phillips
Lex Veldhuis

It all started at a restaurant at the Bellagio.

Mori Eskandani, a television producer and poker player, and executives from the Game Show Network were finalizing plans for a new poker show over dinner five years ago. That’s when poker professional and two-time World Series of Poker Main Event champion Johnny Chan walked up to the table.

“And as poker players do, he described the hand he was just involved with that cost him several hundred thousand,” Eskandani said. “After he left, the executives called us the next day and asked if we could do something like that for television, where it’s not a tournament but people actually sitting down and playing a cash game.”

Absolutely, Eskandani answered. That’s how "High Stakes Poker" came to life. It was a somewhat radical idea at the time, as tournaments were the only form of poker seen fit for television.

But Eskandani, now the executive producer of "High Stakes Poker", and GSN believed a high stakes cash game could captivate audiences just as well. Their risk has clearly paid off as "High Stakes Poker" will premier its sixth season Sunday evening at 5 on GSN.

It’s become one of the most popular poker programs on television not only for fans, but also for professionals.

“It’s the one show that every poker player dreams of being on,” said Antonio Esfandiari, one of the only poker players who has appeared every season. “It’s the one so many of my friends have tried so hard to be on. It’s a hard profile to fit. You either have to be a sick demon gambler, super-good or a super fish with personality.”

Eskandani and his team put extra emphasis on the “super-good” aspect for the sixth season. For the first time, the game will have no amateurs.

The lineup features 14 top players, including Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, Tom “durrr” Dwan, Phil Hellmuth and Barry Greenstein. All had to buy in for a minimum of $200,000 at the Golden Nugget, where GSN filmed the new season.

“When we had production going on and people were busting out, we had well-known pros circling the building ready to jump in the game on 20 minutes notice,” said David Schiff, GSN’s vice president of programming and development.

The heightened competition level resulted in catching some of the most memorable hands in the history of the show, according to Eskandani.

Although no one associated with "High Stakes Poker" is allowed to discuss specifics of the upcoming season, Esfandiari promised one hand would instantly become the talk of the poker world.

“There’s one hand — durrrr vs. Ivey — that was one of the sickest hands I’ve ever seen, ever,” Esfandiari said. “I think durrrr bluffed Ivey and it was just out of control, but you will just have to wait until it’s on TV.”

Eskandani offered a couple more teasers for people craving information about the new season.

“Expect some surprise appearances and some surprise disappearances this season,” Eskandani said. “I would say this season of "High Stakes Poker" for students of the game is going to be the best season. You will learn so much.”

Perhaps Esfandiari’s experience on the show is the best indicator of how coveted a spot can be. Although he has played in every season, he has never made money on "High Stakes Poker".

But Esfandiari, who recently helped launch new online poker site Victory Poker, keeps coming back for more without hesitation.

“I’ll never not play,” Esfandiari said. “I do enjoy it and I think that eventually I’m going to win, because I always put my money in with the best of it and get beat. One day, the math is going to even out.”

Five years after an encounter with Chan at the Bellagio altered the course of poker television history, it’s proven that cash games can work on the screen, too.

Just ask Esfandiari.

“You put the money on the table and you play for it,” Esfandiari said. “It’s so much better to watch than a tournament. To win a tournament, you have to run like God for five days. This is just great to play because it’s a cash game.”

[savagerebel]

Andreas Hoivold
Lex Veldhuis

I don't keep up with this stuff as close as I would like. Who are these guys?

[Ben_G]

This may be a dumb question but what ever happened to Sammy Farha havent heard anything from him in a while?

[OVERKILL]

This may be a dumb question but what ever happened to Sammy Farha havent heard anything from him in a while?

Was hit by a bus.


















Witness say that the driver was a bald guy with outward pointed ears.

[king_tanner]

Andreas Hoivold
Lex Veldhuis

I don't keep up with this stuff as close as I would like. Who are these guys?

I don't know who Andreas is, probably some random high stakes euro player.

Lex final tabled the 40K at the WSOP and they have him at the feature table in the main event on day 1 where he bluffs people almost the entire episode. It was pretty entertaining to watch.

[I_fold08]

This may be a dumb question but what ever happened to Sammy Farha havent heard anything from him in a while?

HSP made him less of a winner since people could see how he played on TV so he stopped playing HSP

[PokerPiper]

The best poker players are in this season. I think this would be an exciting lineup can't wait to see it.

Andreas Hoivold is the first ever poker player who've won the German European Poker Tour season 3

[dabetka]

This may be a dumb question but what ever happened to Sammy Farha havent heard anything from him in a while?

I would like to know this as well... Last time I knew, he was playing high stakes plo with Townsend on internet. I can't wait for this season to start. Def. the best poker show on tv, next to the old Celebrity Poker's with Phil Gordon of course.

[serge]

Andreas Hoivold
Lex Veldhuis

I don't keep up with this stuff as close as I would like. Who are these guys?

Lex is also known as Mr Evelyn Ng

[gatortom64]

Pretty good so far!

[Southern Buddhist]

Without AJ in the booth it sounds like Gabe is talking to himself. Sometimes the two of them got on my nerves, but so far this feels a lot less lively.

[Knollie919]

quick loss of 200k for hellmuth

[Fluffdog87]

Ivey flops/gets hands...and dominates

[colonel Feathers]

Without AJ in the booth it sounds like Gabe is talking to himself. Sometimes the two of them got on my nerves, but so far this feels a lot less lively.

Definitely true.

Gabe laughing at his own jokes just doesnt seem right. AJ will be back.

[dabetka]

Doesn't seem quite as good without AJ, I agree. It seemed like this line up should have been awesome, but I think there def. was something missing. Other than Hellmuth going busto quick (even tho he didn't rant as much as usual) it didn't seem like there was much action at all. Hopefully the action gets a little better.

[Shark527]

any links yet on this?

I, of course, miss everything on tv

[wsox8]

any links yet on this?

I, of course, miss everything on tv

you can watch when they show it again. Wasn't sure if you meant that you don't have gsn

Season six of the popular television show, High Stakes Poker will debut on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. EST on Game Show Network. The new season will air each subsequent Sunday at 8 p.m., with encore airings at 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. Leading up to the season six debut, GSN will air an eight-hour I Love Poker marathon that begins at noon and will feature highlights from past seasons of the show.

[byaaatch]

any of you guys had the show being in two hour block? One my TV schedule I had a two hour HSP. The first hour was the one with mr. Cirque vs david benyamine then the 2nd hour was the new season. It really screwed up my DVR and made me tape every episode.

It did seem weird without AJ. Is it just me or did Kara Scott look nicer to look at when she was playing in the WSOP the first year. She just seemed to made up tonight.

[Jelly-Filled Ace]

HSP 6 on Youtube

[TheWynn]

Man, that Hoivod dude was one weird looking character. I agree, I would like to see AJ back. Either Gabe needs to learn from Ali Nejad on how to host by himself or get someone else in the booth with him.

Cardplayertube.com is where I watched it this afternoon.