The Poker Star

[Vegas.]

Yeah but remember how the FBI guy also gave Shane a caning in ep2. Shane can't take advice and thinks he already knows it all.

Oh yeah I agree, Shane puts me on life tilt, even last night he was providing the lol's with "I bet Ben thinks he's got tells on me, I've been 4 or 5 different people in these tournaments, that's why people still consider me a threat", just after everyone said that he was the most likely to get booted.

I would love to sit at a table with him.

 

[paxmaniac]

Josh is looking the goods. Ben and Amanda have fallen off. And Chris is the wildcard.

The way Josh played his kings and aces was pretty lol bad. Ben is a bit too full of himself, and obviously doesn't know some of the technical details that he really needs to.

 

[red+black]

Look what I sexed up a little:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Poker_Star

 

[OneEyedHawk]

I watched it last night for the first time and I must say it's pretty cringe worthy. I don't think I'll be watching it again.

I'm fairly sure I've played on the same table as Amanda at Crown a few times, too.

She plays there heaps, so probably.

 

[Womble]

Just watched episode 6 - not too bad, was great to see Sahne booted - they are all a bit full of themselves but he was by far the worst.

Agree with everyone else that it's down to Josh and Chris

 

[red+black]

Looks like the last 3 get some company at the final table

 

[Vegas.]

Just watched the last ep, spoiler below:

WTF was that?! I thought she was the weakest of the 3 players, and she got crushed by Chris heads up. FFS that was crap.

 

[CrippsonBlue]

Just watched the last ep, spoiler below:

WTF was that?! I thought she was the weakest of the 3 players, and she got crushed by Chris heads up. FFS that was crap.

Thoughts:

Spoiler

I called it before they announced it.

I haven't watched the whole series so maybe I'm wrong, but it just seems logical to put a woman through if possible - Surely a big consideration to their decision has to be which winner may attact more people to the game imo.

Not trying to take anything away from her though - no idea if she deserved it or not.

Have to say I really didn't like Chris, and that thing he does with his hands puts me on tilt. I hate players that think they are great simply because they are aggressive.

 

[paxmaniac]

Just watched the last ep, spoiler below:

WTF was that?! I thought she was the weakest of the 3 players, and she got crushed by Chris heads up. FFS that was crap.

Spoiler

But he was looking for the "complete package". Criteria include a) not being the world's most boring lawyer and b) being someone he could actually bear to take to a party. And anyway, everyone knows that chicks with little talent are way more marketable in poker than blokes with little talent.

 

[likka]

How long ago was this shot?

Has the winner already started traveling with Joe, or does this happen in 2010?

 

[red+black]

Shot in June. First two events are the ANZPT Sydney then the Aussie Millions.

 

[KENT2008]

suprised amanda won, where can we follow her progress?

 

[OneEyedHawk]

Just watched the last ep, spoiler below:

WTF was that?! I thought she was the weakest of the 3 players, and she got crushed by Chris heads up. FFS that was crap.

She was much more the entire package than those other two knobs. She's a steady player, is calm, doesn't get flustered easily etc. Could hardly have that bumbling monotone, bong-head Josh as the Poker Star, or weirdo Chris with his unnerving, unblinking eyes and vacant stare.

How long ago was this shot?

Has the winner already started traveling with Joe, or does this happen in 2010?

2010.

 

[red+black]

suprised amanda won, where can we follow her progress?

I want to get her using Twitter, so I'll let you know.

2010.

ANZPT Sydney is next month.

 

[Drummer_19]

Couldn't help but laugh in the last scene when she was in the jet sitting down reading Hachems book.

 

[Womble]

Just watched the last 2 episodes - well done Amanda, deserved the win.

Josh was probably a bit unlucky - you would think a lawyer would be a bit more professional in talking to an audience. Was probably the best player though.

You can see why Chris would go well online - lots to work on

Amanda, I hope she does well - can obviously play, hope someone teaches her to play heads up though

Overall, 7 out of 10 - I quite enjoyed the show

 

[Cartman121]

Did they end up showing more hands as the show progressed?

 

[Womble]

not really - last bit was always poker, showed the key hands

 

[red+black]

My take is that Josh was the best player yet was probably not likely to to be the most charismatic ambassador for the game. He obviously knows how to play but he had an awkward quality about him. A little less poker ability and a little more personality and he probably would have won.

Chris was a very good player yet had only one gear. He may have won the last tournament, but that first hand against Emad was absolutely atrocious. All-in first hand with AQo? I guess that's no worse than how the WSOP final table was played recently. His propensity for reckless aggression was a negative for me and probably for Joe also. He seemed like a very nice guy but Joe probably felt he wasn't the complete package.

Amanda probably wasn't the standout poker player on the show, however I think her failings heads-up were irrelevant in the overall scheme of things. Look what happened at the recent PokerNews Cup with the Live v Online Challenge. Very experienced and successful live players were absolutely crushed and embarrassed in the HU component. I don't think Joe would have placed too much importance of Amanda not converting another 2nd into 1st.

Of the three, Amanda was probably always going to be the best ambassador for poker for any number of reasons. She completed some difficult challenges, performed relatively well in the tournaments, didn't make too many gross errors, and she had an endearing personal story while being a very humble and likeable individual. She has life experiences that the other two don't and that may have carried some weight with Joe. If it was just about poker results, then he may have well picked some 21yo phenom that has never left his bedroom, but the show was trying to find something more.

Joe may have looked at Amanda and felt that of the final 3, she was the one that he could nurture the most, turning a good part-time player into possibly a very good full-time player. Josh and Chris will not be lost to poker, but Amanda can look forward to poker becoming a bigger part of her life, and I think her selection will ensure that a second series will eventuate.

 

[Womble]

pretty accurate write up

will be interesting to see how she goes, hopefully well

 

[red+black]

Within a week of Amanda becoming Joe Hachem's Poker Star, she is now the winner of the Joe Hachem Deep Stack Series Main Event, collecting a cool 80k, an amount that would have precluded her from being eligible to participate in the show.

Joe Hachem was at Crown to kick off proceedings and watch the heads-up. He must feel vindicated that his selection just took down a big tournament, and her apprenticeship hasn't even started yet.

 

[OneEyedHawk]

Another massive win last night. This streak of hers couldn't be happening to a nicer and more deserved person. I'm not a poker player, but i do know that she deserves everything that comes her way, an awesome chick.

Whilst I'm shamelessly name-dropping, I had the pleasure of watching the finale with her kids. Was pretty special watching them watch their Mum do so well, and watching them watch themselves on the big screen.

 

[paxmaniac]

Within a week of Amanda becoming Joe Hachem's Poker Star, she is now the winner of the Joe Hachem Deep Stack Series Main Event, collecting a cool 80k, an amount that would have precluded her from being eligible to participate in the show.

That's absolutely incredible. I'm gobsmacked.

The thing that was most disappointing about the show was that there was no evidence that these guys were getting any kind of intense training in tournament play or poker generally. But maybe it was happening behind the scenes.

 

[red+black]

There is no doubt that improvements could be made to the show to make it more relevant and appealing to those who play and understand poker. It is an edited tv show and you only see what they want you to see. I've seen people comment that Sally and Amanda colluded early on against Ben just because of how some shots and comments were pieced together.

Is Amanda or any of the players as good as those on the Pocket 5s ranking list? Of course not. Are they improving players? Definitely.

Amanda's efforts yesterday would easily be in the top 10 of poker achievements by an Australian woman. On that list would be Sarah Bilney's 63rd at the 2005 WSOP for $146k, Celina Lin's results in Macau, and Marsha Waggoner's results at the WSOP. Winning the tournament was a bonus given that her Poker Star tournaments haven't even started. Amanda will be in Sydney for the ANZPT and then Melbourne for the Aussie Millions.

 

[Blues_Man]

Poker Heros filmed a bio for one of the contestants on the show, at one of my venues the other night ..knowing their penchant for showing more of the player bios than actual hands i expect to see my ugly head on there a little too much in a couple of weeks .