Poker Night in America is the latest offering of televised poker and their crew is here at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, FL for four days of action. The new show is onsite to tape three days of high-stakes cash games and the Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open” Championship final table.
Their philosophy is to provide a glimpse of the game in a different fashion than other poker shows offered to the viewing public. Poker Night in America wants to reveal the real action you would find at a live cash game.
“It’s what I call experimental television. What we do is try a lot of new things that have never been tried before. We start with basically a cash game and we show what a real cash game is like, with regular table conversation.” Nolan Dalla commented.
“Nothing’s doctored, this is really the way people talk and behave in these cash games. This is really poker in the raw. And that’s what we’re showing.”
Dalla is the Creative Director for Poker Night in America and was around the game well before the much-publicized “Moneymaker” boom in 2003. He’s known for his writing prowess, including the popular Stu Ungar biography with Peter Alson, but he’s also a poker historian, crusader, and friend of the game.
Dalla’s goal is to produce an entertaining show with some of the best poker players in the world. But beyond skill at the table, Poker Night in America is also looking for people to entertain their viewers.
“This is real money; this is $5,000 up to $20,000 so you have to have the means to sit in this game. One thing we were really eager to have was players who bring fun back to the game.” Dalla said. “The table talk, the characters, the personality.”
“You don’t have to be a clown, we want people willing to show themselves on television and be talkative and animated.” Dalla continued. “The game is more about cards and mathematics, it’s about people and we’re trying to highlight that.”
Poker Night in America is adding a new twist during their visit to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, FL with the first televised all-female cash game. The lineup includes Melissa Burr, Jamie Kerstetter, Danielle Anderson, Natasha Barbour, Jessica Dawley, and three-time WSOP bracelet winner Vanessa Selbst among others.
“There have been some Ladies Night events but we’ve never seen a ladies’ cash game, first time in history, on television. It’s never been filmed.” Dalla explained. “Poker Night in America is about experimental television, trying new things and we’ll give this a shot. I expect it to be a really interesting day. “
In addition to their normal cash game production, Poker Night in America will also be live-streaming the final table of the Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open” Championship. Play is set to kick-off at 1pm and the live-stream will go live on a 30-minute delay.
Nolan Dalla (center) goes over the schedule with the players
$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) $50,000 Guaranteed
Level 1: Blinds 25/50
Today’s third new event is underway. This is the first of two starting flights and flight B is tomorrow at 5pm.
Players began with 12,000 chips and all levels are 30 minutes long. Late registration and re-entry are available until the start of level 9 (about 9:20pm).
They’ll play 14 levels today, or until they reach 10% of the field. Day 2 is set for Tuesday at 5pm in the Poker Room.
$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) $2 Million Guaranteed
Level 15: Blinds 1,500/3,00/500 ante
Players are back in their seats following a color-up break. Only 115 players remain.
Donald Francois
The two biggest stacks in the room happen to be on the same table – table 15. Donald Francois is the chip leader with about 565k. Jeff Chang is close behind with a little over 500k.
$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) $2 Million Guaranteed Level 14: Blinds 1,500/3,000/500 ante
There will be a new Seminole Hard Rock “Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open” winner as the defending champion was sent to the rail short of the money.
Matt Waxman won this event last November for over $123,000 but was left short after getting involved in a hand against Faraz Jaka and his turned Broadway.
Waxman is hit the rail after moving all-in with the board reading . His opponent called with top two and Waxman was drawing to a diamond with
The river was a blank to send the WSOP and WPT winner out midway through Day 2.
$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) $2 Million Guaranteed
Level 13: Blinds 1k/2k/300 ante
That terribly tough table 1 has been broken and unfortunately for Nancy Birnbaum, her new table is not much better. She’s now seated at table 11 with Noah Schwartz, Eli Elezra, Tristan Wade, Gregory Marcus, Mike Beasley, Darryll Fish, and Billy Pilossoph.
$1,650 Purple Chip Bounty No Limit Holdem (Re-Entry)
Level 1: Blinds 25/50
Today’s second new event carries the highest price-tag outside of the Championship event. Players have a $500 bounty (purple chip) on their heads which is awarded to the player that takes the last of their tournament chips.
Each player began with 12,000 chips and all levels are 60 minutes long. Late registration and re-entry are available until the start of level 5 (about 7:30pm).
This event will see a lot of players relocating from the Championship event after they bust out, so it will be an incredibly packed field.
They’ll play ten levels today, then bag up and return at 3pm Monday for Day 2. Bounty hunting has begun!
$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry) $2 Million Guaranteed
Level 13: Blinds 1k/2k/300 ante
Players are back on the felt following the break.
DJ MacKinnon
Just before the break, DJ MacKinnon got all-in on the turn for his last 48,800. The board read and after getting the count, the player in seat 1 called.
DJ had for top two pair. His opponent held for the flush draw with gutshot.
DJ faded all those outs when the river produced the . He doubled up to about 172k.
. His opponent called with top two 
and Waxman was drawing to a diamond with 
Sheldon Gross got his short-stack in the middle, getting action from Mike Wang.
made top pair and he was ahead of Mike’s 
. Then the last two fell 
and after getting the count, the player in seat 1 called.
for the flush draw with gutshot.
. He doubled up to about 172k.