New poker series starts tonight
If you're like me and more than a little weary of the hyperbole of the World Poker Tour, then you might want to tune in to the Travel Channel tonight, as the Professional Poker Tour finally makes its way to TV.
A couple of months back, there was a "sneak preview" of the PPT one Saturday, and I happened to catch it, but I know a lot of people didn't. If you were one who hasn't seen it yet, you're in for something new. This is NOT the WPT sans college kids. Gone are the flashy lights and the screaming announcers. The PPT is much more subtle, and the play -- for the most part -- is much better.
One key difference is that coverage of the PPT events starts at the beginning of the tournament, and each tournament is broadcast over five weeks. They divide the tournament into "quarters," with each week showing one quarter, followed by the traditional final table coverage in the fifth week. By showing all stages of the tournament, you really get a glimpse into how the pros play at each stage.
Tonight's episode is a repeat of the sneak preview. One treat from the first episode is that we finally get to see one of the living legends of the game play. Amarillo Slim, whose exposure on the tube during the poker explosion has been limited to a few cameos at the WSOP (at least as far as I've seen), is a prominent fixture at the featured table tonight. He gets behind early, making what seem to be a few boneheaded plays, but his loose image at the table works to his advantage later in the episode, when he gets paid on a big hand.
Although I've only seen one episode so far, I think I can safely say that the PPT will quickly become my second favorite poker series, trailing only High Stakes Poker.
One word of caution: The contrast between the PPT and the WPT is so stark, it can be a little disorienting. In fact, the first half-hour or so that I watched, I was a little bored by the more subdued tone. However, after adjusting to it, I began to appreciate the ability to concentrate on the poker, rather than the theatrics that are ingrained in the WPT.
A couple of months back, there was a "sneak preview" of the PPT one Saturday, and I happened to catch it, but I know a lot of people didn't. If you were one who hasn't seen it yet, you're in for something new. This is NOT the WPT sans college kids. Gone are the flashy lights and the screaming announcers. The PPT is much more subtle, and the play -- for the most part -- is much better.
One key difference is that coverage of the PPT events starts at the beginning of the tournament, and each tournament is broadcast over five weeks. They divide the tournament into "quarters," with each week showing one quarter, followed by the traditional final table coverage in the fifth week. By showing all stages of the tournament, you really get a glimpse into how the pros play at each stage.
Tonight's episode is a repeat of the sneak preview. One treat from the first episode is that we finally get to see one of the living legends of the game play. Amarillo Slim, whose exposure on the tube during the poker explosion has been limited to a few cameos at the WSOP (at least as far as I've seen), is a prominent fixture at the featured table tonight. He gets behind early, making what seem to be a few boneheaded plays, but his loose image at the table works to his advantage later in the episode, when he gets paid on a big hand.
Although I've only seen one episode so far, I think I can safely say that the PPT will quickly become my second favorite poker series, trailing only High Stakes Poker.
One word of caution: The contrast between the PPT and the WPT is so stark, it can be a little disorienting. In fact, the first half-hour or so that I watched, I was a little bored by the more subdued tone. However, after adjusting to it, I began to appreciate the ability to concentrate on the poker, rather than the theatrics that are ingrained in the WPT.
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