After Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker, the world of poker experienced a serious boom. An amateur had just won millions of dollars! Anybody could play! And the game of poker was easily accessible online. Millions flocked to online poker rooms and the game experienced a massive spike in popularity. With that spike in popularity came some famous poker shows, and perhaps the most notable one was "High Stakes Poker" on GSN.
'High Stakes Poker'
The show first premiered in 2006 and was instantly popular. Former poker player Gabe Kaplan and AJ Benza formed a hilarious duo, as the two taught poker concepts and explained hands to an extremely captive audience.
The games were played in several different poker rooms as the seasons progressed, but each game always featured an abundance of professionals. Mixed in with those professionals were often amateurs, including former Lakers owner Jerry Buss.
The show didn't skimp on the money either, as the big blind almost always seemed to eclipse $1000. Because of this, the show featured some of the biggest pots in TV history. Below you can find a video of one of those pots between professional Patrick Antonius and World Series of Poker winner Jamie Gold.
Those huge pots and brilliant commentary created what was perhaps the best show on GSN when it was aired. The show was extremely popular but eventually had to end with the advent of Black Friday.
Black Friday.
Online poker died when sites like Full Tilt were shut down because the leaders were engaged in some fraudulent business practices. Online poker players lost their balances, and plenty of people lost their ability to make a living playing poker online. Since then, poker has earned a bad name. But that has slowly started to change as vloggers like Andrew Neeme become more popular.
They are beginning to show a more realistic side of the game, which is what the show "Live at the Bike" is trying to accomplish.
'Live at the Bike'
This show doesn't feature the huge pots or large bills that "High Stakes Poker" did, but it does allow viewers to watch what really goes on in a casino. It also allows viewers to connect with players who play at limits that are normally no larger than $5 blinds.
The show doesn't feature high profile professionals and instead features amateurs and characters from all around the world. Even viewers have a chance to get on the show if they have the bankroll! It might not offer the same high stakes thrills that the former GSN show did, but "Live at the Bike" offers something else: a realistic take on poker.