Twitch streamer, poker pro, vlogger, and #UltimateSweat winner Jaime Staples joins the podcast to talk about his crazy 2017, and the prop bet that will make his 2018 potentially ever crazier. 

• 2:30 - Start of the interview with Jaime Staples, and why celebrating winning the #UltimateSweat for $150,000 didn't last all too long!
• 3:55 - How did the #UltimateSweat come together: Betting $3,000 at 50:1 to win $150,000 for getting to within 1lbs of their body weight with Bill Perkins.
• 6:15 - Talking through the first bet, how to approach it and what the plan was.
• 8:28 - Completing the first year, losing a lot of weight and Jaime learned from this experience. 
• 11:06 - The content aspect on YouTube, Twitch and Twitter during the Ultimate Sweat, and the weigh-in during Run it Up! Reno. 
• 14:40 - The response from friends and family, during and after winning the prop bet that brought in $150,000 for Jaime and his brother Matt. 
• 17:50 - The interest from Good Morning America, Barstool Sports and other mainstream media in the prop bet.
• 19:55 - The communication with Bill Perkins, and how the second year of the #UltimateSweat came together, getting below 10% body fat.
• 24:11 - What will 2018 look like for Jaime and Matt, and how will they achieve getting below 10% body fat?
• 26:10 - Why prop betting is important to achieve big goals like this, and why it is totally fine to find motivation externally.
• 29:10 - Is Jaime Staples still a poker player first?
• 33:12 - The response from the Twitch community to his #UltimateSweat challenge, and how Jaime Staples got his start on Twitch. 
• 38:20 - What are the most important factors for success on Twitch?
• 44:30 - Setting goals as a poker player, studying and getting better as a pro. 
• 48:00 - Vlogging and content plans during Year 2 of the Ultimate Sweat.
• 50:11 - Jaime shares advice on how he improved his health, and what he recommends other people that want to get healthier. 
• 53:25 - Aside from another year focussed on health, what are Jaime's other goals for 2018?

If you're new to PokerGO, please subscribe right now and use the promo code REMKO for $10 off the annual subscription. PokerGO offers more than 100 days of live poker action as well as an extensive on-demand library that includes all season of Poker After Dark, the World Series of Poker from 2017, 2016 and 2015, and all three editions of the Super High Roller Bowl.

As part of a series of special podcast episodes, we look back on the World Series of Poker Main Events from 2016 through 2011. The ESPN broadcasts of these years are being released on PokerGO, and you can watch 2016 and 2015 right now, with the earlier years to following in the coming weeks.

This week, we look back on 2015 with Daniel Negreanu in a special podcast that goes in-depth into some of the hands he played, the big moments and memories of that adrenaline-filled deep run. 

• 2:38 - The start of the interview with Daniel Negreanu.
• 4:45 - The fan support during his deep run in the 2015 WSOP Main Event, and the gravity of the moment. 
• 6:30 - What was the bigger WSOP Main Event moment? Phil Ivey in 2003, Phil Ivey in 2009 or Daniel Negreanu in 2015?
• 10:01 - Comparing the November Nine era, with its three-month final table build up, versus the live-streamed era with PokerGO and ESPN coverage of the WSOP Main Event.
• 12:40 - The other time Daniel finished 11th in the WSOP Main Event, back in 2001. 
• 15:01 - The hand that ended his tournament in the 2001 WSOP Main Event, the regret that came along with it, and tossing $60,000 into a garbage can.
• 18:23 - The experience of being on the feature table during the 2015 WSOP Main Event for three consecutive days, and whether it was an advantage or disadvantage. 
• 21:50 - The research and preparation before Day 7 of the 2015 WSOP Main Event, Daniel's playing style, GTO, hybrid and exploitative approaches.
• 26:04 - Calling the clock on Upeshka da Silva in a massive hand against Fedor Holz at the feature table. 
• 28:14 - Running through the action of the tournament after it got down to the final 18 players: Joe McKeehen, Justin Schwartz, Federico Butteroni and other thoughts on big hands that were played.
• 37:47 - The crucial hand of Day 7: Justin Schwartz vs Joe McKeehen, set over set. 
• 41:20 - Doubling up through McKeehen with 12 players left in the tournament, the emotions and adrenaline and hope of keeping the run alive.
• 44:05 - The elimination in 11th place, the hand, all that came along with it, the fall to the ground, and dealing with the disappointment. 
• 51:04 - The 2015 Main Event champion, Joe McKeehen, and the difference between his on-tv persona during the Main Event versus his social media presence and interviews. Does poker need heroes and villains? 
• 54:40 - Does winning the WSOP Main Event come with a role as poker ambassador?
• 58:25 - Is there an ideal winner of the WSOP Main Event for the growth of poker?
• 1:01:43 - Daniel schedule for the 2018 World Series of Poker, his goals, intentions and content plans. 

If you're new to PokerGO, subscribe right now. Take $10 off if you use the promo code REMKO for the annual subscription. Subscribers get more than 100 days of live poker action every year, as well as an extensive on-demand library that now includes both the 2015 and 2016 World Series of Poker broadcasts. 

Will O'Connor, Brent Hanks and Remko Rinkema get you up to speed on the latest news in the world of poker including online poker being banned in China, interstate online poker being offered on WSOP.com, Muskan Sethi signing with PokerStars and both Steffen Sontheimer and Dominik Nitsche not making it into the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl.

• 1:03 - This week on the show.
• 1:55 - The 2015 World Series of Poker Main Event episodes are being released on PokerGO this week. The guys discuss the big moments from this year's show that features a heavy dose of Daniel Negreanu, Joe McKeehen and Justin Schwartz.
• 8:11 - The 2017 Poker Masters is now available on PokerGO. We look back on the highlights of the shows, what to watch for,  whether the Poker Masters of US Poker Open is more rewatchable, and a look ahead at the 2018 Poker Masters.
• 11:57 - The ARIA Resort & Casino selections for the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl. Is Steffen Sontheimer the biggest snub? Who else should've been in?
• 27:46 - The state of online poker in the USA, huds and hand histories not being allowed on interstate poker, and a look at the summer offering of WSOP.com.
• 38:15 - Black Friday hits China as online poker is being banned. What kind of impact will this have on the poker economy?
• 46:15 - Muskan Sethi signs with PokerStars as an ambassador for India. How will poker develop in India? What kind of potential are we looking forward to?
• 50:15 - Recapping the World Poker Tour Amsterdam and World Poker Tour SHR Poker Showdown events that took place last week. 

Nick Schulman is one of the most celebrated commentators in the game, winning an American Poker Award for broadcaster of the year, but ultimately he's still a top professional. A regular in Bobby's Room and a winner of two World Series of Poker bracelets, Schulman has a lot of stories and he tells them on this podcast.

• 2:36 - Nick Schulman joins the show and talks about all the recent media attention he's been getting, and how it has changed his life a bit.
• 6:05 - Getting into doing commentary: How did Nick Schulman get the job and become so good at it?
• 11:15 - The importance of having something in life outside of poker, finding balance and being detached from the world.
• 14:03 - Bobby's Room, is Nick Schulman a lifer?
• 20:02 - Nick realized that his No Limit Hold'em game wasn't up to the highest standards anymore, through playing and doing commentary, and how he got back to the top.
• 28:56 - Poker on TV: What's its status? Is it boring? What's its future? Does GTO negatively impact the future of poker?
• 42:50 - Selling the dream of becoming a poker pro versus enjoying high-level poker as entertainment, and what it takes to be a top level player these days.
• 58:27 - Nick Schulman quantifies his own skill if it were to be a video game.
• 1:04:14 - Mixed games. What's its future? Does it have a place in televised poker? And some stories from Bobby's Room.
• 1:11:40 - Nick shares his excitement for the PokerGO Studio and its endless potential. 
• 1:17:38 - Nick's 2018 World Series of Poker, or perhaps we will only see him in Bobby's Room?

If you're new to PokerGO and want to enjoy over 100 days of live poker action, please subscribe right now using the promo code REMKO for $10 off the annual subscription. Watch the 2017 Super High Roller Bowl on-demand with commentary provided by Nick Schulman and Ali Nejad, as well as the upcoming 2018 Super High Roller Bowl starting on May 27th. Looking to reach out to the podcast? E-mail us at podcast@pokercentral.com.

On this special edition podcast, we talk to the sixth-place finisher in the 2016 World Series of Poker Main Event, Kenny Hallaert. For the next six weeks, we will talk to one person from the WSOP Main Event going back to 2011, as all that coverage will be available for you to enjoy on PokerGO.

Hallaert takes us through the entire tournament and highlights the key moments that brought him to the November Nine. During the three-month break leading up to the final table, Hallaert received coaching from the likes of Fedor Holz and Steffen Sontheimer, as well as mental coaching from Jared Tendler. Despite having the best possible preparation, things didn't go Hallaert's way at the final table.

Looking back on his big run now, Hallaert remembers fondly the feeling of making the big run, and he shows a lot of appreciation for the process and preparation that lead him to become a far better player with plenty of results to show for in the years after this big result. 

If you have questions or recommendations for the podcast, please e-mail us on podcast@pokercentral.com. If you're new to PokerGO, please subscribe right now and enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action and an extensive on-demand library. 

On this episode of the Poker Central Podcast:

• 3:00 - Brent Hanks brings us up to speed on his life as a father, and the joy of fishing, followed by a sports rant and shenanigans that actually belongs at the end of the show. 
• 7:35 - The start of the real poker talk on this week's podcast.
• 9:05 - PokerGO releases the World Series of Poker Main Event episodes from 2016 through 2011 in the coming weeks, and the guys share their excitement about being able to relive these episodes. WARNING: William Kassouf talk in this segment.
• 16:25 - Will takes shots at poker players retiring, Brent grabs some green tea and we all agree that Harisson Gimbel didn't really have to announce his "retirement."
• 19:23 - Remko's explanation on why he actually doesn't hate ambassadors of poker websites.
• 26:18 - Do we think that PokerStars is taking note and paying attention to what partypoker is doing?
• 36:15 - Celebrating the excitement of the partypoker LIVE Barcelona, going through all the results, Stephen Chidwick's insane continued results, Pascal LeFrancois' epic Main Event win and Jake Schindler's European breakout.
• 47:58 - Erik Seidel and John Juanda lose big in a ticket reselling scam! Brent brings us the inside scoop. 
• 56:25 - Running through the latest releases on PokerGO, and why you can't miss some of that stuff, followed by the Poker Central WSOP Main Event sweepstakes.

If you're new to PokerGO, subscribe right now and enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action on top of an extensive on-demand library that now also includes the 2016 WSOP Main Event, and every Poker After Dark episode ever released. 

This week on the Poker Central Podcast: 

• 1:20 – Poker Central announced a PokerGO WSOP Main Event sweepstakes! Win your way into the $10,000 tournament, and all you have to do is click this link and sign up for a chance to win.
• 4:30 – All the details of the announcement of the PokerGO Studio, to be opened in May with Poker After Dark followed by the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl.
• 13:29 – The interview with the VP of Content at Poker Central, Sam Simmons, on the PokerGO Studio announcement.
• 32:35 – Super High Roller Bowl China is now on PokerGO! Here’s all you need to know about these broadcasts that are available with commentary by Ali Nejad and Jeremy Ausmus, featuring players such as Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, Fedor Holz and Bryn Kenney.
• 37:25 – The Return of Patrik Antonius, focusing on his public profile on Instagram, playing all the big events and cashing for more than $4 million in the last couple of months.
• 44:15 – The Heartland Poker Tour at the Westgate Casino in Las Vegas “discounted buy-in” controversy.
• 55:40 – Running through the payouts of the highly successful partypoker LIVE Barcelona Grand Final, and how Andreas Eiler is all of a sudden among the most successful German pros. Is he drinking the blood of Steffen Sontheimer? Is Fedor Holz controlling his body? The speculations run rampant.

Are you new to PokerGO? Subscribe right now and take $10 off by using the promo code REMKO. Right now on PokerGO you can rewatch the entire Super High Roller Cash Game featuring Patrik Antonius, Doug Polk, Sam Trickett and many others, as well as every single Poker After Dark episode ever filmed. 

Mori Eskandani is the driving force behind poker on TV, and the producer of shows such as High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark and he joins the podcast to talk about the launch of the PokerGO studio at the ARIA Resort & Casino. Mori dives into the importance of the studio, the shows that will be created, and he takes us on an epic journey through poker's history on TV.

• 1:52 – The start of the interview with Mori Eskandani, and the announcement of the PokerGO studio at the ARIA Resort & Casino.
• 4:48 – The PokerGO studio coming together, with the backing of Cary Katz and Bobby Baldwin.
• 7:40 – The possibilities and potential the PokerGO studio brings along with it.
• 9:44 – What goes into producing a poker broadcast such as World Series of Poker Main Event?
• 15:02 – Mori’s team, and what happens behind the scenes at big poker events.
• 18:24 – Comparing the World Series of Poker Main Event with the Super High Roller Bowl from a production point of view.
• 21:28 – How high stakes televised cash games come together: The players, the stakes and the politics that go into it.
• 21:40 – Mori’s passion for the game of poker, and why the game is still so intriguing after decades of playing and working in it and with it.
• 29:45 – The story behind High Stakes Poker and how Johnny Chan losing a pot worth $700,000 turned into the show being created.
• 42:42 – The future of high stakes cash games on TV, and reflecting on introducing new-age players to High Stakes Poker such as Tom Dwan and Ilari ‘Ziigmund’ Sahamies.
• 52:08 – The PokerGO coverage of the World Series of Poker, and why mixed games will be an integral part of the high stakes cash game action from the PokerGO studio.
• 56:40 – Why the iconic Bobby’s Room game will be played in the PokerGO studio featuring all the big names.
• 1:00:20 – The reception of the PokerGO studio by the high stakes players that Mori has spoken to.
• 1:04:45 – The story of Henri Orenstein, and how he created the first ever poker table equipped with hole-card cameras for the sum of $600,000.
• 1:11:33 – The legend of Chip Reese, and why he didn’t appear on the first season of High Stakes Poker.
• 1:15:28 – Mori Eskandani’s life as a poker player, his results and his dream to one day win a World Series of Poker bracelet.
• 1:17:25 – Who will carry the torch for the game of poker like Doyle Brunson once did, and many others after him?
• 1:20:38 – How the size of the stakes in live televised cash games increase the stress for the production team, the biggest stakes Mori has ever seen, and how he left Sammy Farha’s buy-in for the cash game in a casino hallway.
• 1:25:20 – A crazy story from Mori, playing a crazy hand of $1,500/$3,000 Seven Card Stud versus Larry Flint.
• 1:27:27 – Sitting down for the first time playing $30/$60 at the Golden Nugget in the 80s, and seeing Chip Reese sit down at this table.
• 1:29:18 – Mori’s excitement for all that’s to come in 2018.

If you're new to PokerGO, and you don't want to miss out on more than 100 days of live poker action as well as an extensive on-demand library of content, make sure to subscribe right now. Take $10 off by using the promo code REMKO when signing up for the annual subscription. 

Brent Hanks, Will O'Connor, and Remko Rinkema go through new content releases on PokerGO before being joined by the most consistent man in poker: Ari Engel. Recently Engel added another $315,000 score to his impressive poker resume, and he talks about his continued success and efforts to reach the top.

• 2:35 - On the podcast this week: running through the topics. 
• 3:30 - The release of the 2015 Super High Roller Bowl Cash Game featuring Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, Doyle Brunson, Bobby Baldwin, Sam Trickett and many more stars of the game. Does it live up to the hype? Can these broadcasts compete with High Stakes Poker?
• 10:15 - Analyzing the success of Ari Engel, his work ethic, discipline and never-ending grind. 
• 16:45 - The interview with Ari Engel.
• 21:25 - Ari Engel compares himself to Bryn Kenney. How do they differ? How far is Ari removed from playing in the Super High Rollers?
• 26:28 - In line with others on the podcast, Ari Engel gives himself a video-game style rating and dives into how he studies the game.
• 29:40 - A hot start in 2018 puts Ari Engel in 5th on the Player of the Year standings. Is he going to chase this crown? Why does he believe that he has no chance to win?
• 34:45 - Ari Engel chases the all-time record for most total tournament results, but why?
• 37:30 - What does Ari's schedule in 2018 look like?
• 44:11 - Brent gives his thoughts on the ante big blind tournament changes, and why is it inevitable that this will be the norm worldwide?
• 51:30 - Why are we still talking about Annie Duke? We did, however, talk about Annie Duke on this podcast. Be warned.
• 59:30 - Run it Up Reno! Everyone's favorite low-limit poker series with the emphasis on having fun gets discussed, but why aren't there more series like this on the calendar?
• 1:06:30 - Short news, including EPT Sochi, 2017 Super High Roller Bowl on PokerGO, PokerStars New Jersey announcing its SCOOP schedule with two Platinum Passes up for grabs. The guys close out with a reference to an article written by Lance Bradley on Garry Gates, who was on site during the tragic shooting in Las Vegas. Click this link to read the entire piece.

Are you new to PokerGO? Subscribe right now and use the promo code REMKO for $10 off the annual subscription. Watch the 2015 Super High Roller Bowl Cash Game in full, but also the cut down episodes of the 2017 Super High Roller Bowl with commentary provided by Ali Nejad and Nick Schulman.