He’s funny, he’s hairy, and knows a lot about poker! He’s Joe Stapleton, and this week’s on the Heads Up with Remko Podcast. The Poker Central Podcast Network is sponsored by Keeps.com. Check out Keeps.com/PokerGO for more information on this subscription-based anti-hair loss medication.

• 2:50 – The start of the interview with Joe Stapleton.
• 4:10 – Looking at Joe’s work at the 2018 World Series of Poker, being on the sidelines during a plethora of events, and how he can no longer party all night and work all day.
• 6:33 – Joe Stapleton looks back on his first World Series of Poker in 2005 with Scott Huff at CardPlayer.
• 8:00 – That time Joe Stapleton eating Phil Hellmuth’s leftovers, and gambling his way through a summer on little sleep.
• 12:00 – The lack of fun in reporting, and pivoting to producing and hosting videos.
• 14:30 – The start of podcasts in poker, Scott Huff, Mike Matusow, PokerWire and the start of PokerRoad and PokerRoad Radio.
• 17:30 – Stories from Joe’s time at PokerRoad, and whether or not it could’ve been more successful.
• 20:45 – Remko tells the story of interviewing Phil Ivey after he won his 10th career bracelet.
• 25:40 – Joe Stapleton’s Phil Ivey story, parting in Monte Carlo, Daniel Negreanu getting slapped in the face and wheeling him to his room after a drunk night out before the Super High Roller event.
• 33:45 – The many jobs Stapes has had and is doing in poker.
• 37:54 – How Joe Stapleton got his start on the European Poker Tour, hosting and commentating on the biggest tournament series outside of North America.
• 43:30 – Joe Stapleton’s role as funny guy and poker expert and getting into legal trouble in the UK!
• 49:40 – How Stapleton creates his jokes and gets his material, and what works and doesn’t work on TV.
• 55:20 – How to deal with criticism, and what to do about the trolls and haters?
• 57:50 – How much room is there to be funny during a serious poker event when the money is big and the pressure is on, and what are some of Stapleton’s worst moments on TV?
• 1:03:05 – Joe Stapleton’s stand-up comedy aspirations and performing all over the world? 

Want to relive the 2018 World Series of Poker? Subscribe to PokerGO right now and enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action as well as an extensive library of on-demand content including every single episode of Poker After Dark.

The 2018 WSOP Main Event champion joins the Poker Central Podcast to talk about how his life changed after winning the biggest tournament of the year! 

• 0:40 – Brent Hanks’ rodent problem and recovering from the WSOP.
• 1:58 – The return of Poker After Dark with Matt Berkey and Garrett Adelstein.
• 4:57 – Hand Histories is now available on PokerGO, Remko and Brent share their thoughts on the six hands that were featured with Daniel Negreanu, Joseph Cheong, Matt Affleck, Jeremy Ausmus, Brian Rast, and Bryan Piccioli.
• 7:50 – Recapping the 2018 WSOP Main Event: Joe Cada’s insane run, our love for Kelly Minkin, John Cynn’s run, Michael Dyer's cereal and the emotions of Tony Miles.
• 14:00 – The interview with 2018 WSOP Main Event champion John Cynn.
• 17:00 – What’s it like to be the winner of the biggest poker tournament in the world and the fame that comes along with it, John Cynn describes.
• 20:19 – John Cynn looks back on finishing 11th in 2016, and why that experience didn’t come with any regrets or pain.
• 27:05 – Setting the record straight on how John’s last name is pronounced, and how his win is viewed by his Korea friends and family.
• 30:55 – John Cynn on making his debut on Poker After Dark on PokerGO, and potentially playing in the Poker Masters.
• 36:24 – Did John Cynn party at all after winning the WSOP Main Event? He tells the story.
• 40:25 – The comradery with Tony Miles, the frustrations during the heads up and the coldness John experienced with Tony in the heat of the moment with all the money on the line.
• 47:05 – Brent and Remko speculate on Tony Miles vs John Cynn.
• 50:30 – Brent Hanks talks about his new role during Poker After Dark broadcasts. 

Watch Poker After Dark live on PokerGO and subscribe right now if you’ve haven’t already! PokerGO brings you more than 100 days of live poker action every single year, as well as an extensive on-demand library that includes every single episode that ever aired of Poker After Dark, as well as every WSOP Main Event from 2011 through 2018.

During the 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event, Chief Digital Officer JR McCabe sat down with Remko Rinkema to talk about everything you ever wanted to know about PokerGO, the live streaming, the ESPN deal, Super High Roller Bowl and how the PokerGO Studio was created.

• 3:03 – The start of the interview with JR McCabe, his World Series of Poker excitement, doing a job he loves, seeing it all come together in Las Vegas, seeing the growth potential of the game and what goes into it on the production side.
• 5:55 – Seeing the World Series of Poker through the eye of JR McCabe, someone who comes from the finance and marketing world, and whether or not the increased numbers in the WSOP Main Event over the last two years can be attributed to PokerGO and ESPN live coverage.
• 9:08 – The birth of the idea of PokerGO, and the goals and vision behind the platform.
• 14:38 – Looking back on the five months leading up to the launch of PokerGO prior to the 2017 Super High Roller Bowl and World Series of Poker.
• 17:00 – How PokerGO got a seat at the table to bring in the World Series of Poker.
• 19:00 – The end of the November Nine era, broadcasting the WSOP Main Event live on ESPN and PokerGO in the summer, and bringing in mainstream sponsors to poker.
• 25:30 – Creating the WSOP Main Event product for ESPN in combination with live broadcasts in the summer and the NBC Sports hours of Poker Masters, U.S. Poker Open and Super High Roller Bowl.
• 30:25 – Creating new events such as the Poker Masters and U.S. Poker Open.
• 33:25 – Jr McCabe speaks on interacting with the top players in poker, dealing with criticism from fans and players and helping to bring an understanding of PokerGO looking to expand the game of poker and the number of hours that are being streamed live and shown on TV.
• 40:10 – The idea and realization of the PokerGO Studio at the ARIA Resort & Casino.
• 47:25 – How the PokerGO Studio will be utilized aside from the marquee poker events and the creation of original content.
• 52:06 – JR McCabe’s favorite pieces of original programming on PokerGO and looking ahead at what’s to come.
• 55:45 – The New York connection, JR McCabe speaks on his sports fandom, adopting the Las Vegas Golden Knights and diving back into the beginnings of his professional career.
• 1:01:40 – Lessons JR McCabe has learned from years of working in the content business that he can transfer to the world of poker.
• 1:04:16 – Moving from a big global brand to the poker industry to build something brand new.
• 1:06:15 – Live sports and poker on TV in the era in which TV subscribership is going down.
• 1:08:00 – Speaking on panels, talking to non-poker people about the game, sponsorships, commercial opportunities and the subscription model.
• 1:11:45 – How important are marquee poker players for the success of live streams and poker on TV?

Never miss another PokerGO live stream by subscribing right now. PokerGO provides over 100 days of live poker action every year, as well as an extensive on-demand library that includes WSOP Main Event coverage from 2011 through 2018 and every single Super High Roller Bowl broadcast. Support the podcast by checking out our sponsor Keeps.com.

On the final podcast of the 2018 WSOP Main Event a winner is crowned in the biggest tournament of the year. John Cynn took home the $8.8 million first prize and will go down in history as the winner of the longest heads-up in Main Event history.

• Opening the show are Remko Rinkema and Lance Bradley, previewing the action and diving into the narratives of the Final 3, but not before briefly looking back on the previous night in which 2009 Main Event champ Joe Cada was eliminated.
• 14:42 – An interview with the most colorful character from the 2017 WSOP Main Event, John Hesp.
• 22:19 – Michael Dyer speaks after getting eliminated in third place for $3,750,000.
• 26: 02 – After a grueling 10-hour heads-up match, Tony Miles speaks about winning $5 million and the sour taste of missing out on the title.
• 31:09 – The champ speaks! John Cynn talks about the emotions of winning the WSOP Main Event and collecting $8.8 million.

Subscribe to PokerGO to enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action every single year, including an extensive on-demand library that features all WSOP Main Event broadcasts from 2011 through 2017.

On this short podcast, a recap of Day 9 of the WSOP Main Event and interviews with Aram Zobian, Nic Manion, Tony Miles and John Cynn. 

• 1:22 – Interview with 6th-place finisher Aram Zobian.
• 10:35 – Interview with 4th-place finisher Nic Manion.
• 14:00 – Interview with Main Event chip leader Tony Miles at the end of the night.
• 17:40 – Interview with John Cynn, second in chips heading into the final night of play.

Tune in for live action at 9:00 pm ET on ESPN for the conclusion of the 2018 WSOP Main Event! Watch it all unfold on PokerGO if you are located in a non-ESPN or non-ESPN affiliated region. Subscribe right now.

On this podcast, interviews with the final six players and the departed, Antoine Labat, Artem Metalidi and Alex Lynskey. 

• 1:05 – An interview with Aram Zobian before the start of play.
• 5:40 – The interview with Antoine Labat after busting out in ninth place for $1,000,000.
• 12:50 – Artem Metaldi speaks to the media after busting in eighth place for $1,250,000.
• 15:25 – Alex Lynskey speaks to the media after getting eliminated in seventh place for $1,500,000.
• 18:29 – 2009 WSOP Main Event champion Joe Cada talks about his prospects heading into the second day of final table play.
• 20:50 – Nic Manion talks about his first day at the final table, losing chips but remaining confident.
• 22:35 – Tony Miles talks about enjoying the final table action and living in the moment.
• 26:10 – John Cynn analyzes his chances to win and talks about the first day at the final table.
• 29:33 – Chip leader Michael Dyer shares his thoughts on the first day at the final table and getting down to six players.
• 30:31 – Looking ahead at the action that’s still to come on Friday and Saturday night.

Enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action on PokerGO every single year, so subscribe right now. Watch the WSOP Main Event final table live on ESPN starting at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, July 12th, and in non-ESPN and non-ESPN affiliated regions the action will be available on PokerGO.

The final table is set! The final nine players are guaranteed $1,000,000 and on this podcast, you will hear everything you need to know in order to get ready for the action on ESPN and PokerGO. 

• Diving right in with a recap of the action at the start of Day 7, we go through all eliminations up to the point where Eric Froehlich busted out holding queens versus the kings of Alex Lynskey.
• 3:47 – The elimination of Erich Froehlich and an interview with Alex Lynskey after grabbing the chip lead because of that hand.
• 9:50 – PocketFives Editor-in-Chief Lance Bradley shares his thoughts on the insanity of Day 7 of the WSOP Main Event and what storylines to look for.
• 17:01 – With 12 players remaining, we spoke to Artem Metalidi from Ukraine who was full of confidence on his position in the tournament.
• 27:01 – After reaching the Final 9, we spoke to chip leader Nicholas Manion who won one of the most epic hands in Main Event history with aces versus the kings of both Antoine Labat and Yuegi Zhu.
• 30:32 – Second in chips, but dominant all day, Michael Dyer talks about his position at the table and the thoughts of winning the Main Event.
• 33:23 – The emotional story of Tony Miles, currently third in chips after overcoming a battle with addiction.
• 37:47 – An interview with John Cynn, 11th-place finisher in 2016 and now in strong contention for a multi-million dollar score in the 2018 Main Event.
• 42:04 – Despite a short stack, Artem Metalidi thinks he’s only one double up away from being the favorite to win this whole thing.
• 43:58 – Previewing the rest of the final table and giving you all the insights on how to watch and follow three days of WSOP Main Event coverage on ESPN and PokerGO.

Enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action on PokerGO every single year, so subscribe right now. Watch the WSOP Main Event final table live on ESPN starting at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, July 12th, and in non-ESPN and non-ESPN affiliated regions the action will be available on PokerGO.

On this podcast, Brent Hanks and Remko Rinkema recap the action, as well as interviews with Joe Cada, Kelly Minkin, Brian Yoon, Martijn Gerrits and Sylvain Loosli.

• The show starts with some good old analysis from Brent Hanks on some of the most exciting hands of Day 6 of the 2018 WSOP Main Event.
• 27:10 – Joe Cada goes for his second WSOP Main Event title, and here’s what he had to say about those prospects.
• 36:39 – The start of the recap of Day 6: Big stacks, eliminations and much more.
• 38:05 – An interview with Kelly Minkin after being eliminated from the tournament in 50^th
• 42:06 – Brian Yoon made Day 6 of the WSOP Main Event for the third time, but fell short once again. Here’s what he had to say.
• 48:50 – Dutchman Martijn Gerrits takes a great stack into Day 7 and he looked ahead at what’s still to come.
• 52:40 – Frenchman Sylvain Loosli looks to improve on his fourth-place finish in the 2013 WSOP Main Event, taking a little shy of the average to Day 7.

Don’t miss a minute of Day 7 coverage of the WSOP Main Event on Wednesday starting at 3:30pm ET on PokerGO until midnight ET, followed by the grand finale on ESPN2 at midnight until the final table is set!

On the 100th episode of the podcast, we have extended interviews with Joe Stapleton, Brent Hanks and Main Event conders Kelly Minkin, Cliff Josephy, Shannon Shorr, Frederik Jensen and Bary Lybaert. 

• To start off the show, Joe Stapleton joins the fun to talk about his role on the ESPN broadcast, good and bad jokes, trolls and tinder tips.
• 37:21 – Brent Hanks joins the show to talk about his 2018 WSOP Main Event and much more.
• 57:01 – When she had the chip lead early on Day 5, we spoke to Kelly Minkin about the gravity of the moment.
• 1:00:00 – Brent Hanks and Remko Rinkema talk about how big it would be if a woman were to make the final table, and other big storylines.
• 1:04:59 – Cliff Josephy, still in contention at this point, talks about how great the experience was in 2016 when he finished third and how much fun he’s having this year.
• 1:10:15 – An interview with chip leader Bart Lybaert on the final break of Day 5.
• 1:14:31 – Recapping the day that ended with a power outage, setting up the players for an extremely long Day 6.
• 1:15:53 – An interview with Shannon Shorr at the end of the night.
• 1:19:20 – Recapping the Day 5 action with a look at all the big stacks in contention and an interview with Danish pro Frederik Jensen.
• 1:24:00 – Expectations and predictions for Day 6 of the Main Event.

Subscribe to the podcast network to hear more from your favorite players, and subscribe to PokerGO right now to watch the Main Event unfold in the coming days.

On today’s show, interviews with Brian Altman about his great run and busting Phil Ivey in a hand many considered a blow-up, Scott Vener about finding the game of poker and the meaning of his deep run, James Obst about getting his mind and body right in the biggest spot of the year, Chino Rheem about getting another chance at winning and Antonio Esfandiari about making friends and having fun.

• Starting the show with a rundown of notable eliminations and big action from Day 4 of the Main Event.
• 2:46 – Brian Altman bagged up one of the biggest stacks on Day 4, in part due to knocking out Phil Ivey on the feature table. Altman tells the story of the hand and the excitement of this event.
• 8:47 – More eliminations on Day 4, followed by an interview featuring Scott Vener, making a deep run in the Main Event for the first time.
• 15:33 – His volatile style has him jumping all over the leaderboard, but when Chino Rheem has chips it’s always fun to watch. Rheem talks briefly about why he tends to perform very well in the Main Event.
• 19:00 – Talking to James Obst, as the Aussie pro reflects back on his 13th-place run in the 2016 Main Event and how he’s feeling about his chances this year.
• 25:20 – Big One for One Drop winner Antonio Esfandiari had a day filled with swings and talked about his style of play and the various opponents he’s facing so far.
• 27:11 – The big stacks and big storylines to end Day 4, and what to look forward to on Day 5!

Please rate, review and subscribe to this podcast network through your favorite podcasting apps, and reach us on podcast@pokercentral.com. Subscribe right now to PokerGO and never miss another big event as well as an extensive on-demand library of content.

Featured today on your daily WSOP Main Event podcast, Jeff Gross, Lacey Jones, Benjamin Pollak, Jake Cody, Scott Vener, Kelly Minkin and the exciting sounds of the money bubble!

• Starting the show with poker player and content creator extraordinaire Jeff Gross to talk about his summer in Las Vegas.
• 1:15 – Jeff Gross talks about playing post-lim tournaments after a disappointing elimination in the Main Event.
• 3:00 – Differing styles: Jeff Gross talks about grinding and playing it cool versus swinging for the fences and all the content he’s creating this summer.
• 7:45 – How and why did Jeff Gross start vlogging, streaming on Twitch and creating content?
• 9:27 – Jeff Gross’ favorite vlogs and looking at his results in 2018.
• 12:23 – Stake Kings: Jeff Gross shares his thoughts on the buying and selling of action at mark-up.
• 16:32 – What will Jeff Gross be up to when the WSOP wraps up?
• 19:36 – 100,000 subscribers on YouTube or a $100,000 score to end the summer? What will Jeff Gross pick?
• 22:10 – The interview with Lacey Jones on Day 3 of the Main Event as she looked for her first cash in this event.
• 26:38 – An interview with the third-place finisher in the 2017 WSOP Main Event, Benjamin Pollak, who’s going strong again on Day 3 in 2018.
• 32:12 – Triple Crown winner Jake Cody joins the show about his dreams of making the WSOP Main Event final table.
• 35:23 – The sounds of the 2018 WSOP Main Event money bubble.
• 36:51 – An interview with Liv Boeree on the money bubble.
• 38:00 – The final hand to burst the bubble, the official call by tournament director Jack Effel.
• 40:10 – Music producer and poker player Scott Vener locks up his first WSOP Main Event cash and shares his story.
• 41:34 – Kelly Minkin – 29th-place finisher in the 2015 WSOP Main Event, bags up a big stack on Day 4 and shares her goal of winning the tournament.
• 43:03 – Recapping the action of the day and a look at the big stacks and big names remaining in the tournament. 

Please rate, review and subscribe to this podcast network through your favorite podcasting apps, and reach us on podcast@pokercentral.com. Subscribe right now to PokerGO and never miss another big event as well as an extensive on-demand library of content.

Day 2C of the WSOP Main Event saw a total of 1,655 players advance to the third day of play, leaving 2,786 total players in contention for the first prize of $8.8 million. On the podcast today, we spoke to poker commentary David Tuchman, and two players who advanced to Day 3: poker superstar Patrik Antonius and three-time Olympic medalist Fatima Moreira de Melo.

• 0:00 – The start of the show featuring Twitch and PokerGO commentator David Tuchman who busted on Day 2AB of the Main Event. Tuchman talks about his Main Event experience, doing commentary all summer on a variety of final tables, learning from doing commentary and the growing excitement of the Twitch audience for non-hold’em games.
• 24:31 – Fatima Moreira de Melo joins the show on the third break of the day to talk about her competitive edge and the excitement of playing poker at a high level after competing at the Olympics.
• 37:57 – At the end of Day 2C, Patrik Antonius talks about his day, returning to the WSOP Main Event for the first time in six years, feeling bad about having missed the biggest event of the year so many times due to making cash games his top priority and his overall excitement for this tournament.
• 45:37 – Recapping Day 2C: Chip leaders, eliminations and exciting things to look forward to on Day 3. (PHIL IVEY!)

Please rate, review and subscribe to this podcast network through your favorite podcasting apps, and reach us on podcast@pokercentral.com. Tune in to EPSN2 on Saturday for Day 3 coverage from 6-9:30pm ET, followed by coverage of the night portion of this event on PokerGO starting at 9:30pm ET. Subscribe right now to PokerGO and never miss another big event as well as an extensive on-demand library of content.

On this very special episode of Heads Up with Remko, Norm MacDonald joins the show to talk about his struggle with gambling and his love for poker.

• 3:15 - The start of the interview with Norm MacDonald, setting the scene for a conversation that dives deep into gambling, poker, and golf.
• 4:52 - The relationship between Norm MacDonald and Las Vegas, and his time playing 20 tables of online poker at the same time.
• 6:00 - Getting into poker as a kid in New York City and playing in the Mayfair club with the characters that were the inspiration for Rounders.
• 8:25 - To Norm's surprise No Limit Hold'em became the most popular poker game, and how poorly poker is usually portrayed in Hollywood movies. 
• 10:40 - The first time Norm MacDonald went to Las Vegas, and how he lost a few thousand dollars before he was even checked-in to the hotel.
• 11:45 - How Norm won more than $100,000 playing craps at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. 
• 14:35 - Norm opens up about going broke three different times due to gambling.
• 15:55 - How gambling is only fun when it hurts and why Norm played so much online poker and was he actually a good player?
• 18:50 - How to combine a busy lifestyle in entertainment with gambling, and how he got really deep into sports betting. 
• 20:52 - The rush of adrenaline that comes with going on stage, and how it compares to gambling.
• 23:30 - What can go wrong when going on stage, and the vices of Norm's colleagues in the entertainment business.
• 25:50 - The motivation behind Norm's creative process, and the lack of evolution in stand-up comedy.
• 28:20 - The challenges in stand-up comedy, and how to get a laugh.
• 30:58 - Doing commentary on High Stakes Poker, and how there's little room for comedy in poker commentary.
• 33:05 - Following Scott Blumstein's 2017 WSOP Main Event run through social media, and why Norm prefers playing Single Table Satellites over the bigger events.
• 36:05 - What makes poker so exciting?
• 37:36 - Playing in the Super High Roller Celebrity Poker Shootout with Hank Azaria, James Alexander, Kevin Pollak and Brad Garrett.
• 39:15 - Playing small stakes poker with friends, and high stakes home games in Hollywood. 
• 43:05 - The fun and joy of playing live poker and having interesting conversations.
• 44:45 - Retiring jokes, upcoming shows, and the Main Event.

Watch Norm MacDonald play poker on PokerGO in the Super High Roller Celebrity Shootout now. Subscribe right now and enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action every single year, as well as an extensive on-demand library.

Day 2AB of the 2018 WSOP Main Event was an epic one, but this podcast might even be more exciting as we have a plethora of guests and storylines on the show!

Remko is joined by Barstool Smitty, Barstool Nate, co-host Brent Hanks, Hollywood stars Ray Romano and Kevin Pollak as well as Michael Mizrachi and his brothers Eric and Donny. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

• 0:30 - Barstool Smitty joins the show to talk about his Day 2 action, and the excitement of being amidst a journey that might lead to a massive payday!
• 12:10 – Barstool Nate and Brent Hanks join the show to talk about their Day 1 WSOP Main Event action, the biggest life bad beats, their rooting interests and plenty more shenanigans.
• 45:00 – Randal Emmett talks about his marching band on Day 1 and buying 1,500 ice cream bars on Day 2 for all the players in the Amazon room.
• 47:50 – Hollywood star Kevin Pollak was eliminated on Day 2, he joins the show to explain where it all went wrong.
• 51:30 – Hollywood star Ray Romano talks us through his Day 2 action, his dreams of making the money and the excitement of playing in the WSOP Main Event.
• 57:45 – Playing at the main feature table on Day 2, Michael Mizrachi dominated the action. We spoke to him and his two brothers Eric and Donny about his volatile style and the chances of all three brothers of making a deep run.
• 1:04:20 – Recapping the Day 2AB action: Chip leaders, big names and bustouts.

If you’re new to the show, please rate, review and subscribe to the podcast by searching for it on your phone’s podcast app. To stay up to date with all the latest from the 2018 WSOP Main Event, subscribe to PokerGO right now.

The 2018 WSOP Main Event turned out to be the second largest in its 49-year history, creating a prize pool north of $474 million as 7,874 players entered the event. Among those, defending champion Scott Blumstein and Barstool Nate, who both joined us on the podcast today. Also checking in is Sarah Herring, who talks about her Main Event memories and shares some party tips for Las Vegas.

• 2:27 – The interview with Barstool Nate, looking back on his 2017 run, the drama, and why things aren’t going his way just yet in the 2018 Main Event.
• 11:18 – Sarah Herring joins the podcast to talk about her WSOP Main Event memories, drinking tips for Las Vegas and how she’s gotten kicked out of casinos back in the day.
• 26:33 – Reigning WSOP Main Event champion Scott Blumstein joins the show to talk about his elimination on Day 1A, and how different things are this year compared to last year.
• 34:41 – Chip leaders, big eliminations, the prize pool, payouts and much more on this segment as we get you caught up with all the action from Day 1C. 

Tune in for more coverage of the WSOP Main Event on PokerGO and ESPN every single day until a winner is crowned on July 15th. Subscribe right now to PokerGO and enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action every single day, as well as an extensive on-demand library that includes every WSOP Main Event broadcast from 2011 through 2017.

PocketFives Editor-in-Chief Lance Bradley joins the Poker Central Podcast on Day 1B of the WSOP Main Event to recap both Day 1A and 1B. Also on this show: Interviews with PokerGO sweepstakes winner Seth Weintraub, Ali Nejad, Jack Effel and Kenny Hallaert.

• 0:35 – Going back in time with Lance Bradley, who wore the same shirt for a year straight, winning a prop bet versus Antonio Esfandiari.
• 4:47 – Looking back on Day 1A with Lance Bradley: Chip leaders, early eliminations and big storylines from the first day of the 2018 WSOP Main Event.
• 13:30 – The story of how NBA star Dwight Howard bought an enormous mansion in Lance Bradley’s neighborhood, and whether it’s important for the Main Event to have big names to make the final days.
• 18:50 – The amazing stories, people and players in the WSOP Main Event.
• 24:45 – An interview with PokerGO Sweepstakes winner Seth Weintraub, playing his first ever WSOP Main Event.
• 30:00 – Lance and Remko talk about playing at the World Series of Poker. Will they ever make it into this event?
• 35:00 – Strong numbers for Day 1B and high hopes for day 1C, is this year going to be bigger than 2017?
• 42:00 – Kenny Hallaert busted the 2018 WSOP Main Event early on Day 1A, where did it go wrong? We spoke to the Belgian pro who made the November Nine in 2016.
• 56:00 – There are bracelet events ongoing during the WSOP Main Event? How do we feel about that?
• 58:00 – Lance Bradley’s first visit to the WSOP Main Event in 2005, the sponsorship craze, and the start of the November Nine.
• 1:10:00 – The big man behind the World Series of Poker, Jack Effel, speaks about his excitement for Day 1B and 1C.
• 1:17:10 – A conversation with Ali Nejad, one of the lead commentators for the ESPN and PokerGO WSOP Main Event coverage.
• 1:25:45 – Lance Bradley talks about the book he released earlier this summer titled ‘The Pursuit of Poker Success’.

To stay up to date with all the latest from the 2018 WSOP Main Event, subscribe to PokerGO right now.

Today on the show, Remko is joined by one of the biggest names in esports, Alan 'Hotted89' Widmann. The world-class World of Warcraft player has made quite the name for himself on Twitch and YouTube, but he's also venturing deeper and deeper into the game of poker.  

• 2:40 – The start of the interview with Alan Widmann, how he almost cashed the WSOP Main Event on his first try in 2017, and how much time he’s putting into his poker game.
• 5:40 – The learning curve of poker, watching it as a kid and getting a chance to play through a Unibet sponsorship.
• 8:56 – The fast-paced action of esports versus the slow burn of live poker, and comparing practicing for poker versus esports.
• 13:20 – How did Alan become a famous esports player and streamer?
• 20:00 – Can you make a living playing video games? How hard is it? And stories of Alan doing private coaching for World of Warcraft.
• 25:20 – Why do people watch live streams? Is the purely because of the high level of skill the streamer has, or can it also just be for pure entertainment?
• 28:08 – Which game should you play to become a famous streamer, and where is the most money at?
• 34:08 – Alan’s goals as a poker player, or will always primarily be an esports player?
• 37:08 – Born in Venezuela, Alan talks about his childhood and how unsafe it is in one of the poorest countries in South America.
• 46:24 – Alan’s current lifestyle: Streaming, practicing, poker and much more.
• 50:15 – Is there too much competition on Twitch to ever become a big-time streamer if you’re starting from 0 right now? Alan shares advice for beginning streamers.
• 56:05 – Alan shares his thoughts on the future of esports, his future and his goals for 2018.

Watch the 2018 WSOP Main Event right now on PokerGO, as Alan Widmann along with thousands of other players will look to capture that first prize of more than $8 million!

Frank Op de Woerd and Poker Central's own Remko Rinkema traveled the international poker circuit together for many years, and today they dive into the memory bank for some good stories before previewing the 2018 WSOP Main Event. 

• 0:55 - PokerNews' Head of Content Frank Op de Woerd looks back on the 2018 WSOP up until this point.
• 02:51 - Frank sets the story straight on a wild night of partying in 2009, a story previously told by Remko on a previous episode.
• 04:09 - Frank's favorite memories of Las Vegas and looking back on his early years at the World Series of Poker starting in 2008.
• 07:43 - Frank tells a story of losing his phone, and finding it the next day at the food court in The Palms, as well as losing his phone, wallet, and passport right before having to fly back to the Netherlands. 
• 11:39 - Frank's first WSOP in 2008, and the memories of visiting Vegas as a massive poker fan. 
• 15:30 - Las Vegas tips from Frank. 
• 20:00 - Live reporting, the tricks of the trade and why certain mistakes are hard to avoid. 
• 22:50 - The first years of reporting on the WSOP, and how things have changed over time. 
• 27:33 - Main Event memories.
• 30:35 - Looking back on the November Nine era and the change to live action in the summer until a winner is crowned. 
• 35:40 - Storylines such as John Hesp in the Main Event, do true poker fans prefer this over high-level play?
• 37:50 - Heroes and villains in the WSOP Main Event. 
• 40:25 - Frank's predictions for the 2018 WSOP Main Event.
• 44:25 - The future prospects for the WSOP with casinos in Las Vegas offering more and more big events in the summer.
• 46:20 - Frank's thoughts on the future of the game of poker.

Enjoy the WSOP Main Event on PokerGO starting on Monday, July 2nd by subscribing right now. PokerGO provides over 100 days of live poker action every year, on top of an on-demand library that includes every single WSOP broadcast from 2011 through 2017.

Jared Tendler is one of poker’s most prolific mental coaches. Over the course of the last decade, Tendler has written The Mental Game of Poker 1 and 2, and coached more than 500 poker players, day traders, golfers and esports players.

Today on this podcast, Tendler gives us new insights into the mental game of esports and provides you with the ultimate mental game primer for the WSOP Main Event. 

• 2:20 – Jared Tendler diving into Esports, providing mental coaching to Team Nazgul.
• 4:40 – Team Nazgul won The International, collecting nearly $12 million for the team.
• 08:03 – The financials of winning in Esports, and the room for growth in mental coaching for Esports players.
• 12:05 – Comparing Esports to poker from a mental game perspective, and how team construction and coaching apply to Esports.
• 17:00 – Esports live events, prize pools, comparing it to the WSOP Main Event, and looking at the future of Esports.
• 23:02 – Pivoting to the World Series of Poker Main Event: How do the changes of the Main Event format affect the mental game, mental coaching and approach?
• 28:45 – Why is it so common for Main Event chip leaders to blow up on Day 7, as the final table is in sight? Jared provides a mental game analysis, and how to notice that you’re approaching a blow-up?
• 33:26 – What are trigger warnings that can lead to a blow up in big poker tournaments, and how to stay calm throughout? Jared shares crucial tips to maintain focus during the event.
• 37:36 – Jared Tendler’s Top 3 tips for mental focus and strength during a big tournament.
• 41:04 – How to deal with a player that’s belligerent, aggressive and trying to throw you off your game during a big event such as the Main Event?
• 43:40 – How to practice getting better at focusing at the table for extended periods of time? How to put your phone down, lock in and think about what matters at your table.
• 48:22 – Starting your day strong in the WSOP Main Event: What’s the best approach?
• 53:22 – Jared Tendler gives you the tools to refocus and get over the hump after taking a bad beat, losing half your stack or playing a hand poorly, and why you shouldn’t get discouraged or frustrated when this happens.
• 57:26 – Dinner break! How to approach this in the Main Event, when you have a lot of important hours left to play upon returning. Jared shares some quick tips on staying focused and not relaxing too much.
• 1:01:09 – Goal setting in the WSOP Main Event.
• 1:04:55 – How to deal with fatigue in the later stages of the day or the tournament?
• 1:07:30 – Jared Tendler’s tips for final table preparation.
• 1:13:15 – How does poker’s evolution towards GTO play affect the importance of mental coaching?
• 1:15:12 – The finishing touches: What to focus on in the days leading up to a big event.
• 1:17:00 – Jared Tendler’s new course about focus, and other things he’s working on.

Watch the World Series of Poker Main Event on PokerGO and ESPN starting on Monday, July 2nd. Subscribe right now to PokerGO and never miss another big showdown. PokerGO provides more than 100 days of live poker every year, on top of an extensive on-demand library that includes the WSOP Main Event from 2011 through 2017, and every Poker After Dark episode every published.

Eric ‘Basebaldy’ Baldwin is one of the most consistent and dedicated poker pros out there, and last week he won his second career gold bracelet. Baldwin joins the show to talk about his family life, the passing of his father, the ups and downs of being a pro, and why the average skill level in live poker is heavily overstated.

• 2:18 – What sticks out to Eric Baldwin about winning his second career WSOP bracelet, and Brent Hanks missing his best friend’s wedding.
• 5:50 – Reliving Baldwin’s bracelet win, how it compares to other wins and how it fits into his career as a professional?
• 9:25 – Baldwin wanted to square up a $10,000 fantasy sports debt, and somehow turned it into a six-figure win? How did he pull that off?
• 11:48 – The California Story: Brent Hanks and Eric Baldwin road-tripping their way into a big score and lots of drinks.
• 14:50 – Degen stories from Brent Hanks and Eric Baldwin.
• 21:55 – Is Remko going to party with Post Malone?
• 27:50 – High stakes fantasy sports!
• 34:45 – Eric Baldwin’s professional approach, risk-averse style and how that’s changing.
• 44:45 – The family life, and how he combines it with professional poker.
• 48:56 – The lowest point of Baldwin’s career, how to grow past it and how the memory of his father lives on, and how he came up in the game and how he parents supported him throughout of it.
• 57:00 – Is the growth of the average skill in poker overstated, and how much value is there still in being a live-poker grinder?
• 1:04:50 – The style of play that makes Eric Baldwin into a top player that has consistently won for many years.
• 1:09:15 – Paying attention at the table, picking up on little things, and how every player sees every situation differently, making poker the most fascinating games in the world.
• 1:13:45 – Using and absorbing the information gathered in live events, and how even the best online players struggle to adjust to the live game.

Watch Eric Baldwin and other top players play live on PokerGO more than 100 days of the year. Subscribe right now and get ready for unrivaled coverage of the 2018 WSOP Main Event. In addition to that, PokerGO offers an extensive on-demand library that includes every single episode of Poker After Dark, the Super High Roller Bowl, and Poker Masters.

Felipe Ramos is one of the most exciting players and personalities in the game today, traveling the international circuit and taking his friends and followers along for the ride through his popular Instagram page.

During the 2018 WSOP, we caught up with the Brazilian pro for an in-depth conversation that took us from his childhood in Sao Paulo, working in finance and discovering poker to traveling the world, playing high stakes and plenty of insights into Brazilian culture, music, food and much more, capped off by some guitar play and singing from Ramos himself. 

• 01:01 – Felipe Ramos and his love for Las Vegas, visiting for the first time in 2008, and his life as a financial advisor.
• 5:22 – The social media lifestyle, supporting Brazilian players at the WSOP, and interacting with his fans every single day.
• 19:43 – The early days of Felipe Ramos, finding inspiration and learning from his father how to live life, and convincing his father that this was a good career choice.
• 33:20 – Discovering the game of poker, and transitioning from working an office job to being a poker professional.
• 48:50 – Breaking out into the higher stakes, traveling to Europe for his first EPT after securing a sponsorship with a Brazilian poker website.
• 58:05 – Cashing in his first EPT ever, the “luck” of not winning a lot of money early on in his career, progressing as a player and seeing the popularity of poker grow in Brazil.
• 1:21:58 – The evolution of poker in Brazil, learning mixed games, becoming a famous player in his home country, and connecting with celebrities such as Neymar and Ronaldo.
• 1:45:19 – Soccer talk with Felipe, the Brazil national team, relationships with the players and looking back on the big wins and losses and how it affected the country.
• 2:00:40 – Looking into the future of Felipe’s poker career and beyond, travel tips, tips for visiting Brazil, Brazilian food, music culture and closing out with some guitar and singing from Felipe himself.

Watch Felipe Ramos play on PokerGO by subscribing right now, along with every other top player. PokerGO provides more than 100 days of live poker action every single year as well as an extensive on-demand library of content.

Poker Hall of Fame member and winner of 10 WSOP bracelets, Doyle Brunson, recently announced his retirement from poker. On this podcast, you can listen to his peers and friends discussing whether this is the last we’ve seen of Texas Dolly, and how he should be remembered. 

• Starting with an introduction, this podcast is fully focused on Doyle Brunson’s last ever event at the World Series of Poker.
• 2:55 – Painting the picture of Doyle’s final two days inside the Amazon Room, competing for his eleventh WSOP bracelet, and an introduction to the players interviewed for this show.
• 6:09 – The interview with Doyle Brunson that sparked a flurry of articles on his retirement. Read the Poker Central article right here.
• 12:21 – Phil Ivey speaks on the iconic status of Doyle Brunson in the game of poker.
• 14:05 – Poker agent Brian Ballsbaugh speaks on a standing lunch he has with Doyle and Jack Binion, as well as talking on the phone with his wife Louise.
• 16:03 – Head of the production at PokerGO, and a poker legend in his own right, Mori Eskandani, speaks on meeting Doyle for the very first time in Lake Tahoe, and the gravity of the moment as Doyle was on his way to make the final table in the $10,000 No Limit 2-7 Single Draw event.
• 19:36 – Paul Volpe and Dario Sammartino, two young and very successful players, spoke on the unique experience of playing against Doyle in his last ever WSOP event.
• 22:28 – At the end of Day 2 of the tournament, Brian Rast spoke on playing against Doyle in Bobby’s Room, and the sad reality of Doyle also departing from the high stakes cash games at the end of the summer.
• 26:36 – Another conversation with Doyle about playing on the final day of the $10,000 No Limit 2-7 Single Draw tournament, and the responses he’s gotten since announcing his retirement.
• 29:37 – Phil Galfond talks about playing against Doyle Brunson in high stakes mixed games, and how good he must’ve been in his heyday.
• 31:44 – Brian Rast wins the final tournament at the WSOP Doyle Brunson entered, and he speaks on the importance of this moment, Doyle’s legacy and the respect he has for his game and his person.
• 37:06 – Long-time friend and rival, Eli Elezra, talks about playing with Doyle in the biggest cash games in the world, playing Chinese poker against him, and whether or not he believes that he will actually retire.
• 43:04 – Poker Hall of Fame member Mike Sexton talks about betting big with Doyle on the golf course, his legendary status, and not believing that this is the last we’ve seen of the Godfather of Poker.

Want to watch more of Doyle Brunson in action? Subscribe right now to PokerGO and enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action, as well as more than 50 hours of Brunson playing in some of the highest stakes games.

One of Barstool Sport’s finest degenerates is joining the show, as Remko Rinkema and Brent Hanks get the best stories out of Smitty. The podcast is also excited to announce a new sponsor, Keeps.com! Check them out on Keeps.com/PokerGO.

• 3:48 - Smitty’s debut in the Las Vegas mixed game scene, winning all the money, and a recap of the rest of his night featuring Scott Blumstein.
• 07:55 – The unsuccessful World Series of Poker event played by Smitty on this short Las Vegas Smitty trip.
• 9:48 – Brent Hanks: Joe McKeehen is a young Phil Hellmuth.
• 10:14 – The Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl win; Smitty explains where the Philly attitude and chip on their shoulder comes from.
• 12:48 – Why does Smitty hate New York City, including some seedy stories.
• 13:08 – Diving into the Barstool brand, why Brent’s a big fan, why it’s been so successful, and looking back on the 2017 WSOP Main Event drama with El Prez and Nate.
• 22:08 – Smitty’s best Las Vegas story, winning $70,000 in an online poker tournament and taking a big trip with his friends.
• 25:56 – Remko dives into the archives and tells his most painful Las Vegas story from 2009.
• 35:18 – Does Brent Hanks have a good Las Vegas story?
• 37:18 – Smitty gives us his perfect night out in Philadelphia, and a variety of sports betting advice.
• 40:05 – The boxing match between Smitty and the 20 Dollar Chef, and how he was supposed to fight Barstool Nate while on his knees.
• 44:05 – Poker players owing money: Should they be outed more often to prevent future problems?
• 47:30 – The Gambling Olympics. What is it? What’s going on?
• 52:08 – How Smitty was once was turned down to become a video editor for porn.
• 53:35 – Smitty’s most viral story on Barstool, which oddly enough was the story of his poker career and a massive upswing.
• 58:05 – How Brent Hanks turned down being backed by Erick Lindgren.

Looking to watch more poker? Subscribe to PokerGO right now and enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action as well as an extensive on-demand library

Remko and Brent link up for some podcast magic from the Amazon Room, jumping on some fancy new equipment to deliver you all the latest from the 2018 World Series of Poker.  

• 1:30 – Brent Hanks reviews his play over the last few weeks: Two cashes but down about $10,000 to this point!
• 4:22 – An extensive update of the GO Barstool GO $25k fantasy team, and some cheating from Brent Hanks who’s rooting for Jon Turner for his own personal benefit in the $500 ODB Fantasy League.
• 12:05 – Getting ready for the Milly Maker final table featuring Joe McKeehen, Justin Liberto, Barny Boatman and Sam Razavi.
• 16:10 – The legend, Doyle Brunson, played his last event at the World Series of Poker. We look back on the day, and share some memories of Doyle.
• 20:40 – Is Brian Rast on his way to the Poker Hall of Fame after winning his fourth WSOP bracelet?
• 24:05 – A Doyle Brunson and Phil Ivey story from Brent, and the excitement of being in the middle of the action at the World Series of Poker.
• 37:45 – Money talks. Memories of Black Friday and selling Full Tilt Poker funds to stay in the game.
• 42:00 – The $10k HORSE on PokerGO has a stacked field and many more players than last year. Brent and Remko analyze the field and praise the play of Brian Rast.
• 46:30 – Barstool talk: Smitty is in town, where is Nate? Brent hangs out with PFT and shows him around town.

New to PokerGO? Subscribe right now and enjoy over 100 days of live poker action on top of an extensive on-demand library that includes everything you ever wanted as a poker fan.

After a four-day hiatus at the World Series of Poker, the Poker Central Podcast is back! Remko jumps deep into all the latest winners at the Rio, and delivers interviews with Eli Elezra, Scott Seiver, Nick Petrangelo and Daniel Negreanu to get you caught up on all the latest from the biggest poker spectacle of the year. 

• 1:40 – On the show today!
• 2:22 – Recapping the latest events, starting with Paul Volpe winning the $10,000 Omaha Eight-or-Better Hi-Lo event.
• 5:36 – Catching up with Eli Elezra, who missed the 2017 World Series of Poker, is eager to get a win this year and has dropped down in stakes a bit with regards to the cash games.
• 13:35 – Recapping the $1,500 Dealer’s Choice, the Colossus.
• 20:14 – An interview with Scott Seiver, who only expected to play a select few events at the 2018 World Series of Poker.
• 23:10 – Johannes Becker wins his first bracelet in the $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw event.
• 24:45 – Nick Petrangelo wins the $100,000 High Roller WSOP event.
• 25:47 – An interview with Nick Petrangelo on the biggest win of his live tournament career.
• 32:48 – Providing context to Petrangelo’s great results, and looking at the Player of the Year standings lead by Elio Fox.
• 35:22 – What to watch on PokerGO and Twitch! The $10k Heads Up and much more for your entertainment.
• 38:26 – An extended interview with Daniel Negreanu from his trailer at the Rio. Negreanu talks about Phil Ivey at the WSOP and Phil Hellmuth’s statement of winning 24 bracelets during his career.
• 47:58 – What’s next on Poker Central? Brent Hanks? Will he make his big return?

New to PokerGO? Subscribe right now and enjoy more than 100 days of live poker action every single year. Relive the $100,000 WSOP High Roller as well as the $10,000 Omaha Eight-or-Better and don’t miss the upcoming live action. Get in touch with the podcast on podcast@pokercentral.com.