(Click Here for the Latest Online Poker News Stories)
Copyright 2005 Yahoo! Inc.
December 8, 2005
HEADLINE:
'HIGH STAKES POKER' Featuring a $100,000 Minimum Buy-in Premieres
on GSN
Body:
Millions of Dollars of the Player's Own Money Are at Stake
as the First 'CASH GAME' on Television Debuts Legends Doyle Brunson
and Johnny Chan Are Joined By Rising Stars, Cash Game Specialists
and Elite Businessmen Such as Lakers Owner Dr. Jerry Buss AJ Benza
and Gabe Kaplan Call the Action in Biggest Cash Game in Town Beginning
January 16 at 9 PM
GSN is bringing viewers the first true cash game of poker
on television with a $100,000 minimum buy-in. Unlike other poker
shows where the most players can lose is their initial buy-in
of up to $10,000, the stars on GSN's newest series, HIGH STAKES
POKER, have millions of their own cash at stake and will win and
lose several hundred thousand dollars. HIGH STAKES POKER premieres
Monday, January 16 at 9 PM ET/PT.
"High Stakes Poker is groundbreaking in that it is the first-ever
look into the biggest private no
limit Hold 'em cash games in town," said Rich Cronin,
President and CEO of GSN. "This show is intense because players
are winning and losing hundreds of thousands of their own dollars
on single hands."
The new hour long series features players from diverse backgrounds
from all over the world. From the legends, to cash game players,
to the young superstars that have been featured on "The World
Series of Poker," HIGH STAKES POKER is going to be the first
ever cash game where viewers will see the 'true' game of poker.
Legends of the poker world are joined by elite poker playing
businessmen in the 13-episode series recently taped at the Golden
Nugget Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The all-star line up features:
* Doyle Brunson -- considered by many the greatest
poker player of
all-time.
* Johnny Chan -- tied with Doyle for the most
all-time World Series of Poker bracelets, 10.
* Barry Greenstein -- legendary cash game player.
* Phil Hellmuth -- one of the most recognized
and successful players in the world.
* Daniel Negreanu -- 2004 Player of the Year.
* Dr. Jerry Buss -- Los Angeles Lakers owner.
* Jennifer Harman -- the only woman professional
who competes in the
highest cash games in the world on a daily basis.
* Ted Forrest -- five World Series of Poker
bracelets.
* Bob Stupak -- one of the most legendary entrepreneurs
in Las Vegas.
* Antonio Esfandiari -- A magician and the youngest
ever to win over
$1 million in a tournament.
* Eli Elezra -- cashed in 12 World Series of
Poker events since 1999, owns several Las Vegas retail stores
and partner in a construction company.
* Todd Brunson -- one of the top cash game
players, son of Doyle.
* Sean Sheikhan -- "Sheiky" a high
stakes cash game player and
businessman.
* Dr. Amir Nasiri -- successful Las Vegas physician.
* Freddy Deeb -- a career poker playing professional,
recently won $1 million at a WPT tournament in Aruba.
* Daniel Alaei -- up and coming star, who's
cashed in several tournaments and won the Heavenly Hold'em tournament
at Commerce Casino in Los Angeles.
* Mimi Tran -- ranks in the top 10 among women
on the WSOP all-time
leading money list.
* Fred Chamanara -- Chicago restaurant owner.
* Sam Farha -- professional who specializes
in high stakes cash games and was the runner up to Chris Moneymaker
in 2003 World Series of Poker.
The cash game has been called the true version of poker due to
the fact that players are allowed to buy-in and continue playing
with more money if they lose their initial buy-in of $100,000.
The chips on the table represent actual dollars compared to chips
in a tournament that don't equal the actual value of what is bet.
The intensity is taken to a higher level when someone raises $50,000
or $100,000 which is more than the average American's yearly salary
in one hand.
Henry Orenstein of HSOR, L.L.C. serves as the Executive Producer
of HIGH STAKES POKER. Mr. Orenstein invented the in-table cameras
that give the viewers at home the ability to see the player's
hole cards. This innovation is credited for paving the way for
the explosion of poker's popularity on television.
"For the first time ever in the history of poker on television,
viewers will see players playing with very large amounts of their
own money," said Orenstein. "This is what makes it exciting,
the players can win huge pots that are worth nearly a half million
dollars on a single card."
Calling the high stakes action at the tables are two newcomers
to GSN, AJ Benza and Gabe Kaplan. Benza will host the series and
Kaplan, the former star of "Welcome Back Kotter" and
a world class poker player, provides the analysis. Benza has hosted
a variety of television shows and has appeared in movies including
"Ransom," "Conspiracy Theory," and "The
Deli." He is best known as one of the most controversial
New York columnists in the 1990's as well as an author who published
his memoirs, "Fame, Ain't It a Bitch."
Kaplan has previously provided analysis for the "World Series
of Poker" and the "National Heads-Up Poker Challenge."
In addition to his hit television series, Kaplan is a successful
stand up comedian and has starred in feature films, "Fast
Break," "Tulips," and "Nobody's Perfect."
In addition to the play at the tables, HIGH STAKES POKER will
also include a look at the players behind the scenes. It will
include a look at Doyle Brunson's lifestyle, going with Lakers
owner Dr. Jerry Buss to a game and traveling with Barry Greenstein
to be a speaker at Michigan State about being a professional poker
player. Each episode will also feature a behind the scenes look
at one of the players away from the poker room.
GSN, the Network for Games, is the only U.S. television network
dedicated to game-related programming. For further media information,
visit GSN's press website at corp.gsn.com.
Source: GSN
Downloaded from
the World Wide Web on December 8, 2005:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051207/law072.html?.v=35 |
(Click Here for the Latest Online Poker News Stories)
|