Shooting of the long awaited PokerStars high stakes poker show, The Big Game, has ended last week and the first episode will be aired on the 14th June by the American Fox Sports TV channel.
Although the PokerStars Big Game has no official player listing yet, we already know for sure that Daniel Negreanu, Vanessa Rousso, Barry Greenstein, Phil Hellmuth, Freddy Deeb, Tony G, Phil Laak, Doyle Brunson and Todd Brunson will be featured at the six-player table.
Besides them, one seat will be reserved for the so-called ’Loose Cannon’, whose $100,000 buy-in will be paid for by the poker room. If the Loose Cannon wins, he can keep the amount won above the $100K, if he loses, he won’t have to pay. In order to become the Loose Cannon, players need to win one of the four daily PokerStars satellites and then prepare a self-intorductional video. PokerStars will choose the lucky one based on these videos.
The $100,000 covers the minimum buy-in, with the maximum amount allowed to be brought to the table being $500,000. The blinds will be $200/$400 with an ante of $100.
More and more information comes on surface relating to the shooting. Tony G, for example, writes in his blog that although he cannot share any information concerning the results, he hints that his gameplay resembled his older self, while Phil Hellmuth made a complete fool of himself.
Phil Hellmuth also mentions the Big Game on Twitter: ’A hand came up in "The Big Game" (on FOX soon) that was so sick I dare not talk about, ever! I guarantee it will be talked about worldwide!!’
One of the special features of the show was that players were not allowed to wear sunglasses at the table. Daniel Negreanu finds this an example to be followed, as according to him, the beauty of live poker stems in players being able to read each other by gestures, and that shades are for cowards only.
Aired five times a week, the Big Game will launch on the 14th June, and the host will be Amanda Leatherman, already seen in this position in the North American Poker Tour (NAPT).
Here are the introductional videos of three Loose Cannon applicants:
