High Stakes Poker vs. Poker After Dark

I don't know after watching the extremely aggressive action packed play on High Stakes Poker. Then watching some of the same players on PAD which makes me fall asleep half the time.

Anyone else think it's possible that HSP isn't a real cash game and is instead just using the money for props?

I think this only because the same players on PAD play a lot tighter and the pot size generally stays low. Usually less than 10k.

I dunno just an observation. Any ideas?

I've only watched HSP a few times and it seemed more like showing off for the camera rather than playing poker. I prefer PAD! I watch this every night its on and actually learn little things from it!

I think the players on HSP get paid for being on the show, but they still play with their own money. It definitely is still a real cash game. Maybe other times on the Poker After Dark cash game the players loosen up.

I love the action and big pots on High Stakes Poker. Especially Tom Dwan.

I beleive PAD shows all, or nearly all hands played. HSP only picks the big pots, so thats the main difference.

This.

I like how antonius and Dwan played and btw episode 10 you see antonius stealing a pot from dwan !!! Anyways, I think players on HSP play with ads money and TV show money but thay still keep the profits they make or maybe share it with the tv prog !!

Some people may prefer a show that highlights the most intriguing hands, and some may prefer to see an entire session. But I think HSP is supreme because of Gabe Kaplan. I think he is so superior to anybody else doing commentary on tv.

I believe that with PAD, since it is winner take all, this is the reason why play is much tighter, even more so than in a normal tourney which would pay out several places.

As far as High Stakes, I would be very disappointed to learn that the pros are playing with 'borrowed' money, as it would not be a true gauge of their play. It would be meaningless, other than some entertainment value to the viewer, and the raw emotion of of the ups and downs of the game would be muted. You might also see some bad play from a person who ordinarily would not make it if it were to mean something to them such as losing there own cash, much like a loose player in a freeroll. So in that regard, it would teach a viewer bad habits as well. I guess the only real way to find out would be to ask a pro who plays on High Stakes. Anybody know one?

+1

No other show can compete with the HSP commentators. AJ doesn't try to be anything he's not, and Gabe is simply the best poker commentator that I've ever heard.

That said, PAD allows you to get into the flow of the game much more easily by showing you so many pots. But I hate their "Director's Cut" format, which seems to go totally against the style of the show.

that is true the commentators do make the show....i wish they gave people more usefull info and werent all about the percentages

well PAD is 5 episodes a week while HSP is 1 episode on Sunday so i think it makes sense that you see a lot more pots on PAD and only the high stakes pots on HSP. The hands on HSP are more selective.

I used to prefer PAD because I was in love with Shauna Hiatt but then they changed presenter... Now I watch HSP a lot, I enjoy the aggressive play and big pots!

Isn't PAD basically a sit n go? HSP is a cash game. Comparing the 2 on levels of aggressiveness per pot is silly. Those are 2 totally different games.

FWIW, add another vote for Gabe as best commentator. No contest IMO.

you are comparing two differnt games. cash vs sit n go, the are not played the same.

I think from the posts we can make a summary:

PAD:

# Sit'n'Go structure winner takes all. Probably leads to less speculation and tighter play.
# Shows most pots throughout the tourney. Therfore shows alot of small pots and steals etc.

HSP:

# Cash game. Looser play with more speculation especially as they will usually be deep throughout.
# Only shows highlights once per week, so only the best stuff will get in.
# Gabe Kaplan.

I think that sorts out the differences. +1 HSP.

Although I generally hate clutter, I think both shows could do to add stack size to their onscreen graphics. The commentators rarely mention it, and it's a huge factor in the way hands are played.

PAD is throwing in some cash games such as last week which is about 8 million times better than the retarded SNG so we will see.

As for the money on HSP. It is their own money, I beleive they get paid 1200/hr to play though. They also have the potential to get tons more money in endorsement deals with their exposure though.

I've only watched a couple of episodes of regular Poker After Dark - they bore me to tears. Also, WTF is with having cash in the stacks when they're playing a tournament?!?

The cash games they've shown this season have been a lot more amusing though. The one this past week has generated one of my favourite televised poker moments ever:

Phil Hellmuth: "I beat all the great players in the world all through the 90s, every one of them, and then I stopped playing the no limit hold 'em cash games. Antonio underestimated me for a while..."

Antonio Esfandiari: "I told you any time you wanna play heads up we can play for $100 (thousand) and the winner shoots the loser with a taser gun but you haven't taken me up on that."

On the whole though, HSP is a hell of a lot more entertaining, for all the reasons listed above and probably a bunch of others besides.