Poker on tv.

IMO, we cannot learn very much from watching the top NLHE players on tv.

We are shown action hands only.

1 - Bad beats.
2 - Bluffs that work.
3 - Bluffs that don't work.
4 - Pro's on tilt.
5 - Hands where two players hit good flops.
6 - The final hand.

Only number five is of any educational value.


I would like to see a whole six man tournament, from the start to the final hand.
Many a time, I see the chip stack sizes after an hour or so (viewing time), they annonce - third blind level has just begun and some guy is in the lead, but we havn't seen him play a single hand! To fully understand any plays from this point on, we need to know how the guy is in the lead.

1 - Winning PF.
2 - Continuation betting.
3 - Check raising.

Numerous other reasons, but how ever he got there it was cnsidered to tedious to show on tv.

You get that on Poker After Dark. They are the only show on TV that shows 90+ % of the hands played. Poker TV shows are not meant to be educational, they are meant to be entertaining. The networks would lose too many viewers if they showed every single hand. The viewers would get too bored.

I'm with you though, I love poker, and I would watch all the hands played, because that's the only way you can learn and understand what is going on. I've never watched any instructional videos on holdem, but I assume if you want educational poker media, that's the route you will have to go.

I made a video of a one table SNG I played where I showed every hand played from start to finish. You can watch the video here.

in response to jacksprat, head over to pokervt.com if your willing to pay a little for it then have a look. or cardrunners.com also, that will give you what your after

I agree. You don't learn much from just seeing random isolated hands at various tables.
I would like to just watch the feature table at the WSOP for 2 or 3 hours and see every hand, or some other interesting table.
I guess you can if you are there in person to watch it, but I guess no other way.

stop watching tv and read Gus Hansen's every hand revealed for a real tournament experience.

Thanks Trigaloss.
I might just pay to get Poker After Dark on my tv, I believe it is shown on an Irish sports chanel?
I fully realise what the masses want to watch, as for educational or entertaining, as far as I am concerned they can run hand in hand!


Thanks guys.

Reading some of the intelligent posts on this forum is enough of a lesson, like finding out I am a Tagfish! I have been working on that side of my game for the past month.

My post was not meant to be taken as me needing a lesson in how to play poker, but more a reference to the psychology of the game, which is sadly lacking through watching edited snippets on tv poker.


Thanks alot Belgo suisse.
Sounds like exactly what I am after.

Not sure, I live in the US, it's a late night show on NBC here.