Poker pro Doug Polk might have won more than $5 million in his career, but for his latest adventure, he’ll be heading back down to the minor leagues.
In a bid to emulate the small-stakes-to-high-stakes challenge that persona non grata Chris Ferguson completed back in 2007, in which Jesus turned nothing into $10,000 by starting with only freerolls), Polk will be grinding low stakes games. He’ll kick off with a slightly easier start by trying to turn $100 into $10K.
Wanting to challenge himself and educate his fans at the same time, Polk will be broadcasting his efforts on Twitch and via his new YouTube channel.
Social Media Lesson in Poker
Often one of the more vocal online poker players, Polk is now embracing the social media revolution sweeping through the community. He apparently wants to use the challenge to appeal to casual players with limited, or next-to-no, bankrolls.
When he launched his YouTube channel back in June, Polk promised to show highlights of his best Twitch streams, release educational content, and “let the creative juices flow,” as he gives his take on the poker world.
With just over 4,000 subscribers locked into his channel and almost 20,000 likers on his Twitch page, Polk is now hoping to show the community that it’s still possible to turn straw into gold, à la Rumpelstiltskin, on the digital felt. Although online poker is much tougher today than it was back in 2007, Polk believes fundamental skills and solid bankroll management will help him reach that $10,000 mark nonetheless.
Tough Start
The challenge officially started on August 7 and, according to his Twitter account, Polk is going to concentrate on SNGs and MTTs in their early stages.
Despite being a cash game player online, Polk feels the rake in games $50 NL and below is too high to make the challenge possible, so he’ll be putting on his tournament hat until his bankroll allows him to move up.
Unfortunately, despite being a two-time WSOP bracelet winner, Polk had to endure a tough first session. Although he only dropped $16.92, the early setback means he’ll have to work hard to recoup his losses and march forward towards his six-figure goal.
Poker Entertainment for the Masses
Small stakes challenges are nothing new, but the fact that Polk will be streaming them via social media adds an interesting new dynamic to the proceedings. In fact, aside from the challenge appealing to novice players, the growing selection of content on Polk’s YouTube stream is very much in keeping with the latest trend in poker.
Just as operators are fighting to appeal to a broader audience and attract recreational players, Polk is fusing poker with entertainment to create a more accessible platform for newbies.
As the game continues to evolve, initiatives like Polk’s will not only become more popular, but may also help to drive the industry forward. Offering inclusive, entertaining content like Polk’s is one of the best ways to attract more players to the game, which also means more liquidity for everyone.
