Originally Posted by
BCR
Can't wait until some sucker from the real world backs someone based on their mockumentary final table. No one from the poker world would fall for this, but I can almost guarantee someone tries to get backed from the unsuspecting after showing them a clip of them winning $2 million on one of these, assuming there isn't a disclaimer watermarked right on it. I can't get a video clip, is the beta available to be viewed, or just the stills? Good luck to Bill, he always seemed like a nice guy iirc.
As Grump said in the blog, my understanding is that the video of this match will be played on screens at the Rio throughout the summer.
As Druff said, this isn't a thing for serious players. It's for fun, and I think it's a good value. It's a professional setup they have, and I think tourists and casual players and such are really going to love this.
The whole thing is basically a simulation of a WPT final table, minus the audience. You sit at a table with bright lights and multiple cameras pointing at you. When you bust out, a beautiful girl escorts you to an interview area, where the host talks to you about how everything went down. The cards and chips have RFID transmitters in them. This allows for an overlay on the video to automatically show hole cards, bet sizes, pot size, etc. on an overlay on the screen. Just like a televised poker event.
There is an announcers' booth away from the table, but they make it so that you can't hear anything they're saying. Probably because they're discussing everyone's hand. Before you sit down to play, you fill out a form with some information about yourself, which I suppose the announcers use in the "broadcast". I'm a little embarrassed now because I filled my form with some jokey answers, and they'll probably bust my balls a little bit. I listed my occupation as internet celebrity, several song titles as accomplishments in poker (since I have no real ones), and in answer to what I'd do with the money if I won the WSOP main event: two chicks at the same time.
After busting out, I saw some of the live video "broadcast" in the green room, and it looked very much like a WPT broadcast. There was no audio on that screen, so I still haven't heard what the commentary is like. Hopefully they went easy on me. I was also a bit nervous for no particular reason, because I'm obv. a freak and a weird dude. You get a DVD of the whole thing at some point (another great selling point to tourist types). I don't know if they hand it out at the end or mail it to you or what, but I hear that one will be available of the "event" I played.
I don't know how accurate of a simulation this is, as I have only
watched one WPT final table in person, a handful of WSOP final tables, and played in zero of either. Grump is correct that the structure is very fast, but I don't think it would be ideal to have these things lasting 4+ hours.
Anyway, I think it was a lot of fun. I'm sure this thing will be a success.