60 Million Dollar Live Tourney on Fox Sports Network

BDMK · #1 12-13-05, 03:41 AM

apparently, they struck a deal with an up and coming poker site...i found it pretty interesting, especially the part about hosting it in an environment employing some of the brand-new instant electronic chip count techniques we discussed on another thread some time ago (in other words, best of both worlds scenario!).

also, the freeroll/sat possibility to qualify to the 60M tourney as a 'fresh-faced noob' sounded appealing to me as well.

you can read the details here:

Robbie Robb · #2 12-13-05, 09:43 AM

Definitely seems like an interesting series. I didn't see the part where a "fresh-faced noob" could win their way into the $60M tourney. All I saw was where it would be made up of 6 players, each buying in for $10M. They said the first rich-guy-poker-player in it was to be announced yesterday and some big poker event in CA. My guess is that it's either Hellmuth or Doyle (with the whole "multiple WSOP bracelets" thing) but there are many other multiple bracelet winners - just not sure how many of them would have the $10M to pony up (thinking without backers here).

I liked how FSN used RFID in the cards at the FTP Invitational to read the cards without having to use the hole-cam. It was good they kept it there as a backup though as there were some problems. Now it looks like they're extending that tech to the chips themselves for instant chip counts. I believe some casinos in Vegas (Wynn??? That's what comes to mind) now has RFID in each chip and can track its history from game-to-game.

Favre[4] · #3 12-13-05, 07:34 PM

Its the 13th who is in?

BDMK · #4 12-13-05, 08:56 PM

well first they need to launch their site in jan 2006, then we'll have to look what the satellite options are...etc etc.

worth at least taking a look IMHO.

Robbie Robb · #5 12-13-05, 08:57 PM

Well, PokerNews is reporting that it's all but confirmed that Phil Ivey is one of the people. But the release said the first person would be someone with multiple bracelets - has Ivey got any yet?

The guy at FSN states that it'll take a couple months to pull the people together. There was also talk in the Poker News write-up that there will be at least a couple spots open to internet players. I'm sorry, I just can't see that. There's no way you're going to get 4 players (and their backers) to put up $10M each to end up going against two nobodies that win there way there and have absolutely NOTHING to lose for a shot at winning $60M. I think you'll see the first one made up of 6 professionals who have bought in for 10 mil apiece in a winner-take-all slugfest.

Gordogg · #6 12-13-05, 09:04 PM

I believe Ivey has five bracelets.

BDMK · #7 12-13-05, 09:07 PM

well, i think THAT will just make it all the more fun. 2 satellited/freerolled 'amateurs' with nothing to lose against 4 grizzled pros fully bankrolled in.

IMHO the respective pros/cons-advantages/disadvantages kind of roughly cancel each other out.

the amateurs have no money pressure but nothing near the experience the pros have.

it will definitely make for great poker on TV and anything that helps promote good poker is something im in favor of.

Talking Poker · #8 12-14-05, 12:37 AM

How can you say there is no money pressure on the amateurs? They are the ones not used to playing for NEAR these stakes, and the difference between winning this and losing is HUGE - we are talking major life changing money here. If Phil Ivey loses, it's not going to break him. It's probably not even life changing money for him - At least not significantly life changing.

BDMK · #9 12-14-05, 02:04 AM

my point before was that the amateurs would have freerolled/qualified for peanuts compared to the 10M entry fee for the pros, hence they wouldnt fret about losing 10M which they never had in the first place.

however, the point ur making now is also a good one. playing to win a chunk of 60M will def make any amateur nervous as hell.

one additional issue in favor of the pros IMHO is that fact that many of them have been known to win or lose literally tens of millions in the big cash games they regularly play. so to them, this might be yet another 'big one' at the bellagio, in a sense...

so, its even more of an 'even field' nervousness-wise than we discussed before.

Talking Poker · #10 12-14-05, 02:43 AM

I understand what you are saying, but I still disagree. The pros will have a HUGE advantage, being used to these stakes, as you say. Any half decent poker player understands that once you've bought into a tourney, that money is gone. So whether it was your own cash or you satellited in doesn't matter. What matters is what you can potentially win, and I'm sure 60 MM is going to be pretty damn intimidating for anyone, but ESPECIALLY people who have never even seen a fraction of that in their lifetime.

Take the WSOP for example. If you got in on a freeroll, a $200 satellite, or paid the entire $10k - none of that matters. But when you're on the bubble and are looking at a difference between $0 and $15k, who's going to play better? The guy who got in for free? The guy who paid the entire $10k?

The answer is neither. The guy who's going to play better is the guy that is used to playing for that kind of money - the guy that doesn't CARE about the 10k.

The nervousness at this moment in time has to do with the prize money bubble, not the entry fee paid a week earlier.

ChipFish · #11 12-14-05, 03:03 AM

$60,000,000?????
Anyone who doesn't think there will be a chop agreed on before it even starts is kidding themselves.

Robbie Robb · #12 12-14-05, 06:08 AM

I don't know if the format/production team will allow for a chop. After all, it's six people each putting up $10mil in a winner-take-all event. MAYBE once you hit heads-up the two may agree on a 50mil/10mil split or something like that, if allowed.

But the way they're hyping this as a winner-take-all I would be willing to guess that the production team has put the kybosh on any type of official split. (Now, if the winner wants to "back" a loser to the tune of $10 or $15mil a month or two down the road...)

sjay2k · #13 12-14-05, 08:38 AM

Joe Hachem is in.

Talking Poker · #14 12-14-05, 12:31 PM

No way! Someone (Stars?) must be backing him.

Robbie Robb · #15 12-14-05, 12:47 PM

If he's in, he is most definitely being backed. Considering that he'll have (temporarily) handed over 30% of that win to the IRS, that only leaves him with ~5.3M - just a little shy of the 10M he requires. That and I really don't think he'd just turn around and put up all the money he just won.

A little OT: I know I've spoken with Nikita about the "big dream" - winning the WSOP. At 7.5, I would take all but 1M and invest it. The remaining million would be my bankroll. If at any point, it ever depleted to zero, I'd be out - done with the poker world. That 6.5 (and the interest it is collecting) would be MORE than enough to retire on and live VERY comfortably for the rest of my life.

ChipFish · #16 12-14-05, 01:06 PM

I was under the impression that the networks were covering the buy-in...
As for a chop, if the Networks ARE covering the buy-in, what would it take for 6 guys to go for a drink and casually say "Chop?" laugh, and drink to the easiest $10Mill they'll ever make?

If it IS there own $$, 3-4 handed would offer the same chance...
Bathroom break..... "Wanna Chop?" "Damn Right!"