Poker Web Watch / Dave Allan / 17 September 2009 / Leave a comment

First aired in January 2006 on the American network GSN, High Stakes Poker was an instant hit with the poker community. For the first time in televised poker, the players played a cash game, rather than in a tournament structure, with vast sums of money at the table.

The future of the show was at risk when it was revealed by GSN that whilst the show was a hit with the young male demographics, it performed badly with the female sector who watched other GSN shows.

Further doubt was cast when GSN cancelled the World Poker Tour (WPT) show from airing and the long length of time between High Stakes Poker's Season 4 and Season 5. However, several sources have leaked that filming of Season 6 will start in November 2009 and the show will air during February 2010.

Some of the biggest names in poker have featured on HSP including Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu and Barry Greenstein, all of whom have featured in all five seasons thus far.

Part of the shows appeal is being able to see how the top players try to out-think each other and of course the astronomical pots that invariably occur a couple of times an episode.

During Season 2 a $575,000 pot was won by Gus Hansen when his four-of-a-kind fives triumphed over Daniel Negreanu's Full House but this was trumped in the most recent season when Tom Dwan won an unbelievable pot of $919,600!

In the hand, 2008 WSOP Main Event Champion, Peter Eastgate raised holding AsKh, prompting Barry Greenstein to make it $15,000 to go holding AdAc. Tom 'durrrr' Dwan flat-called with KsQs and Eastgate came along for the ride too.

Dwan lead out on a flop reading 4s2sQh, Greenstein raised, Dwan re-raised and Greenstein announced he was all-in. Dwan called very quickly. In an earlier hand, Greenstein denied Dwan the chance to "run it twice" and the two agreed to run it just the once this time also. The Qc fell on the turn, giving Dwan trip Queen and meaning Greenstein needed to hit the case Ace but it was not to be as the 7d arrived on the river to see the mammoth pot ship to Dwan.

In the past Greenstein has used to show to make money for the charity of his choice, Children's Incorporated, by saying popular catchphrases from the online poker community. He has given us, "lol donkaments", "math is idiotic", and during Season 6 we should hear the words "Bing, Blang, Blaow". Click this You Tube link for some sort of explanation!

The line up for Season 6 is yet to be confirmed but expect it to contain the usual clientèle along with some of the up an coming online stars and possibly the winner of the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event.