So bummer that ESPN has bad insurance — and I\’m not just sayin\’ that because Pokerati\’s new made-for-TV patches just arrived. While the ESPN camerapeople are taking some atmosphere filler shots — you know, just in case Erick Lindgren wins his second bracelet — it really is too bad that the WSOP doesn\’t have the ability to call a final-table audible or two. (The actual physical table for the bracelet-crowning end of the $5k NL 2-7 lowball single-draw w/ rebuys doesn\’t even have hole-card cams.)
Not only is there a great field to follow, and multiple story lines … Lindgren going for his second bracelet, which would put him way ahead in the WSOP Player of the Year race … and speaking of POY, last year Jeff Lisandro and Tom Schneider had everything riding on the results of this event … but also, if you\’re gonna show a crazy mixed game on TV, there\’s really not a better one to televise than NL 2-7 single-draw.
TV fans are already comfortable with the concept of no-limit … and it won\’t take much for them to understand that the best hand in this game is 2-3-4-5-7. Then mix in the poker psychology (wielded by top-notch pros) of a game where you get soooo little information on your opponent\’s hand — there are only two rounds of betting — and consider that there are only 5 cards in each hand to think about … and there you have it: great, surprising and unexpected poker TV. (The $5k with rebuys also adds a bigger-money component to it as well.)
When I watched this game last year, I got totally hooked — would love to be able to play it somewhere. And F-Train\’s solid coverage of it for PokerNews/the WSOP reflects that he\’s finding the same thing. Read along for just a few posts and you\’ll have a whole new understanding of a game you previously probably hardly knew.
UPDATE: Tom is now second in chips … click here to follow along.