High Stakes Poker, arguably the most popular poker show in history, is back for its 15th season, and the excitement is real. While previous seasons saw individual episodes released on a weekly basis, PokerGO decided to change this around and release the entire season in one go!
This means that we are all in for quite a treat, with a grand total of 17 45-minute episodes waiting to be binge-watched, and if you haven’t gotten around to it just yet, the good news is that the weekend is afoot!
And if you’re wondering if the new season of everyone’s favorite poker show is worth the binge, the answer is most certainly – yes. With stakes set at $500 / $1,000, millions of dollars on the table, and an excellent mix of famous pros and rich poker-loving celebrities, this season truly has it all.
High Stakes Poker Is No Laughing Matter
While the entire lineup of the new season is quite remarkable, one name that truly stands out is that of Kevin Hart. Known for his ambassador roles with major online poker brands like PokerStars and PartyPoker, this is the first time we’re seeing the world-famous comedian play ultra-high stakes.
Joining him in the lineup are Andrew Robl, a hardcore high-stakes pro, DoorDash Co-Founder Stanley Tang, Kirk Brown, Sam Kiki, better known as Senor Tilt, the founder of Monkey Tilt, Darin Feinstein, and Scratch CEO Sameh Elamawy.
And that’s just to kick things off. As things progress, a few other names pull up a chair, including The Professor, Gavri, Erick Hicks, Jeremy Stein, and even Antonio ‘The Magician’ Esfandiari.
With the action seven-handed and every single player sitting down with $100k or more, the action is all but guaranteed. Not surprisingly, Robl started off with a buy-in of $350,000, covering the entire table. Hart didn’t let his lack of experience hold him back, entering the game with $200,000.
All the cash added up to $1.5 million on the table to kick things off, bringing a promise of some massive pots down the line.
Off to a Strong Start
If anyone had any doubts about the amount of action on the new season, those were quickly dispelled during the very first episode that saw several six-figure pots shipped across the felt.
Stanley Tang didn’t wait long to get involved. First, he played a big hand against Kiki, which saw him 3-bet Kiki’s open with A♦J♦. Kiki paid the $30,000 asking price with Q♠J♣, and the two proceeded to see the flop of Q♦Q♥8♦.
With Kiki flopping trips and Tang catching a nut flush draw in an already bloated pot, there was no other way for chips to go than into the middle. However, the action checked through on the flop, and it was only on the 7♥ on the turn that Kiki fired out for $35,000. Stanley moved all-in for a total of $95,000, and his opponent was happy to oblige.
Although they ran the river twice, Senor Tilt held up both times to scoop a quarter-million pot.
Shortly after, Tang was at it again. With a $4,000 straddle on, he decided to open shove for $100k with his A♦Q♣. Elamawy decided to take him on with pocket jacks, while Senor Tilt managed to find an excellent fold with the Big Slick.
Tang and Elamawy ran the entire board two times and ended up chopping the pot, so no blood was spilled on this particular occasion, but this was just a warm-up session.
What to Expect from This Season (No Spoilers)
It would be very rude to spoil your weekend binge-watching experience by talking about all the biggest pots and outcomes right here. After all, the new season has only been out for a couple of weeks.
Instead of spoilers, though, we can certainly share some teasers.
Kevin Hart makes it very clear that he’s not afraid of action. From big bluffs to determined calls, the comedian is in no joking mode when it comes to chips. He may not be as experienced as most of his opponents, but he won’t be pushed around.
If you weren’t impressed by the numbers from the first session, not to worry. They are just a small taste of what’s to come, as this season features a number of pots close to a million dollar mark, and at least one breaking seven figures.
So, in case you haven’t had any particular plans for the weekend, 17 episodes of High Stakes Poker should help keep you well entertained!
