NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

Steven Holloway on poker: The tedious final table

Steven Holloway
By Steven Holloway
Sport Editor - Digital·Herald online·
15 Nov, 2012 02:00 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Greg Merson holds up his new bracelet after winning the World Series of Poker No-Limit Hold'em Main Event. Photo / AP

Greg Merson holds up his new bracelet after winning the World Series of Poker No-Limit Hold'em Main Event. Photo / AP

Steven Holloway
Opinion by Steven Holloway
Sports writer
Learn more

Two weeks ago, ESPN aired live coverage of the final stages of the 2012 Main Event from the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

I was excited. It was the one-time since leaving the enigmatic world of professional poker that I felt back in tune with the community. Everyone was watching it, everyone was talking about it and everyone wished it was them playing for the $NZD 10.52 million first prize payout.

Coverage started at 2pm (NZT) with three players remaining and I kept a close eye on proceedings, not wanting to miss a single hand or talking point.

Eleven hours later I was not so excited. But I hadn't stopped watching. Greg Merson, Jesse Sylvia and Jake Balsiger had spent my whole afternoon and evening thinking, pausing, studying and folding their way through 247 hands of poker before they made it to heads up play.

It was tedious and boring but I couldn't turn away. I was so invested in the spectacle that it got the better of me, I couldn't bear the thought of watching for so long but then missing 'the big one'.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

But I realise I am in the small minority here. Only the truly die-hard poker fans could stomach watching one hand play out every three minutes, and many of the games top players are crying out for change.

As far as a live televised 'sporting' event goes, it was pretty hard to watch.

Something is needed to force the action, to keep the everyman interested and the 'shot-clock' proposal is one of the best ideas.

A 'shot clock' (based on the NBA's idea to make games more entertaining) would do wonders because it would control the pace of the action and force players to make quicker decisions. It would increase the number of hands per hour, it would make TV viewing more appealing, and it would ultimately change the way players approach a live poker tournament.

Hopefully the trickle-down effect would eventually reach my home game too, where a $2 pre flop raise is often studied, paused over and analysed as though we are playing for millions ourselves. People love to copy what they see on TV and it's time for change.

Discover more

Opinion

Steven Holloway on poker: The 'rockstar' lifestyle

22 Aug 01:23 AM
Opinion

Steven Holloway on poker: Paulie wins battle of the Kings

28 Aug 11:33 PM
Opinion

Steven Holloway on poker: The funniest man at the table

06 Sep 12:15 AM
Opinion

Steven Holloway on poker: Swings and roundabouts at ANZPT

24 Nov 09:00 PM

Here are four other poker thoughts;

Hockin does it again

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It is doubtful that any Kiwi poker will come close to the success Paul 'Kingpaulie' Hockin has achieved this year.

Two months after winning the NZ Poker championship in Christchurch for $35,000, Hockin won the ANZPT tournament in Melbourne at the end of October, outlasting 334 opponents to take down $101,275.

Hockin's amazing year kicked off in February when he finished third in the PokerStars Sunday Million for $117,120 and the 25-year old never looked back, developing an impressive 2012 CV that few in the world can match.

The Lederer Files

Arguably the longest-awaited interview in poker history was released in September and it truly rocked the poker world to say the least.

PokerNews' release of The Lederer Files, done by Matthew Parvis, got to the core of the Full Tilt poker debacle and asked the questions the poker public demanded answers to from former director Howard Lederer.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Lederer struggled through 3.5 hours of interview with a very selective memory, best portrayed by this edit.

Hundreds of thousands of people have viewed the interview and many of the biggest names in poker have since spoken out about their feelings.

The world's (second) top poker blogger, Bill Rini, has written an awesome two-part comprehensive review and analysis of the Lederer files (part 1, part 2). If you don't have the time to watch the 3.5 hours of video or read any other reactions, Rini's pieces are the most worthwhile.

Daniel Negreanu, one of poker's most vocal personalities, has made his distaste very public for anything and everything associated with Full Tilt Poker, and he reacted to the Lederer files in an interview with Pokerlistings.

Full Tilt poker

After 16 months of uncertainty Full Tilt has reopened its doors. Aside from the obvious benefits of millions of dollars being restored to players' accounts and online poker clawing back a little credibility, there is the re-emergence of multi-entry tournaments for the poker professionals to get excited about.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Here is Neil 'Puggy 82' Stewart's blog on the pitfalls associated with the multiple-buy-in format.

SkyCity festival of poker

With a guaranteed prize-pool of over $200,000 the SKYCITY Festival of Poker hits Auckland this weekend.

The series runs from the 17-25 November and features a No Limit Texas Hold'em Turbo, Celebrity Invitational, Pot Limit Omaha 8 Handed event, No Limit Hold'em Ladies Event, No Limit Texas Hold'em Deep Stack and the $2200 buy-in NZPT Main Event.

With a ton of qualifiers and satellite tournaments it should make for a juicy Main Event prizepool, with plenty of value for those who think they have an edge on the field.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Netball

How coaching changes could shift the balance in ANZ Premiership

09 May 04:15 AM
Sport|football

Exclusive: First interview with South American mystery man Neyder Moreno on his amazing journey at Auckland FC

09 May 03:28 AM
Silver Ferns

Silver Ferns veteran rejected Aussie offers, stays loyal to ANZ Premiership

09 May 02:47 AM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

How coaching changes could shift the balance in ANZ Premiership

How coaching changes could shift the balance in ANZ Premiership

09 May 04:15 AM

Donnell Wallam joins the Mystics from the Queensland Firebirds as a key shooter.

Exclusive: First interview with South American mystery man Neyder Moreno on his amazing journey at Auckland FC

Exclusive: First interview with South American mystery man Neyder Moreno on his amazing journey at Auckland FC

09 May 03:28 AM
Silver Ferns veteran rejected Aussie offers, stays loyal to ANZ Premiership

Silver Ferns veteran rejected Aussie offers, stays loyal to ANZ Premiership

09 May 02:47 AM
Mt Smart Stadium confirmed for potential A-League grand final

Mt Smart Stadium confirmed for potential A-League grand final

08 May 11:24 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP