Need to add Bulgaria and Romania. Finland is iffy. They only technically weren't part of Axis they just fought with them. So ya I would include them in the list.

Fair enough, I was just saying that Finland was in there early doors. The other Balkan / Eastern States arrived later on a "client" states. These second teir forces got a massive arse kicking / slaughter when Zukov and his Siberian forces arrived at Stalingrad.

But point taken the Finns where only intrested in sticking it to the Soviets.

I thought he was 50% Canadian, 50% HK, so presume he must be 50% commie?

The big three were also the signatories of the anti Comintern pact (originally just japan and Germany), and the tripartite(?) pact, whilst the others joined the pacts later, i think. I think 'power' as used is really just a different way of saying nation, I don't think there's any implication of actual power. But yeah, wp anyone who answers Finland, Bulgaria, Hungary.

I'm slightly horrified that the correct answers aren't close to 100%, but maybe it's a uk thing.

Not just you. I asked a couple folks and most got all four right. My wife struggled on the third Axis member, but successfully guessed Italy. A couple others weren't sure about Iron/Fe. Nobody had any trouble with the sides of a hexagon or the order of planets. Maybe you need to be drunk

Thanks--great show. But I think we are missing the big question here:

WHO WAS SITTING NEXT TO BARRYG? (Larry Bird)

Voice sounded familiar -- he said it was a "named pro". Maybe Haralabob? Didn't think it was a major secret-- everyone just moved on. Can you guys confirm?

Just wanted to say that I personally like the 'side action' segment of the main event coverage. It's harmless fun with some big talkative names who Joe Public know and like.

The whole Hellmuth celebrating and Mike and JRB betting are just them playing up to the camera and making the segment less sedate. I don't honestly believe that Hellmuth really thinks that riffle was fist-pump-worthy or that Mike or JRB have $500 to bet.

And with regards to the choice of activities I'm sure that ESPN understand that playing golf, football etc would be more interesting, but it's just unrealistic to expect them to spend that much time and money on the segment. As it is it's nice and cheap and the whole series of side action can be filmed within an hour. Imagine the extra time commitments and costs involved with going out on different locations with a film crew.

Come on now, of course he did

If you look at that list of questions, you'd think a reasonable high school graduate would have an O/U of 3.5. Taking a 50/50 on the order of the planets is totally reasonable. Hexagon, getting 2 out of 3 Axis powers, or Fe? You have Barryg there working through your hoser accents and nearly pulling out Selenium as Se. Honestly, after the first two questions I think you could have just penned him in for 4/4. Do you compare the Barryg collapse to the 2010 Bruins or more like Jean Van De Velde in '99? It was amazing that he missed two in a row. Still a boss. When are you getting him back on for a real interview? He's my favorite guest of all time.

Also, lol for anyone that thinks TChan is in any way anti-American or that his "anti-American ranting" makes the PC somehow not enjoyable. If our brothers to the North want to take an occasional jab, we can just deport their cultural icons.j For the record, being liberal doesn't make you anti-American. Taking mild jabs at US politics would actually make you an American. We can take it.



You wonder if there are some cultural requirements putting all the hoser stuff in the show. Definitely enjoying it.

(start at 1:51, not sure why time offsets won't work in embedded links)

Also, JoeTall final tabled a NLHE tournament? Did you guys just gloss that over? Does he even know the rules of the game?

It's hilarious that you posted the Bob and Doug vid, because this morning as I was eating my cereal I was seriously considering using their opening to open the show this week.

You have to. Then we may all have to find Strange Brew on youtube and watch it.

After you asked Deeb how to set your OFC hand Adam, I was disappointed you didn't run it by BG as well. The random phone call segment could be done every few shows, by taking a current poker hot topic or issue and calling maybe two to three past guests and getting their off the cuff takes. Excellent show.

The idea that any less than glowing mention or 'murica is by extension totally anti American is laughable. It is the default defense of the blinkered & ignorant. Rationale debate and discussion is the best way to learn and highlight errors in your own thinking.

BTW: Allah is the Arabic word FOR God.

Great job all, Sound quality was good as well Ross, Thanks for all your efforts!!

I lost interest in the pokercast after MJ left because it just wasn't the same. I'm back loving them again though. You and Terrence are doing a good job and hopefully he sticks around.

You asked everyone on the show "What is the chemical symbol for iron?" But when it was Barry's turn you asked him "FE is the chemical symbol for which element?"

I struggled to think of the symbol when you phrased it the first way. But if you had asked me what FE was I would have for sure said iron.

Dude, I love most of what you guys do, but driving and playing chinese... not cool, imo.

Those questions are damn too easy for a german astronomer, with that hexagon on Saturn and a star going Supernova after it hits Fe.

Somewhere out there is a geek Spiderman whose Spidey sense was tingling at this.

I thought it was phrased differently for BG, but I just assumed I had misheard it earlier.

In re the discussion on how to improve televised poker, you definitely have two different audiences at work. Poker TV may never be able to please both.

Not revealing the whole cards until after the hand is over appeals more to the serious poker fans, like most people who come to 2+2. I agree that this is like concealing the correct answer on Jeopardy.

But to a casual fan, not revealing the whole cards takes us back to the pre-2003 telecasts, when poker failed to gain a wide audience. Remember, the hole-card cam and the rise of TV poker as a consequence was the red wire on the detonator connected to the poker boom. To keep the game-show comparison going, hiding the hole cards would be like concealing the magic word on Password or Pyramid. Those fans would loathe the show.

As one would guess, I'm more of a diehard fan. My brother is very much the casual fan. I loved the almost-live stream of the Main final table. He HATED it. If you peruse the NVG or TV Poker forums, I think you even had a similar mixed reaction here on 2+2.

One suggestion I always had for TV poker was to use the alternate audio normally reserved for a Spanish-language commentary. The "regular" audio would be Lon and Norm having a good time, cracking jokes and looking for human-interest stories at the table. The SAP audio would have Olivier Busquet types, breaking down the strategy of each hand for the more serious viewers. It's a pipe dream, sure, but I proposed this back in the day when TV poker was so huge that it could have gotten its own network.

Finally, some quick thoughts about Lon and Norm:

1. Their strategy talk HAS gotten more advanced over the years. No, it's nothing like having the Poker Police or Ike Haxton, but if you compare it to the 2003 or 2004 broadcasts, you can see how far they've come. Chad even throws in the strategy in an jokey sort of way, something like, "The experts would say AJ is at the bottom of Johnson's three-betting range and Smith really should throw his hand away to avoid playing a tough spot out of position. But Lon, you and I are not experts, so we won't talk about that stuff!"

2. The notion of talking about known events — i.e. Newhizzle making the N9 — as if they're unknown really is a page out of reality TV. I don't remember who alluded to this point, but I completely agree. The "reality" shows will let drama build from episode to episode knowing full well that Bachelorette X would get a rose, or Douchebag Y would get voted off the island two episodes later. It's a conceit for the viewers, who want to watch it as if happening in real time. Even here on 2+2, a person will get lambasted for posting a spoiler in the thread (c.f. the Rystadt thread in NVG). Is it awkward? Yes, certainly to those of us who followed the Main in real time last summer. But it makes sense for what this telecast is.

3. I miss the Ragin' Cajuns, Demon Deacons, Thundering Herd and Ramblin' Wreck running gags. But I know I'm in the minority.

Ah, that reminds me, the trouble with showing the WSOP documentary style is you would be saying this a lot, "Here's another inconsequential hand from early in the tournament."

Haha which, in turn, reminds me: 2008 coverage of one of the Day 1s, ESPN cut to a completely forgettable hand won by a total unknown on an outer table. The player? Darus Suharto, who eventually made that year's N9.

Of course, this was the first year of the new delayed final table concept, so I'm guessing 441 wasn't sure how they were going to promote those players. The small percentage of people who followed PokerNews likely knew him immediately while the vast majority of viewers said, "Why the hell did they show THAT??"

what is the email address to write in to the show?

pokercast (at) twoplustwo.com

Since my main man T-Chan has been part of the clan, Pokercast began to make me a fan.

Keep up the great work. Content and flow of the show is really on point. Adam makes a solid host, and Terrance discusses issues from new angles that aren't always apparent on the surface (makes it easy to see why he is a poker crusher).

If there is any consideration at all, Please make Terrance a permanent fixture on the Pokercast.

Thanks Adam. I won't be so sensitive, other than to get pissed at the idiot who said the sky is blue, when in reality, air has no color and it is...well, nevermind.

You and Terrance keep up the (mostly) good work.

We will aim this high!