So the International poker club in London has just set up a feature table with three cameras and a microphone. They're streaming tournament tables/final tables/cash games over the Internet. The names and where possible chip counts of the players are stated, for tournaments though not for cash. I haven't heard of any other club doing this before.

What do you think of this? Do you think it's something some players might object to, particularly for cash games? How'd you feel if other clubs/casinos went down this route - don't a lot of players want to be anonymous? Or when you agree to play at a club, particularly in a tournament, do you waive all rights to control over your image when you're taking part?

Note that they don't have hole card cameras. How would you feel if they did? Would it seriously affect play/undermine the game?

seems like it would encourage hollywooding and discourage bad play

It's been a while since I've seen it, but how did Live @ The Bike end up working out?

Mods can I post link?

First time it happened, half the final table had been drinking & so introduced a new rule: "If you go all-in, you have to take your shirt off." The results? Horrific!

Seems harmless. It's not as though there are realtime hole-cams. It only serves to provide excitement for the game.

Live at the Bike, for example, probably swayed some people to play at the Bike -- and I know for a fact it generated interest in that particular cardroom.

Okay I haven't heard from the mods that I can't post the link, so here goes - right now it's the final table of the £1k PSOP. Five players left, first place pays £33k:

http://www.gutshot.com/webcast/index.php

What do you think of the set-up? Why don't more clubs do this?

Watching it now. Some lady was all in, but she still had her shirt on. WTF!! Rules are rules.

Wow, that dealer is doing things very poorly! You're not there for flash, bub, these little tricks are working against what you're supposed to do.

Is this guy a blackjack dealer or something? He's putting me on tilt...

And he's POINTING at people! Argh! Okay, who wants to fly me to London for dealer training?

It didn't make money so it was cancelled but the quality of the broadcast eventually got pretty good. Commentators Bart Hanson (a poster on 2+2 who later did "Cash Plays" for pokerroad.com and now works for deucescracked) and Dave Tuchman really clicked as an announcing team.

I played about fifteen times (mostly the $5 BB 300-500 game but once the $500 min buy $10 blind game with Greg Raymer/Fossilman). My gf also played about five times with a certain part of her anatomy strategically placed in the nine seat . In those games there wasn't much Hollywooding, perhaps because the table mike was turned down for the most part. People mostly played their A game and we learned a lot by reviewing our play.

Just remembered Bart did this years "Aussie Millions" including coverage of a full ring cash game and an hour of heads up between durrr (Tom Dwan) and Patrick Antonius. I think it might be up on one of the poker video sights (it was a few months back). Worth a look.

~ Rick

Thats really cool, is it live? Bobby's room next lol.

Yes, it's live. Right now you can see the heads up of the PSOP £200 HORSE comp (where first place pays £2320 and second £1460.

I think that having commentators is really key, though it can stop you being able to hear the table so they have to know when to keep quiet.