Week In Review: What's with all the boxing matches?
We look back at what the poker world was talking about and watching this week, as well as what to look out for next week.
What were we talking about?
Poker has often walked a fine line between a legitimate sport and WWE wrestling and this last week was a perfect example. Three sets of high stakes boxing matches have been proposed since last week - Antonio Esfandiari vs Kevin Hart, Doug Polk vs Fernando Habegger and Luke Schwartz vs Daniel Merrilees.
Hart vs Esfandiari looks like a fun bet between friends but the other two have been proposed as legitimate conflict resolution.
It's utterly outlandish for most people to suggest a punch up to settle a score in this day and age, but it weirdly makes sense among poker players. Most poker players are not used to having to negotiate anything if they don't want to, they don't fear being sued or fired from a job, nor do they have a HR department trying to make sure they play nice. Meanwhile, they are used to putting money on the line whenever they think they are right.
So without all those checks and balances that 'civil society' has to adopt when things get heated, it makes perfect sense that two disgruntled poker players would go nuclear and suggest a modern form of duelling to put a matter to bed.
Ultimately I think it's stupid and probably minus EV for the reputation of the game, but I'll always respect ElkY a bit more for getting up off the floor when Lex kicked him in the head.
Who were we talking about?
I'm not sure enough people were talking about him to be honest which is why I am now trying to redress that balance. Not everybody knows who Mikita Badziakouski is but they should, and they would, if Justin Bonomo wasn't having a watershed year.
This week he won his second Triton Poker Series Main Event in a row, his third tournament win this year and now has earnings of over $10 million this year alone.
In any other year that would make him potentially player of the year for a lot of people, but this year is a bit of a crazy year.
What were we watching?
The Triton Series was the most watched thing on Twitch this week but bringing up the rear is the welcome return of Doug Polk. It's much more fun watching him play the game than getting involved in a lot of unnecessary drama:
A good week for Polk as his announcement that he was back streaming on Twitch was ironically also the most watched poker video on YouTube.
What to watch out for next week
This week PokerStars released a new format, Unfold, and next week I think we can look out for the predictable cycle of reactions to it, the same one whenever a poker room comes out with a new format.
First is the skepticism and suggestion that it is unbeatable and a rake trap. Followed by the backlash to that with the people suggesting that the skeptics simply do not understand the nuances of the game and how it is more profitable than regular No Limit. A few others will chime in and suggest there should be an Unfold event at the WCOOP or EPT Barcelona.
Then towards the end of the week a few canny poker coaches will have already released their guide on how to crush Upfold and before you know it, we have all forgot it exists and are onto the next format.
Oh and stay tuned next week for my guide to Unfold poker.
Who would you pick to teach a masterclass in poker? Let us know in the comments:
