In years gone by, after the conclusion of the European Poker Tour, UK televised poker can tend to go a bit flat, but not anymore after Channel 4 begun to broadcast the inaugural season of Poker Stars’ Shark Cage a exciting, dynamic format unlike any seen on TV before.
The tournament combines top named pros, online qualifiers and celebrity personalities who are all competing for a cool $1 million pay day at the final table in London. The tournament features eight heats, with the winner of each progressing to the final table to play for a shot at the top prize.
Unlike other poker tournaments Shark Cage features a ‘shot clock’ which only allows players to think for 30 seconds before making a decision on a hand, they can extend this time by using a time bank chip, all though these are limited.
Victoria Coren-Mitchell won Heat 3 to book her seat.
Another feature exclusive to Shark Cage is the cage it self. When two players face off against each other on the river they must show the camera weather they are bluffing or value betting, if they bluff and it works the player who was bluffed enters the cage for a one round penalty, if they bluff and it gets found out, the unsuccessful bluffer enters the cage.
Creators of the Shark Cage hope that these changes will keep the game fast paced and exciting and hope to entice people who don’t currently play poker in to watching the show as well as appeasing existing lovers of the game.
Ex England Rugby star Mike Tindall qualified in Heat 6
Despite initial skepticism from fans about the format in the early weeks, it has grown to be a well received show and has succeeded in being that ‘little something different’ that poker needed on TV with positive tweets flooding in every Tuesday evening during the broadcast.
The show is fronted by Channel 4 poker stalwarts James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton and the former tweeted ‘Some love it, some hate it, personally I think it is VERY entertaining’ this is a view that has gradually been shared by those tuning in over the last few weeks.
Heat 7 airs on Tuesday night on Channel 4, with English interests Victoria Coren Mitchell and ex rugby star Mike Tindall already confirmed on the final table.
You can qualify for Season 2 of Shark Cage here: http://www.pokerstars.tv/channels/shark-cage
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