PokerStars Big Game Returns Monday, June 27

Many televised poker programs in the U.S. were casualties of Black Friday, but the popular PokerStars Big Game is set to return next week on PokerStars.tv. The show, which is hosted by Joe Stapleton and Scott Huff, will be broadcast every weekday at Noon ET on PokerStars.tv for the next six weeks, starting June 27 and finishing August 5.

For those who haven’t seen the PokerStars Big Game before, here’s the basic premise: Five of the world’s top pros and most successful businessmen face off in a high-stakes cash game with a $100,000 minimum buy-in and blinds of $200/$400/$100 ante. They’re joined each week by a “Loose Cannon,” an online qualifier who is given a $100,000 stake to play against the big boys (and girls). Loose Cannon qualifiers can keep whatever they win above their initial $100,000 stake at the end of the week, and the most profitable Loose Cannon of the six-week series will win a prize package worth $50,000.

Last year, Loose Cannon Bobby “The Bus” Ferdinand won $181,500 during his magical week on the show, surpassing David Fishman with just a few hands remaining to win the $50,000 North American Poker Tour (NAPT) Passport. Fishman set the previous record for highest profit by a Loose Cannon by winning $129,600, but Ferdinand picked up pocket aces against Peter Jetten’s pocket kings with just seven hands remaining to win a massive life-changing pot.

Season 2 promises much of the same excitement. In addition to the daily show, at the end of each week there will be extra footage available online, including ribald moments in a section dubbed Too Hot For TV, bonus hands that didn’t make the final cut, and the statistics of each game, including each player’s profit/loss, amount of hands played and aggression levels, and player biographies.

“It’s great news that fans can watch the newest season of The Big Game on PokerStars.tv,” said Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu. “There are some amazing hands this season, some crazy drama as usual, and a few Loose Cannons who played surprisingly well. You can catch all of the episodes starting Monday, June 27.”

The first Loose Cannon, ironically named Gonzales Cannon, faces off against four tough pros and a former hoops star when Season 2 kicks off on Monday. Here’s the first week’s full lineup:

Seat 1: Gonzales Cannon (Loose Cannon)
Seat 2: Bobby Sura (former NBA superstar)
Seat 3: Daniel Negreanu
Seat 4: Scott Seiver
Seat 5: Tony G
Seat 6: David ‘Viffer’ Peat

Other pros taking part in Season 2 include Phil Hellmuth, Jason Mercier, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, Vanessa Selbst, Prahlad Friedman, Barry Greenstein, Jennifer Tilly, Phil Laak, and current WSOP world champion Jonathan Duhamel, plus many more. There are also appearances from Hollywood film director Nick Cassavetes and billionaire Cirque du Soleil creator Guy Laliberte.

The PokerStars Blog has a few teasers from Season 2, including a hand in which Tony G angle-shoots Phil Hellmuth into believing that he hasn’t looked at his cards. Check out the action here.

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Useful poker information:

STAKE - The amount of a player's BUY-IN, or the amount of money they are willing to play with in a given session. Compare: BANKROLL.
FLAT LIMIT - A variant of fixed limit where all bets are the same amount.
RAIL - A barrier dividing the card playing area from a public area.
BRODERICK CRAWFORD - In Hold'em, hole cards of 10-4. From the 1950s TV series "Highway Patrol", starring Broderick Crawford.
LIVE [CARD] - In Stud, a card probably not held by other players.
OVERCALL - To call a bet after one or more players already called.

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