PokerNews Podcast

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SWAT Team Cracks Down on €100 Poker Tournament + Maurice Hawkins Fight Dec 04, 2025

Show notes

In the 928th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow at Level 9 Studios to talk about the SWAT team raid of a low-stakes poker game in Sweden. Find out what caused armed authorities, supported by drones and even a helicopter, to raise the $100 buy-in poker tournament.

The trio then discusses the physical altercation between Maurice Hawkins and a player known as "Eugene" in a Florida home game. Was Maurice running his mouth? Was it an unprovoked attack? Not only do you get to hear about what happened, but you can see some video clips of the scuffle itself.

Other topics covered are Daniel Negreanu's post on players that learn via solvers versus those who do their "own thing," where Michael Addamo falls in that conversation, and PokerNews being named the official live reporting partner for the 2026 Aussie Millions. Plus, a look ahead to the WSOP Paradise, WPT World Championship & EPT Prague underway, and given that Jonathan Little is coming out with a new book, we thought it'd be a good time for another giveaway. It's your chance to win a copy of Little's book 100 Essential Tips.

Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast!

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:03 | Authorities raid poker game in Sweden 05:23 | Maurice Hawkins's home game scuffle 08:53 | Maurice hates Chad 15:48 | Daniel Negreanu on Solvers vs "Own Thing" 19:38 | What about Michael Addamo? 24:40 | PokerNews official live reporting partner for 2026 Aussie Millions 26:01 | WSOP Paradise, WPT World Championship & EPT Prague underway 27:46 | Jonathan Little coming out with a new book

Is AI Killing Poker Content? And How Did PokerNews Piss Off Shaun Deeb? Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

In the 927th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is joined by Connor Richards at Level 9 Studios to talk about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) when it comes to poker content. The discussion stems from the recent controversy involving the World Series of Poker (WSOP) documentary No Limit, in which showrunner Dustin Iannotti admittedly used AI in edits involving Alan Keating's quotes. The show was pulled from YouTube by the WSOP as a result, and opened up a whole can of worms.

PokerNews also pissed off Shaun Deeb with an AI oopsie of our own, while ClubWPT Gold's tweet stirred up a heated debate about marketing, women in poker, and more. It was a debate that Abby Merk jumped into headfirst while at the Asian Poker Tour (APT), where she booked a tournament win!

From there, you can see highlights from the 2nd Annual Big Deal for One Drop Charity Event during F1 Las Vegas, which involved Phil Hellmuth, Jennifer Tilly, and Antonio Esfandiari, just to name a few. Oh, and the title came down to Deeb and Squid Games: The Challenge star Steven Jones. Watch to find out who won!

Chad and Connor then recap recent tournament wins by Aaron Johnson and Jake Long at MSPT Ameristar East Chicago, Felipe Boianovsky taking down the Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) $50K Super High Roller, and Ted Jackson-Spivack claiming three CMSOP titles before they share what they're thankful for on this Thanksgiving holiday.

Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast!

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 01:25 | WSOP documentary pulled amid AI controversy 14:00 | ClubWPT Gold's tweet stirs up heated debate 18:26 | Abby Merk wins Pineapple tournament 22:27 | Steven Jones wins Big Deal for One Drop Charity Event 28:40 | PokerNews pisses off Shaun Deeb 37:30 | Aaron Johnson wins MSPT Ameristar East Chicago 38:00 | Jake Long claims four side event titles 39:02 | Felipe Boianovsky wins BSOP $50K Super High Roller Title 40:53 | Ted Jackson-Spivack wins third CMSOP title 43:20 | What are you thankful for on Thanksgiving?

Poker Player Makes Squid Game Final with Shot at $4.56 Million! Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

In the 926th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is joined by Mike Holtz and Connor Richards at Level 9 Studios to talk the latest stories in the poker world. That includes former WSOP Main Event runner-up Steven Jones making the top five in the finale of Netflix's popular Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2. Find out if the poker pro was able to win the $4.56 million top prize.

They also dive into the debate fueled by Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth on how many World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelets there should be each year, who won the WPT bestbet Jacksonville Bounty Scramble, and why the Global Poker Awards are no more. Plus, the crew remembers Ulvis Alberts, the original WSOP photographer who recently passed away, while Connor shares details on the time he played poker on the North Korean border and his feature article on Lynard Skynard and the poker game they played on their ill-fated flight that led to a deadly plane crash. Oh, and did we mention that Sam Soverel shared a full-frontal selfie on social media? No? Well, he did.

Finally, this week's recent tournament winners include Terelle Tavares winning the 888poker UKPL Coventry, Martin Kabrhel taking down BSOP High Roller, Edward Jackson-Spivack nabbing a Chainsaw Mixed Series trophy, Albert Croteau victorious in BPO Atlantic City Championship, Carl Masters winning RGPS Grand Prix Tunica II, Gal Yifrach defeating Thomas Boivin to claim the PokerStars 2025 NAPT title.

Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast!

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:52 | How did Steven Jones do on Squid Game? 06:30 | How many WSOP bracelets should there be each year? 12:54 | WPT bestbet Jacksonville Bounty Scramble 15:25 | Global Poker Awards come to an end 18:00 | Lynard Skynard & North Korean Poker Game 20:05 | WSOP photograph Ulvis Alberts passes away 23:27 | Terelle Tavares wins 888poker UKPL Coventry 23:47 | Martin Kabrhel's takes down BSOP High Roller 26:05 | Sam Soverel goes full frontal 26:53 | Edward Jackson-Spivack wins Chainsaw Mixed Series trophy 28:27 | Albert Croteau Victorious in BPO Atlantic City Championship 29:05 | Carl Masters wins RGPS Grand Prix Tunica II 30:18 | Gal Yifrach wins PokerStars 2025 NAPT 33:10 | What's coming up?

Is this the Biggest Failed Bluff in Poker History? Should Tournaments Start Earlier? Nov 13, 2025

Show notes

In the 925th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is once again joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow at Level 9 Studios to talk the latest stories in the poker world. That includes the massive $1.3 million pot from a special episode of High Stakes Poker, one that saw Alan Keating try and execute a huge bluff. Was it a valiant effort or an ill-timed move?

The trio also offers their thoughts on the topic of "Should poker tournaments start earlier?", which was being discussed on social media by Seth Davies and Jason Koon. Speaking of the latter, you'll get to see highlights from 'All In with Jason Koon' from the 2025 PokerStars NAPT, as well as a look at Comedy Night with Joe "Stapes" Stapleton and RunGood Trivia Night with Boston Rob Mariano and Tyson Apostol of Survivor fame. Chad actually caught up with the two reality TV legends for a poker trivia game of his own.

In other NAPT news, Jeremy Ausmus beat quad aces with a Royal Flush, Nikolai Mamut defeated TJ Reid to win the NAPT PokerStars Open, and Stephen Chidwick, Cherish Andrews, and Raena Janes all took down titles. Finally, get a preview of upcoming stops, including the next Hendon Mob Championship in Cape Town and the RGPS Grand Prix San Diego.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Holy S#!%! Dude Allegedly Murdered Two Friends Over Poker Game; Poker Player on Squid Game Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

In the 924th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is once again joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow at Level 9 Studios to talk about the latest stories in the poker world. That includes a double murder that took place at a home game in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and poker pro Steven Jones, who finished runner-up to Daniel Wienman in the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, being a contestant on Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2.

From there, Chad reveals the charity fundraiser record he set with the help of the poker world, Elon Musk weighing in on the AI poker bot battle, and John Riordan winning the $100,000 PLO Super High Roller Bowl. Speaking of winners, Justin Arnwine scored big at RGPS Grand Prix Maryland.

The crew then talks about the upcoming December war between the WSOP Paradise and WPT World Championship, and the new poker documentary No Limit about the former stop.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Poker Cheating Bombshell Involves Celebrities, NBA & the Mafia Oct 30, 2025

Show notes

In the 923rd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is once again joined by Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow at Level 9 Studios to discuss the latest stories from the poker world. That includes the wild, mainstream poker cheating story involving NBA players and coach Chauncey Billups, the mafia, and more.

As if that wasn't controversial enough, well-known poker pro Ren Lin was disqualified from a live poker tournament for helping a friend in an online one. As a result, he was indefinitely banned from GGPoker and the WSOP. Find out what happened in this episode.

Other stories include a "High-Rated Poker Player's" Las Vegas brothel, highlights from the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS), and recent tournament winners, including Charles Furey, Nick Burris, and Chino Rheem at the PGT PLO Series II.

Finally, find out who the lucky winner was in the $10,000 NAPT Gold Pass giveaway!

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Michael Mizrachi Drama in the Bahamas During World Tournament of Slots Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

In the 922nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway is down at the Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas for the 2nd Annual World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). Reigning World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champ Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi is also there and agreed to serve as a special cohost for this episode.

Mizrachi talks about life after his unprecedented summer, his son getting into poker, hobbies outside of the game, and his thoughts on the Poker Hall of Fame. The two hosts then welcome special guest "Mama Grinder," who is down in the Bahamas with her son so she can participate in the WTOS! Find out what she thinks of her son's success, how she's passed down her competitive spirit, and her favorite slot machine.

You'll also see highlights from Mizrachi's Mixed Games Match-Up "Drama in the Bahamas" against defending WTOS champ Stephanie "Win-It-All" Hall, and an interview with poker pro Eddie Blumenthal, who just happened to be down in the Bahamas. Blumenthal talks about getting sober at the beginning of the year and how it's had a positive impact on his life.

Finally, it is the last episode in our $10,000 NAPT Gold Pass giveaway, meaning the final code word drops, and you now have until 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, October 26 to get in the correct code phrase to be entered to win.

Click here for details on the PokerNews Podcast NAPT Gold Pass Giveaway!

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

You Won't Believe the Hands from this Las Vegas High-Stakes Poker Cash Game Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

In the 921st episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are all at Level 9 Studios in Las Vegas with high-stakes poker player Brian Okin for a special episode devoted to Okin's Game on Venetian Poker Live.

The live-streamed cash game has produced some wildly entertaining hands and offers lineups that regularly include poker stars like Jean-Robert Bellande, Eric Wasserson, Matt Berkey, Martin Kabrhel, and regining WSOP Main Event champ Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi; as well as, relative newcomers, at least to the poker spotlight, such as Royski and Dr. Phil.

If you're not familiar with Brian Okin, this is your chance to learn about his poker origins in Manhattan, which included playing in the famed Molly's Game, to his transition to Las Vegas. Learn the ins and outs of what it takes to put together a regular high-stakes poker cash game, what exactly is 'Squid Game' in poker, and a look at some of the most famous hands played by Okin including bluffing into the nuts and winning a monster pot worth $320,000!

Click here for details on the PokerNews Podcast NAPT Gold Pass Giveaway!

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps Time Topic 0:00 Welcome to the show 0:39 Who is Brian Okin? 5:33 Moving to Las Vegas 7:50 Molly's Game 11:33 Starting Okin's Game 14:46 What is Squid Game in poker? 16:50 Players from Okin's Game 22:39 Constructing a non-pro poker game 26:26 Mariano vs. Royski 32:03 An unbelievable fold 39:08 A $320K Pot! 41:45 Bluffing Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi 44:33 The Bobblehead 46:52 Bluffing into the nuts 50:55 Okin's brand of tilt

Bounty Hunters Looking for WSOP Poker Champ in Las Vegas Oct 09, 2025

Show notes

In the 920th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are all at Level 9 Studios in Las Vegas to talk a little but about WSOP champ and the most recent member of the Poker Hall of Fame Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, who actually sat down with Chad at the Venetian to talk about his new "Grinder's Game" cash game and the upcoming World Tournament of Slots (WTOS).

They then discuss David Coleman winning the Poker Masters purple jacket, Jason Koon's bad beat, Shaun Deeb capturing his WSOP bracelet, and other winners from the WSOP Europe. Speaking of winners, Jeremy Gaubert took down the RGPS Grand Prix New Orleans, Josh Arieh and Nick Palma both won online bracelets, and Bridget Johnson was victorious in the RPT Tri-State Poker Championship.

Finally, Chad reveals another code word for this year's NAPT Gold Pass giveaway valued at $10,000, and goes one-on-one with Chris Bilinsky, a Gold Pass winner who's already booked his ticket to Las Vegas. There are not many up for grabs this year, so you won't want to miss out on this limited opportunity to win one just by listening to the PokerNews Podcast and MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time | Topic* 00:00 | Welcome to the show 00:53 | What are your thoughts on the Grinder? 03:34 | Grinder's Bounty & Grinder's Game at the Venetian 07:21 | Interview with Michael Mizrachi 10:00 | World Tournament of Slots (WTOS) coming Oct. 22-26 10:41 | David Coleman wins Poker Masters purple jacket 12:29 | Winners from the 2025 Poker Masters 14:25 | Bad beat for Jason Koon 17:50 | Shaun Deeb captures 8th WSOP bracelet 20:00 | WSOP Europe in need of a change? 26:58 | Jeremy Gaubert wins RGPS Grand Prix New Orleans 27:30 | Josh Arieh wins online event for 7th bracelet 30:30 | Nick Palma wins 1st bracelet in online event 34:00 | Bridget Johnson takes down RPT Tri-State Poker Championship 37:10 | Interview w/ Gold Pass winner Chris Bilinsky

Oh No, Is This the End of Poker Content on YouTube? Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

In the 919th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Connor Richards to talk about the latest stories from the poker world, including a discussion about the current poker content landscape on YouTube. If Brad Owen's recent experience is any indication, things don't look good.

The trio then discusses Martin Kabrhel's gold bracelet win at the 2025 World Series of Poker Europe, Michael Mizrachi's "Grinder's Game" coming to Venetian Poker Live, and All In with Jason Koon slated to take place during November's NAPT. Speaking of which, Chad reveals another code word for this year's NAPT Gold Pass giveaway valued at $10,000! There are not many up for grabs this year, so you won't want to miss out on this limited opportunity to win one just by listening to the PokerNews Podcast and MSPT Podcast Presented By PokerNews.

You will also get a behind-the-scenes look at the recent Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) St. Jude, learn about winners from the 2025 Poker Masters and WSOPE, a new poker room coming to Las Vegas, and Chad's personal adventures involving the Miami Dolphins and Mötley Crüe. It's a fun episode that you won't want to miss, so tune in now!

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Time Stamps *Time | Topic* 01:15 Brad Owen's YouTube channel taken down 06:55 Martin Kabrhel wins 5th WSOP bracelet 10:10 Grinder's Game coming to Venetian Poker Live 12:43 All In with Jason Koon during 2025 NAPT 16:55 NAPT Hotel Room Rate 17:32 CSOP St. Jude 19:34 Highlight video from the CSOP 21:05 2025 Poker Masters winners 24:19 Jared Passanante wins at the Reserve 25:38 WSOP Europe winners 27:00 Poker room coming to Green Valley Ranch 30:30 Allen Kessler's Chainsaw Series of Poker 32:20 New episode of Life Outside Poker 35:36 Chad's Miami Dolphins & Mötley Crüe adventure

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