the lock-in

This week, we are locked in with talented author turned poker player turned poker author Maria Konnikova.

We discuss some of the recent and upcoming live poker stops on our schedules - the London Poker Festival, the Malta DSO Cup and the EPT Paris.

Dara talks about his new book ‘Beyond GTO’.

Maria joins David in blasting Phil Hellmuth’s take on Isaac Haxton’s mask-wearing. The allegations by Corel Theuma against Ant Zinno are discussed. There is also a long conversation about cheaters which is the subject of Maria’s next book.Transcript

This week we are locked in with WPT champion and self-professed ‘shit-reg’ Soheb Porbandarwala.

The lads talk about the live poker going on right now on the West coast of Ireland where the water is majestic and the East coast of the US where the water is contaminated.

They also weigh in on the ‘Super-User’ scandal on GGPoker and the Botfarm allegations leveraged against ACR. The possibility of a player’s strike is discussed as some online poker rooms fail to be sufficiently transparent or rigorous when it comes to security and game integrity matters.

Dara and David also look ahead to the London Poker Festival in Aspers for which there are satellites on Unibet Poker.

This week, we are locked in with WPT talent Lynn Gilmartin as she prepares for the upcoming World Championships in the Wynn.

There is plenty of banter and laughs as the trio discuss special events that have been planned around the festival, including a mimosa-fueled Ladies Meet-Up game and Million Dollar buy-in event. They also weigh in on the potential effect of the WSOP Bahamas’ new parlay promotion.

The Unibet Open Bucharest is previewed. Game of Gold is reviewed, as is Alex O’Brien’s ‘The Truth Detective’. Dara teases his upcoming book ‘Beyond GTO’. There is also a chat about responsible gambling.

This week, we are locked in and spaced out with Kat Arnsby as we discuss media/social media platforms and the marketing of poker.

Dara breaks down his recent article on envy in all its forms in poker.

David takes credit for five years of consistent growth at Unibet Poker.

The lads also ambush Kat into giving them a Unibet Open Bucharest package worth €2000 which they plan to give away to one lucky player via a ‘bad beat story’ competition.

This week, we are locked in with Ari Engel, a man who has more rings than he does fingers.

Dara gives his best health advice while Ari talks about his struggle to maintain good eating habits on the road (bust out ice-cream and celebratory ice-cream).

There is a brief chat on the Spanish tax worries as they pertain to EPT Barcelona which segues to more advice-giving - this time on how best to weather live downswings.

The lads discuss the upcoming three-way clash between WPT, EPT and WSOP. David and Dara wax lyrical on their preference for the Wynn while Ari admits to never planning more than two days ahead ever.

The conversation ends with a very modest Ari talking about his back-to-back nights 14th and 15th circuit ring wins. In light of all the fanfare that came with these results, he discusses the value of having invested in a crack marketing team.

Before he signs off, David reminds the audience about the extensive list of upcoming live events that are sponsored by Unibet Poker and can be qualified for on the online client right now.

This week, we are locked into the commentary booth at the Merit Poker Retro Series in North Cyprus.

Dara and David analyse the action in the $2200 Warm-Up and $5300 Highroller events as well as two wild high-stakes cash games.

The big topic under discussion is the Spanish tax situation and the way that it may affect EPT/Estrellas Barcelona. There are a few reasons to believe that overseas players may not be chased for tax on winnings but no clear cut assurances either so David and Dara explain the logic behind their decision to just play Estrellas week and forgo the higher buy-in tournaments.

There is also a discussion of the upcoming week-long Unibet Summer Knockout Festival (Aug 27-Sep 3) which spins into a chat about how the games on Unibet Poker are noticeably bigger than ever before. Obviously, David claims that it is because of his raw sex appeal but, sensibly, Dara offers other reasons.

This week, we are locked in with Poker.Org’s Head of Instant Media Sarah Herring!

The episode kicks off with Sarah explaining how she puts her interview subjects at ease before the conversation switches to stories from the first week of the WSOP. Chad Eveslage’s two bracelets are discussed as is Doug Polk’s celebratory laps. Dara also attempts to undo Barry Carter’s sabotage of their book launch as the Mystery Millions tournament mints 3 millionaires!

Sarah explains the role of Instant-Media in the media landscape and the mission of Poker.Org as a platform that wants to represent the voices of the players. Pokernews’ WSOP reporting blunders are discussed as is it’s deterioration as a poker media outlet in general.

David expresses his disappointment as disgraced podcaster ‘True Geordie’ signs with GGPoker, Dara talks about streakiness in poker, Sarah calls children tiny serial killers and everyone weighs in on the upcoming Poker Hall Of Fame nominations.

The episode ends with a plug for the UNIBET OPEN BUCHAREST which will take place between November 29th and December 3rd. Satellites for what David predicts will be a record-breaking event are already running on Unibet Poker.

This week, we are locked in and handing out great poker advice with top player and coach Faraz Jaka!

The lads discuss the creeping problem of AI as trainers and solver software pose a long term existential threat to online poker. Meanwhile, Dara talks about his frustration with the limitations of ChatGPT when it fails to help him take the piss out of David.

There is some conversation about GGPoker’s decision to roll back their rake increases and plenty of chat about coaching techniques with players of various standards, the coach/student relationship and Faraz’s upcoming WSOP Prep course.

The episode ends with the lads giving their opinions on how to best suss out +EV sweats and David plugging Unibet’s upcoming live poker partnerships.

This week, we are locked in and wigging out with legendary poker broadcaster and WSOP Circuit ring winner Lon McEachern.

The conversation kicks off with a chat about Lon’s recent WSOP victory which segues to a chat about the WSOP free-to-play app and the broader issue of online poker in America.

Dara and Lon weigh in on David’s article about Odin removing its 20 second delay feature and the possibility that it can now be used as RTA. Dara makes the point that it’s impact is neither a tournament nor low-midstakes issue while Lon grapples with the morality and where the job of policing RTA use lies. There is then some discussion on Daniel Negreanu’s recent allegations against Ali Imsirovic.

The conversation concludes with a results round-up, David plugging the upcoming Unibet Spring Poker Championship Main Event and a ‘Leaky Lon’ tease about his upcoming project with Phil Galfond and poker producer Todd Anderson.

This week, we are locked in and doling out opinions with GPI Poker Information Manager and all round poker media guru Kevin Mathers.

The lads discuss some recent VSO News articles, the first by talented new recruit Jon Pill who asks if Eric Persson is poker’s newest whale. The second article up for dissection is Dara’s piece on the Action Poker Tour. They examine the mission statement of the APT, the brainchild of Irish poker veteran Jason Tompkins.

The conversation then turns to the GPI Global Poker Awards as Kevin, David and Dara all weigh in with their picks, as well as some criticisms of the awards and the omission of certain award categories.

The chat ends with a reminder about the Spring Poker Championship, currently running on Unibet poker and featuring Chess GOAT Magnus Carlsen.

This week the lads are locked in and ballin’ out in the Wynn for the WPT World Championships.

David and Dara are in Las Vegas to meet up with old friends, catch up with acquaintances, watch some football, flick in a Milestone Satellite and then play the $10,400 Main Event!

In the first half, Dara talks about his unplanned layover in London, David talks some hand histories, the guarantee gets obliterated and there’s a surprise appearance by Phil Hellmuth.

In the second half, Dara and David fire bullets in the $1600 Mystery Bounty, the $1K and the $600 Tag-Team Bomb-Pot Double Barrel. They also cross the road to play the $600 event at Resorts World.

After David asks Zoltar to bring them both some run-good, will the lads finish the trip in the black?

This week, the lads are locked in and bursting to get out to Las Vegas for the WPT World Poker Championships at the Wynn! Joining them to recap the latest news and to foreshadow what they can expect in Vegas is the WPT director of media and player communications Lance Bradley.

The trio discuss poker book-writing, poker journalism and the online poker landscape today. They also look at the role that ambassadors and players can play in the content creation space.

Andy Wilson’s impressive WPT Florida victory is broken down before the lads shine a light on some grassroots poker achievements including Paul Carr’s recent hatrick on the Irish Poker Tour.

The main topic of conversation though is the now running WPT festival at the Wynn, the recent star-studded Meet-Up Game and the upcoming WPT $15 million guarantee tournament at the Wynn!

This week, we are locked in and fleshing out all the details of the upcoming WPT Wynn in Las Vegas.

WPT executive tour director Matt stops by to help us discuss the week’s news gossip and scandal but also to shine a light of the record-breaking festival planned for December.

The lads examine the Pokerstars decision to bin podcaster True Geordie after Islamophobic remarks. The conversation is then steered in the direction of the Irish Open which is moving to the RDS and will be sponsored next year by Paddy Power and Pokerstars.

Dara discusses the recent hot streak of Irish players in the online realm, Matt talks about enjoying the sweat of the $15,000,000 guarantee at the Wynn and David asks about the signing of Phil Ivey to the WPT roster.

The episode rounds out with a mention of Unibet Poker as the new ‘Home Of Overlays’ as it’s new nightly schedule offers plenty of value for the players.

This week, we are locked in to the Bonnington Hotel Dublin, oblivious to everything else going on in the poker world.

After trips to London for the UKIPT and Dublin for the International Poker Open (IPO), Dara and David are back at their respective base camps to reflect on a fortnight of poker travel.

The lads talk about the rejuvenated Pokerstars live tours and UKIPT/EPT London specifically where Dara posted his 200th live cash when he came 40th in the UKIPT Main event and 201st when he chopped the EPT Seniors event.

The conversation then segues to the Unibet IPO and former guest Nick O’Hara’s exceptional ring-mastery of the event. The lads analyse two spots with pocket jacks that David faced on his way to a 4th place finish in the Main event.

This week, we are locked in and hanging out with Grosvenor Ambassador Katie Swift.

Over the course of this wide ranging conversation, the trio discuss Robbi Jade Lew’s lie detector text, Garrett Adelstein’s LA Times articles and Thomas Kremser’s controversial return to tournament directing at the Battle of Malta.

Katie talks about her role as host at the upcoming Malta Poker Festival while David and Dara weigh in on the different needs of the recreational poker player to those of the pro.

The upcoming Unibet IPO Dublin is previewed and there is also some chat about the new Unibet Poker schedule which boasts the lowest rake in the industry, more PKOs and bigger guarantees.

This week, the lads are locked in with poker podcaster extraordinaire Joe Ingram. (Joey arrives at the 19 minute mark)

David ‘kicks’ things off by describing the comedy of errors that lead him to break three toes in three separate incidents last week, after which the conversation turns to the subject of grassroots poker.

With the online festivals in full swing, there is a brief results recap and Dara gives his top 3 things not to do if you are putting in a big grind.

It’s then time to welcome special guest Joe Ingram who discusses his interview with alleged cheater Bryn Kenney. Despite the doom and gloom around this story, Joey and Dara find the positives as they paint a hopeful picture for online poker and poker in general.

The topic then shifts to another ‘Poker Life’ interview, this time Joey’s fiery podcast with Ebony Kenney which ended early on a sour note last night. The lads applaud Kenney’s terrific performance at Triton Cyprus and then Joey gives his perspective as to how his interview got derailed, acknowledging some of his own shortcomings while also defending his lines of interrogation in other spots.

Dara and David speak out for moderator Donna Morton who was sadly caught in the crossfire after a comment of hers was misconstrued by Kenney, ultimately leading to Kenney’s walk-off. Joey also weighs in in support of ‘the godmother of UK Poker’.

There is discussion about the purity test double-standards at play as women are made to answer for the misogynistic behaviour of men in their companies before the conversation ultimately turns to Joey and his own life this past year.

Dara speaks about the ambassadorial chops of the big Triton winner Sam Grafton before Joey talks about the challenges of podcasting and his all-in approach to life. He also talks about his new passion for banking, crypto and geo-politics as he wonders if a new chapter of his life could be about to open.

This week, the lads are locked in and shouting out about the upcoming Unibet Online Series - Lightning! They also welcome back to the show their great friend Henry Kilbane.

David kick things off by asking Henry about his recent upswing before delving into the horror story that was the night he lost 80% of his net worth.

The conversation then turns to live-streaming as the the trio analyse the strategies of cash game livestreams, specifically ‘Live at the Bike’ and ‘Hustler Live’ to generate audience interest. Henry weighs in from a commentator’s perspective on the ingredients for a successful cash game stream. There is also some banter about Phil Hellmuth’s inexplicable decision to short-stack a week of cash games billed for him.

Former guest Jack Hardcastle is discussed on the heels of his second GUKPT victory which segues nicely to a chat about grassroots poker, in particular the record-breaking Goliath, the IPT and the Unibet IPO with Dara discussing the importance of poker events aimed at a recreational market.

With shout-outs and call-back galore, the lads finish things off by plugging the upcoming Unibet Online Series Lightning Edition - an 8-day version of the popular online series.

This week, we are locked in and zenned out with Luke ‘Slay’ Vrabel.

The conversation between the lads is a wild ride that starts with the story behind the un-banning of Vrabel from the WSOP and his subsequent cash in the Main Event.

David brings up Dan Zack winning WSOP player of the Year and Shaun Deeb’s unofficial ‘player of the decade’ title before the chat segues to Landon Tice’s bet with Pads Leonard that he cannot leave Ballys for an entire year. Vrabel gives his opinion on bets that make someone miserable while Dara points to the tragedy of a young person sacrificing the 23rd year of their life.

Next is one of the two big stories of the week - GGPoker’s Player Integrity Council banning some cheaters but inviting back others. The lads all weigh in on the make-up of and concept behind the PIC while expressing concerns about GG’s integrity, the possible problem arising from personal biases and Fedor Holz’s involvement with the Odin solver.

Finally, the lads discuss Hustler Casino reneging on their $250,000 guarantee and the aftermath but just as the show is winding down, Vrabel veers the conversation towards the alleged anti-semitism of some high profile poker players, inspiring a brief chat on the nature of internet rabbit-holes and what the community can do.

It will come as no surprise that this is one of our longest ever episodes… but it’s also one of our most entertaining.

This week we are locked in and turfed out of our hotel with Irish poker pro Turlough McHugh.

The show has a WSOP wrap-up theme but the lads kick things off by asking Turlough to tell the story of his nightmare experience when he tested positive for Covid whilst staying in Ballys.

The topic then switches to the positives and negatives of the WSOP’s switch to Bally’s/Paris from the Rio before moving on to ‘the rise of ladies groups’ and an article penned by Dara this week. He elaborates on what he sees as a crucial step forward for women in the game, highlighting the group ‘Herzdamen’ who he believes are going about their business the right way.

From Dara’s recent article to David’s, the subject then changes to Unibet ambassador Magnus Carlsen and his new podcast ‘The Magnus Effect’ in which he dropped a bombshell this week. The lads discuss his decision to withdraw from the world chess championships and ponder his possible move into the poker arena.

Last but not least, the WSOP Main event victory of former guest and former Unibet Poker ambassador Espen Jørstad is discussed in detail. From Espen’s financial woes in the run up to the Series to his bracelet in the Tag-Team event to his breathtaking run to the title, Dara and David weigh in. They also put his final hand under the microscope.

In this wide-ranging discussion ahead of the WSOP Main Event, we talk about time-banking and late registration. We also make some bold predictions.

Dara previews the much anticipated Mystery Bounty event, Kara weighs in on the topic of diversity and there is a deep dive into Kara’s excellent GPI award-nominated podcast ‘The Heart Of Poker’.

Before the trio part ways, Kara gives her best ‘deer in the headlights’ impression as she rehearses fake-freezing up on camera!