Fans of televised poker will be relieved to hear that the popular program “High Stakes Poker” will be returning to GSN in early 2010. While there has yet to be an official announcement from the network, Poker News Daily has learned that the show will be filming new episodes in November that will begin airing in February of next year.
Barry Greenstein first let the cat out of the bag during an interview on the ESPN poker show “Inside Deal” back in August, saying that “High Stakes Poker’s” production company, Poker PROductions, was planning to assemble players for filming in October and November. Eric Drache said much of the same in an interview on the TwoPlusTwo Pokercast, saying they would convene players after filming concludes on another PokerPROductions vehicle, “Poker After Dark.” With most of the players spending the next couple of weeks at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe and European Poker Tour (EPT) London stop, it will be a little while before players will return to Las Vegas, where filming will once again take place.
Poker News Daily can independently confirm that “High Stakes Poker” will return for Season 6 in February, 2010. The quick announcement of “High Stakes Poker’s” newest season stands out in stark contrast to the long delay between Season 4 and Season 5 in which the future of the show looked uncertain. Rumors swirled that a change in management at GSN meant the show, which performs well in male demographics, but fares worse with the female audience that watches other GSN shows, was not going to return. The cancellation of the World Poker Tour (WPT) on GSN cemented the belief that “High Stakes Poker” was done, but a last minute announcement in September of last year revealed the show would be back for a fifth season.
That fifth season aired earlier this year and was best known for numerous pots involving online poker pro Tom “durrrr” Dwan. Greenstein discussed two of the most memorable hands from the season during his “Inside Deal” interview. The first was a three-way pot involving Dwan, 2008 WSOP Main Event Champion Peter Eastgate, and Greenstein. Dwan flopped the worst hand, but his aggressive play managed to get Greenstein to fold pocket aces and Eastgate to fold trips in order to take down the pot. The other big pot also involved Dwan, Greenstein, and pocket aces. Greenstein and Dwan got it all-in on the flop, with Greenstein holding pocket aces to Dwan’s top pair of queens with a flush draw. Dwan hit trip queens to take down the biggest pot in “High Stakes Poker” history, worth almost $920,000.
Despite Greenstein’s rough go of it last season, he is up for the challenge once again and is already plotting his signature charity catchphrase. Previously, Greenstein has uttered phrases like “lol donkaments” on the show in order to raise money for his charity of choice, Children’s Incorporated. Greenstein told “Inside Deal” hosts Laura Lane and Bernard Lee that he is aiming to use one of the latest online poker catchphrases, “Bing, Blang, Blaow” at some point during Season Six. The phrase comes from a comical poker rap that is circulating the web via viral video and Greenstein aims to capitalize on its popularity to raise even more money for a good cause.
It will be a few months before we will see exactly how Greenstein will work “Bing, Blang, Blaow” into the upcoming season and which other top-of-the-line poker pros will be around, but in the meantime, those hankering for a televised cash game fix can tune into this week’s episodes of “Poker After Dark.” As mentioned previously, the show is also produced by Poker PROductions and this week’s game features a line-up of some prior “High Stakes Poker” favorites like Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, Dwan, Eli Elezra, Howard Lederer, and Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies.
The show is a weak reflection of what it used to be, simply because they dumped A.J. Benza. There’s such a thing as great chemistry, and he and Gabe Kaplan had it. Putting Gabe in the booth by himself results in a flat, unfunny show.
Gabe needs a straightman to be effective. He just seems to blather on when it is just him speaking. The show is not good so far this year.
I have loved HSP ever since I saw episodes from season 2. AJ and Gabe were great. When I heard the producers were replacing AJ with Kara, I was sad but a lady sidekick would draw the female audience. But what the HELL!! Hiring Kara for the interviews which seem to be done after the session, unlike PAD where they do it right after the hand is over has NO EFFECT ON HAVING A.J. OR NOT HAVING A.J. IN THE BOOTH. AND LET ME SAY HSP SEASON 6 MIGHT HAVE THE BEST LINEUP EVER WHICH THE RETARDED PRODUCERS KEEP POINTING OUT. HSP SEASON 6 IS LAME AND DRY WITHOUT A.J. IN THE BOOTH TO ASK A QUESTION OR LAUGH AT GABE’S JOKES.
DEAR GSN, YOU SCREWED UP ON SEASON 6, MAKE THINGS RIGHT AND BRING A.J. BACK FOR THE SECOND HALF OF SEASON 6 OR SEASON 7. THE POKER COMMUNITY IMPLORES YOU TO SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE AND BRING A.J. BACK!!
I agree, we need AJ back.
benza and caplan were week host period fans commenting on the twosome being funny r u kidding commenting on the cards is there job along with thoughts on how the hand was played or could or should hav been played the comedy comes in with the presance of matewso gavin smith jenn harmon phil gordon scotty ngwyuen gowen all non playing jerks at the table kara is vibrant knowledgeable attractive and a player nice addition
Dumping A J Benza is like NBC replacing Jay Leno with Conan OBrian. How sad; the show has taken on a subdued lackluster tone. Is there no hope of correcting this obvious mistake; or, did Gabe ask GSN to drop A J? I sure hope not.
I heard AJ threw a punch at Gabe
AJ was certainly not the Harry Caray of poker announcers, but God is Gabe Kaplan bad and he was still horrible when AJ was there. Listening to the first episode I’ve seen of the season thus far and you’ve got Gabe criticizing the table players for too much talk.
Listen man,
1. If anyone at the table has a problem with it they’ll speak up. These ain’t shy guys here.
2. It makes for great tv, to hear these guys razzing each other between and during hands.
3. Mr. Kotter, if you were any kind of good, you’d be out there with them.
GSN really blew it keeping this joker around. Could make for a real long season.
March 14, 2010
GSN, you need AJ back the show was great with the poker knowledge and humor between the these two announcers. The best part was the start and finish of comments between these two
individuals. Why mess with a winning combination?
i loved watching high stakes poker and this season has no sizzle! gabe needs a side- kick! get it right for season 7!!
Watch HSP all the time. Good show. Lacks some pazzaz now. But, where is all the money coming from. I realize their getting paid to play. But, how much money is their own. Or are they getting sponsered, playing with someone’s else’s money.
What is everyone complaining about AJ?
Their conversations where silly and predictable, and it was embarassing even listening to it.
Concerning poker and the players, it is actualy very fun, there are good active players, and their conversations are fun to hear.
I am enjoying this season much more then the time it was silent all the time at the table and it had to be compensated by 2 people talking silly shit.
It’s a poker show, not an stand up comedian act.
Hello, can someone tell me, where can I watch Highstakes Poker season 6 ? I found it on Youtube with first group of players but I can’t find next shows. I’m slow at using internet, so link would be nice if anyone know. Would be thankful for help.
Stifas,
There’s a site called PokerTube.com that might be able to help. It contains several top poker shows shortly after they air. Thanks for reading Poker News Daily.com.
Like everyone else, my husband and I loved watching AJ and Gabe narrate High Stakes Poker. We love Gabe but, just like Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten who are terrific, he is better with AJ.
Another one of my complaints is where are all the great players? We adored and love watching Daniel Negraneau, and all the other players from previous seasons. Where is Sammy Fahra, Jennifer Harmon, and both the Brunson’s, etc. Now those were great High Stakes Poker games when those guys were in the game. If Daniel ever leaves, my husband and I will not watch High Stakes Poker again, period. So bring back all the great players and keep adding the new ones like Phil Ivey and Dwan. We love watching them gamble too.
Bring AJ back
Gabe Kaplan is horrible, he thinks he knows everything about poker but anyone can act like they are experts when you can see everyones hand……oh and how corny is he, terrible poker host and commentator, send him back to Welcome Back Cotter……I put my TV on mute to watch just so I don’t have to hear him anymore!!