Everybody loves a poker underdog story, which is one purpose for the recognition of the PokerStars Massive Sport. The PokerStars Massive Sport pitted a rank novice, often called the Free Cannon, in opposition to 5 skilled gamers and poker celebrities over 150 fingers of high-stakes No-Restrict Maintain’em.
PokerStars staked the unfastened cannon with $100,000, with the novice participant holding all winnings in extra of this preliminary quantity. The best-earning unfastened cannon on the finish of every season received a North American Poker Tour (NAPT) passport price $50,000. Sadly, the Massive Sport that we knew and liked ceased present in 2011 following poker’s “Black Friday” and with the NAPT ceasing operation.
In October 2023, PokerStars introduced it was relaunching the favored present below the identify The PokerStars Massive Sport on Tour. The format modified barely, with PokerStars staking unfastened cannons for $50,000 as a substitute of $100,000 and the blinds decreasing to a nonetheless nosebleed $100/$200.
PokerStars North America Vice President Steve Preiss was delighted to see the Massive Sport return to our screens.
“The Massive Sport was probably the most beloved poker applications of all time. As we proceed our concentrate on creating the perfect poker content material, re-imagining and re-launching The Massive Sport was a no brainer. The Massive Sport on Tour will deliver a stage of play tat hardcore followers anticipate from poker content material, however we additionally will seize the journey from begin to end of our Free Cannon in a manner that hopefully reaches new audiences as properly.”
PokerStars’ Steve Preiss Talks About Bringing The Massive Sport Again to Life
The Massive Sport on Tour Returns to Our Screens
The Massive Sport on Tour was filmed in the course of the 2023 version of the NAPT Las Vegas pageant and aired on Fox Sports activities 1 in Could 2024. The primary episode noticed Workforce Pokerstars’ Lex Veldhuis, 17-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, Alan Keating, Jennifer Tilly, and actress Arden Cho battle it out with the Free Cannon, Nikki Limo.
Limo is a podcast host and novice comic whose audition for the present was liked by the judges. Limo bought off to a flying begin, hitting a king-high straight on the river which Keating paid off, and Limo’s stack soared to $61,400.
Veldhuis was the primary episode’s greatest winner, thanks partly to discovering himself on the correct aspect of a flush over flush state of affairs with Keating, and with Tilly unable to put down her journeys.
Episode 1 ended with the gamers having performed 31 of the scheduled 150 fingers, and with Veldhuis having fun with a $118,900 revenue. Tilly was the following greatest winner with $66,900 adopted by the unfastened canon with $27,200. Hellmuth posted a $4,300 loss, Cho misplaced a full $50,000 buy-in, whereas Keating was left nursing a $158,700 gap in his bankroll.
Six Issues We Realized From The Massive Sport on Tour Episode 1
The Hellmuth Present
The second episode of The Massive Sport on Tour was all about Hellmuth. The “Poker Brat” performed some wonderful poker and made a number of powerful calls, ending the episode with a $49,800 revenue.
A piece of that revenue got here from the unfastened cannon’s stack. Limo opened to $900 on the button with 9♣8♥, and Hellmuth referred to as within the massive blind with J♦10♠. Hellmuth checked in the dead of night and the seller fanned the 7♥5♣J♥ flop. Limo continued with a $500 wager earlier than calling Hellmuth’s $1,200 check-raise. Hellmuth led for $2,000 on the 4♠ flip, just for Limo to lift to $6,000. Hellmuth referred to as, resulting in the 4♣ touchdown on the river.
After Hellmuth checked, Limo determined to fireplace one other shot on the pot, making it $10,000 to go. Limo even appropriately referred to as out Hellmuth’s hand, stating, “I believe you have got jack-ten. May I fold you off jack-ten?” The reply was no, as Hellmuth made one other spectacular name.
Phil Hellmuth Performs Close to Flawless Poker on Episode 2 of the PokerStars Massive Sport
Lex Loses Massive
Veldhuis went into Episode 3 having amassed $83,200 revenue from 60 fingers and looking out like operating away with the competitors. Nonetheless, what the Poker Gods giveth, they typically taketh, too.
The Dutch star clashed with Keating in a large pot that worn out his whole revenue in a single fell swoop. Keating opened to $900 with pocket sevens, Hellmuth elected to name along with his ace-king, and Veldhuis got here alongside for the experience with Okay♦4♦. The flop fell 2♣7♥3♦, Keating led out, Hellmuth bought out of the best way, however Veldhuis raised to $9,000 on a stone-cold bluff. Keating referred to as along with his prime set, and the flip got here the Okay♥. Veldhuis check-called Keating’s $19,000 wager solely to see Keating jam all-in on the J♠ river, overlaying Veldhuis’ $103,900 stack.
“I stated I used to be going to both win the most important pot of my life in opposition to you, or lose most likely.” The latter was true, as Veldhuis referred to as and was proven a set, sending the $266,700 pot to Keating.
Veldhuis went from resulting in ending the episode in a $130,000 gap. Limo, the unfastened cannon, discovered herself with simply $300 revenue with 88 fingers and two episodes remaining.
Lex Veldhuis Loses Over $200k On Newest Episode of the Massive Sport
Tilly Crushes Keating
The fourth episode was dominated by an enormous pot involving Tilly and the uber-loose Keating. Tilly raised with queen-jack, Cho three-bet to $3,200, and Keating referred to as with Okay♦10♦. Tilly put in calling chips, and the flop fell 9♦J♥3♥. Cho and Keating checked, Tilly wager $6,000 which folded out Cho however Keating raised to $24,000. Tilly referred to as, and the seller positioned the 8♥ on the flip. Keating fired a $35,000 wager however could not shake Tilly. The two♥ river put 4 hearts on the board, and Tilly held the Q♥ Keating wager $82,000, which seemed to have received the pot, however Tilly talked herself right into a name. Keating seemed on in disbelief as Tilly raked in a $292,500 pot, the most important of the Massive Sport on Tour to this point.
Jennifer Tilly Crushes Alan Keating In The Massive Sport On Tour Episode 4
Limo Loses Her Stack
Episode 5 solely had 22 fingers scheduled, so Limo was operating out of time to show a big revenue. She began the episode with $9,400 revenue, and wasted little time in making an attempt to run up her stack.
In a wierd flip of occasions, Keating pulled out of the present whereas down $314,500. Griffin Benger changed him for the ultimate 22 fingers, sitting down with $50,000.
Limo misplaced a piece of her stack in a four-way pot the place she fired a $25,000 wager on the river having turned a king-high flush solely to appropriately fold to Tilly’s shove; Tilly had an ace-high flush.
Limo and Tilly clashed once more quickly after, operating it twice on a 6♦Q♥7♥4♣ board, Tilly holding 6♥5♥ and Limo Q♦8♣. The women ended up splitting the pot after catching playing cards on the river.
The unfastened cannon break up one other pot that she ran twice earlier than getting her stack again as much as a little bit greater than $25,000. Limo bought her stack in with Okay♥10♦ in opposition to Tilly’s A♣Okay♠, and Tilly’s ace-high was sufficient to win the pot and get rid of the unfastened cannon.
Earlier than Limo’s last hand, the most important pot of the season performed out, one price $399,200! Cho opened to $600 from below the gun, Benger three-bet to $2,200, Tilly referred to as within the massive blind, and Cho additionally referred to as. The motion folded to Benger on the 6♥5♠4♠ flop and he wager $2,500, Tilly referred to as, however Cho raised to $6,900. Cho’s wager folded out Benger, however Tilly caught in one other elevate, this time to $30,000, which Cho referred to as.
The 9♣ flip noticed each Tilly and Cho examine, resulting in the 5♣ river. Tilly, who had 6♦6♣ within the gap, which was now a full home, wager $35,000. Cho paused earlier than transferring all-in, which Tilly referred to as. Cho turned over 5♥5♦ for quads, and the large $399,200 pot was hers.
Nikki Limo Ends Her Free Cannon Run With A Massive Gamble In The Massive Sport
Finish of The Massive Sport on Tour Season 1 Outcomes (Episodes 1-5)
Hartigan Talks Participant Dynamics and “Holy Shit” Moments as The Massive Sport on Tour Returns
A New Forged Takes to the Felt
Episodes 6-10 of The Massive Sport on Tour featured a brand new solid of gamers, together with unfastened cannon Lily Newhouse. Workforce PokerStars’ Sam Grafton joined Newhouse on the desk, as did Girls in Poker Corridor of Famer Maria Ho, Phil Laak, Las Vegas entrepreneur Dave Korsky, and actor and comic Michael Ian Black.
Ho was pressured to rebuy fairly early on after she bought her $50,000 buy-in into the center with a set of fives, solely to find Black had flopped a set of nines. Ho received a piece again in opposition to Laak however nonetheless completed Episode 6 on the backside of the standings with a $33,500 loss.
The unfastened cannon additionally booked a loss, one among $29,000. Newhouse flopped prime pair prime kicker together with her ace-king in a pot in opposition to Grafton, who had flopped a set of jacks. Newhouse improved to journey aces as Grafton stuffed up. Gratfon took most of Newhouse’s stack, leaving her with simply $14,000, though she recovered barely earlier than time was referred to as on proceedings.
Solely Ian Black ($69,100) and Grafton ($25,800) completed within the inexperienced.
5 Issues You Missed From The Return of the Massive Sport on Tour
The Krosky Present
Las Vegas furnishings mogul Krosky stole the present on Episode 7 of The Massive Sport on Tour, overturning his $23,200 loss and ending with $45,700 revenue. A lot of Krosky chips used to belong to Grafton.
Krosky accomplished a hat-trick of wins over the favored British professional. First, Krosky’s five-four backed into the nuts after Grafton had flopped center set. Grafton would doubtless have been stacked had Krosky not tapped the desk twice whereas contemplating his river wager dimension. Krosky’s actions have been thought of a examine, and Grafton was let off the hook in an $11,800 pot.
Within the subsequent hand, Graton flopped center set once more, this time with pocket fives, just for Krosky’s suited five-three to show a wheel. Krosky managed to get Grafton to pile the cash in, and a $108,400 pot went to Krosky.
Ho then received a large pot in opposition to Laak, who had turned a set of queens just for a king on the river to enhance Ho’s ace-jack to a Broadway straight.
The episode ended with Ho prime of the three with $50,800 revenue from the 2 periods. Free cannon Newhouse clawed again some losses, however was nonetheless in a $17,100 gap.
Beginner Participant Dave Krosky Steals the Highlight in Episode 7 of The Massive Sport on Tour
Did Grafton Nitroll Newhouse?
Newhouse was concerned in additional massive pots on the eighth episode of the collection. Newhouse additionally revealed that she battled breast most cancers in 2018, enduring 12 rounds of chemotherapy over 5 months. The expertise has had a profound impression on her; she now follows her passions and desires, which is among the causes she was hitting the Massive Sport on Tour tables.
The unfastened cannon raked in a $12,600 pot early doorways however then misplaced a hand to Grafton by which the opposite gamers accused him of nitrolling; you determine. Newhouse opened to $700 with A♣Q♣ and referred to as when Grafton three-bet to $2,100 with A♠A♦. On the Okay♦Q♠2♠ flop, Newhouse check-called a $1,700 wager earlier than check-calling a $2,500 wager on the A♥ flip. The 8♠ accomplished the board and Newhouse led out for $5,500. Grafton went deep into the tank earlier than making the decision.
Grafton instructed the cameras behind the scenes that he felt she wasn’t bluffing and that in the event that they thought it was a nit roll, he was responsible as charged.
Later within the session, Newhouse fired on all three streets of the Okay♣Q♦3♦2♠7♣ board and acquired calls on the flop and switch from Grafton and Laak. Her $8,800 wager on the river with ace-king went uncalled, and Newhouse’s stack climbed to $49,300.
Free Cannon Lily Newhouse Shares Her Most cancers Survivor Story in Episode 8 of The Massive Sport on Tour
Grafton Forces Ho Off Aces
PokerStars’ Grafton ended the earlier episode $3,100 down however completed Episode 9 $35,000 to the great. A lot of Grafton’s revenue got here on the ultimate hand of the night time when he opened to $600 within the cutoff with 5♦4♦. Ho three-bet to $1,800 with A♥A♣ on the button, Grafton referred to as, and the flop got here down Okay♠10♣4♣. Grafton check-raised Ho’s $1,500 wager to $5,500, however Ho caught round. He then led out for $7,500 on the 9♠ flip however could not shake off Ho. The J♣ river noticed Grafton make it $20,000 to go, and that was sufficient for Ho to relinquish what was the perfect hand.
Can Sam Grafton Bluff Maria Ho Off Aces in The Massive Sport on Tour?
Free Cannon Banks Largest Revenue!
The ultimate episode of the primary season of The Massive Sport on Tour was one to recollect for unfastened cannon Newhouse. After sitting down with an $8,700 gap in her stack, Newhouse finally completed with $105,800 in entrance of her, that means she’d profited to the tune of $55,800, probably the most of any of her opponents.
Newhouse received a $23,700 pot with pocket sevens on a 9♦9♣4♦J♠5♥ board after Krosky bought a little bit too frisky along with his A♠3♥. She additionally received a $1,000 bonus from Krosky after appropriately predicting he would wager a small $300 on the flip as he had accomplished a number of time in earlier episodes.
An enormous pot ensued late into the episode that propelled Newhouse to the highest of the standings. It began with a $400 straddle from Newhouse, a name from Krosky within the small blind with 9♦7♥, and a examine from Newhouse holding 3♣2♣. Krosky flopped two pair on the 9♣6♦4♣ flop, and he wager $1,500, which Newhouse referred to as. Krosky wager $5,000 on the 6♣ flip, Newhouse raised to $12,500 and snap-called when Krosky jammed for $52,800.
The pair agreed to run the river 4 instances, and Newhouse received all 4 runouts, and the $109,800 pot went to her.
Can the Free Cannon Flip a Revenue in The Massive Sport on Tour Season Finale?
Finish of The Massive Sport on Tour Season 1 Outcomes (Episodes 6-10)
Massive Names Locked In For Season 2
Following the success of The Massive Sport on Tour’s returning season, a second season has already been filmed and is ready to air in early 2025.
4-time Tremendous Bowl champion Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski was one of many first stellar names that PokerStars introduced. Sports activities media persona Nick Wright, Mr VPIP himself Alan Keating, Workforce PokerStars’ Lex Veldhuis, and the one and solely Antonio Esfandiari will be part of Gronkowski and the yet-to-be-announced Free Cannons for an additional season of The Massive Sport on Tour.
As is normally the case, PokerNews is your one-stop store for every little thing The Massive Sport on Tour associated, so hold your browsers locked to our pages.
Matthew Pitt
Senior Editor
