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BGonline.org Forums
OT - YouTube Poker Vlogs
Posted By: Stick
Date: Friday, 15 December 2023, at 10:03 p.m.
We semi recently had a post covering some of the Backgammon YouTube channels so why not poker?
There are far too many poker channels to list in general so what I'll be covering (and what I watch) are personal channels meaning no channels of live streams or rooms who stream play for hours on end, no channels of the WPT or WSOP or PS or Hustler Live or etc...these are people who play varying stakes, record their sessions to some extent, then create a video with what they think are the interesting bits of their session for a generally 20-40 minute video. These are all NL hold em cash players/videos unless otherwise stated. (though some of them obv toss in the occasional tournament videos)
He's been doing it for around 4 years now and he went from playing the lowest casino stakes of $1/$2 or $1/$3 clear up to the nosebleeds. The reason I like his videos aren't because of the stakes but that he actually executes what he believes. A lot of streamers will say things like "I could have AA or KK here and played it the same way" when in reality they're fooling themselves. I've watched all their videos and they'd never play it that way which makes their in game line ridiculous. He's also action/aggressive and just generally, in my opinion, plays well for how the high stakes need to be approached. Also, he doesn't go too into the weeds on analyzing hands. (no charts or GTO callouts)
FWIW he has 148k subscribers.
Brad Owen's channel is another player who has risen from the wee stakes of donk poker to the bigger games. He's been doing it about 7 years. Brad really works on his commentary to provide some references and humor that I appreciate. He's the reason afaik that "jiggities" became a popular way to refer to pocket jacks. Watching his game over the years you really could see it grow and come to fruition. For most people, I think he comes off as very relatable and that's one of the many reasons for his popularity.
FWIW he has 703k subscribers.
Andrew Neeme's channel has also been running for around 7 years. In reality, any poker player who has decent editing and the poker is half way decent I'll probably watch if I have time. Nothing sticks out as excellence in Neeme's videos but there's nothing to complain about either.
FWIW he has 193k subscribers.
This proves that I'll even watch poker of people who get on my nerves. He's only been at it a couple of years. (though it feels like longer) Personally I don't really care to know much about the lives of the people I'm watching. I'd rather not have half the video taken up with details of your life, I just want to see interesting poker hands. I know not everyone feels the same so it's understandable most poker players include some personal stuff during the intro or outro. I skip that entirely most of the time.
Somehow with Lex I know he used to be a wrestler and the new Audi he bought and why he wears sunglasses during streams and little dog and etc...idk if I get bad beat watching his videos in the shower so I can't really skip through them or what but it's info I wish I didn't have. There are so many things that bother me about him and his game I'll take this time for a short rant.
First, as mentioned above, he's one of the players who will get to a spot in a hand and decide to make a play and kind of backtrack into how he could have other hands in this spot that he would have played this way when in fact...no way, no how, that would never happen. I am not so secretly happy when these players get called down and lose because their line makes no sense.
Secondly, the sunglasses. Many little things go into making me feel how I do about Lex as a person and his game. If it was one or two things it could easily be overlooked but it's the constant barrage of minor annoyances. The sunglasses during streams come off as super douche. He has tried to say that the lights bother him during the streams but then he takes them on and off liberally and only wears them when he's in big hands sometimes so that excuse doesn't hold a lot of water.
Thirdly, he gets tilted easily. If you actually get tilted easily either you're playing for stakes you probably shouldn't be playing for or you're weak minded and should get that fixed. I sometimes think if the valet was full when Lex got to the casino that might tilt him. He isn't always the most realistic about whether it was a bad beat or not, whether he's getting unlucky or playing poorly.
Have the opportunity to go on tilt is just that, an opportunity. When I used to play I'd play super long sessions and was hyper aware of my image. When I lost a big one or was losing in general I would make a point to come off as tilted in order to take advantage of that if the situation arose for me to do so which it often does. (overbets/pre flop shoves etc... are the easiest examples when you have a virtual lock on the hand) It's not hard for me to pull off because I'm always annoyed at the game, much like backgammon, but I'm never on tilt.
Fourthly, his grammar gets on my last nerve. No one has perfect grammar, no one is expected to, but I think it's safe to say we all try to patch the big holes if we're made aware of the mistakes we're making. Not only does he sometimes use the wrong terminology such as "the guy re-raised me" when all that happened is it went bet + raise (you can't have a *re-raise without someone else having already raised) but the plural form of certain expressions doesn't exist in his world. A lot of people do this, especially conversationally, and it annoys me. What can I say?
Lex: There's five of us to the flop. Me: Bangs head against wall.
It's all the time. Ok, rant on hold.
FWIW he has 58k subscribers.
No secret it's nice to see a friendly bubbly female in the mix. I've always wondered why there isn't more female representation in the poker vlogging world as I think it's a relatively untapped market. She's also only been on the scene about two years. She hasn't yet ascended much in stakes but she works at her game. Her boyfriend is a higher stakes player and sometimes releases videos on her channel.
She still seems pretty excited about poker which is refreshing as I think it's hard to maintain excitement over a game for an extended period of time. She's also chatty at least in comparison to your average male poker player so her tables are a little more talkative and not as stuffy. It feels more real I'm sure for a lot of folks as she's playing regular stakes and getting excited over wins that could be a straddle in the nosebleed stakes.
FWIW she has 38k subscribers.
Hey guys, it's your boy Ethan ...if you know, you know. Rampage has created a brand for himself over the approximately five years he's been going at it. Rampage is definitely on the more fun side to watch than some of the other players. He makes some moves when he shouldn't be making moves. Sometimes it works, sometimes he punts.
I feel Rampage has been rather lucky over the years in how he runs, especially tournaments, but people don't realize how long short term luck can last on the poker tournament scene when you don't play many. (or backgammon) He is welcomed into the high stakes games and has been playing them for a bit now because he's action. I'm sure his channel/YT vids, clothing line, etc...help fund his poker splashing around.
FWIW he has 273k subscribers
BANG!. He's been going 4 years now and I can see the need in the market for his vlogs. He's younger and brings a type of hype frat boy type to the game. Sometimes it's a bit over the top for my tastes but it's palatable. Travels often to play places other than your standard Vegas, Texas, California games and will indulge in the booze as needed.
FWIW he has 1.07 million subscribers! (I had never looked at how many subs these people have til now and I'm both surprised and not surprised)
Unlike almost all of the other people on this list, Ben has a day job. He's a local weatherman so he's used to being in front of the camera. Even though he has been at it around 5 years I don't feel like he gets the YT love he deserves because he's playing regular stakes, obviously can't post videos that often having a busy life, plays mainly local games.
He has a decent sense of humor and since he plays at the same establishment that isn't Vegas he has incorporated some of the people in his game into the videos along with the staff.
FWIW he has 33k subscribers.
Next streamer of note ... (again, if you know you know). Also on the 5 year trajectory, he has his own distinct style and voice. He isn't that great of a player which explains why he's still in the lower stakes. Still, that's one of the reasons I watch these. I like to see players of all levels and their thinking mainly so if I do decide to play again I'll still be a step ahead of the game. I did play once this year. Thanks Raj!
FWIW he has 17k subscribers
The only person on the list I've actively stopped watching. He plays lower stakes probably maxing out ever at $5/$10. I stopped watching because there are so many hours in the day and as you can tell I watch a ton of poker. His videos were dry, not entertaining in the least, and his poker game is ugh. He often puts his opponents on too specific of a hand. Still, maybe it's for someone else. Not my cup of tea so I included him.
FWIW he has 9k subscribers
More of the young poker while you party vibe. It's three players who have been posting for three years. Truth be told I don't watch them much at all any more unless I"m in desperate need of a video to kill time but again, I can see the appeal they might have for some.
He's one of the newer finds in my YT poker videos. I haven't watched many of his videos but I expect to click on some in the future. From what I've seen they seem decent. He's been at it on YT for around 2 years.
FWIW he has 106k subscribers.
These last two I'm going to toss in the mix even though they don't fit the criteria of what I said in the intro. The first is Doug Polk
I put Doug in the mix mainly because backgammon desperately needs a Doug. Someone who does a channel to keep the community in the know on all happenings backgammon. The issue with backgammon of course is there isn't nearly as much material to cover. Also, the community is so small people don't like releasing stories/details when they happen because generally some unpleasant consequences come along with that.
Doug rarely posts any more and when he does it's news, not poker hands (or Polker hands). Still, when I see a DP video I click immediately. He has been at it for 7 years and somehow only has 400k subscribers.
Lastly I'll stick in Bart Hanson at CLP
While CLP is a teaching site and all that comes along with that, Bart regularly takes call in hands and goes over them. He also audibly goes over the hand so if you're watching while driving or doing other things you don't have to look at the screen. Entertaining even if he disagrees with me too often. (that means at all, ever, obvi) CLP has 91k subscribers.
Feel free to add anyone else if you have them. There aren't that many PLO streamers but I'll add them in if anyone wants. Also, some of these streamers have created a second channel that will have highlights or more tuned to their daily life etc...I didn't feel the need to include these. (I don't want anyone's second channel)
Stick
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