Poker In The Ears

After reading a few random tweets, and working their way through some suggestions for grandparent names for Joe’s mum and dad, the boys “Activate the HOLPOPE!” Neil Johnson is on the show to discuss a BIG change to #EPTLive in Monaco (the interview/announcement starts at around the 15-minute mark). James and Joe recap their weekend playing the UKIPT London Cup at the Hippodrome, with some fun stories and interesting hand histories, and Joe talks about his deep run in a tournament on PokerStars NJ in a genuine edition of ‘Adventures in Online Poker’. There’s a quick review of the last EPT 11 Grand Final TV show. And Zuly Bonilla from NYC competes for some “Chop Pot” goodies in a highbrow edition of ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. #EPTNotLive

James is back from holiday and Joe is back in the UK, ahead of the UKIPT London Cup. There’s a lot of tweets for the boys to reply to, before they review the most recent episodes of the EPT 11 Grand Final. They’re joined (finally!) by Ludovic Geilich, who made a deep run in last year’s tournament. He breaks down a number of key hands featured in the TV shows. James and Joe talk about the nominations for the European Poker Awards, having both “served” as members of the nominating panel. And the podcast’s resident video games, testing Sean Trembath from Saskatoon on his knowledge of SNES in ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. #EPTNotLive

Joe continues to enjoy the LA lifestyle, although he’s starting to feel the pinch (as revealed in an impromptu game of ‘How Much Does It Cost?’). Jason Mercier joins the boys to talk about his deep run in last year’s EPT Grand Final – as documented in the latest TV episode – and his experience of playing on PokerStars in New Jersey. James is shocked (in a good way) at how many people have qualified for Monaco via Spin & Gos. Joe has some great stories about Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Hellmuth from a recent TV shoot in Las Vegas. And, after listening to this week’s edition of ‘Superfan vs Stapes’, you’ll probably conclude that Sam Worger from Sheffield regrets choosing ‘Friends’ as his specialist subject! James and Joe are taking a short Easter break. The next episode of #EPTNotLive will be released on Thursday 7th April 2016.

Joe has a new home in Los Angeles, and is desperate to sub-let his apartment in Jersey City. Talking of New Jersey, Lee Jones makes his first ever appearance on #EPTNotLive to discuss the imminent launch of PokerStars in the Garden State. The boys also talk to Jason Somerville, who’s in NJ for a month of Twitching. And there’s more Twitch chat, the podcast to relive the highs (flying nuts) and lows (sound issues) of the recent #EPTLive Home Game. In the ‘TV Recap’, James and Joe talk about the third episode of the EPT 11 Grand Final, and the perils of shooting at sea. Plus, Aiden Dunne from Calgary competes for a Step C ticket and a T-shirt in a slightly different version of ‘Superfan vs Stapes’.

Joe Stapleton is in the closet. Literally. He whispers his way through the show, as he broadcasts from his temporary “home” in Los Angeles. The boys kick things off with a major Social Media Beef, before breaking down the first two episodes of the EPT 11 Grand Final (available to watch at pokerstars.tv). These TV shows feature a random Craig David gag, and showcase the talents of Ole Schemion, Maria Ho and Ludovic Geilich – who was booked to appear as the guest on this week’s podcast, but never showed up. There’s a reminder of the Club ID and Invitation Code for the #EPTLive Home Game Club, plus a preview of the UKIPT London festival, before Lucas Summers demonstrates his knowledge of ‘Back to the Future’ in ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. #EPTNotLive

Although, in the run-up to this week's recording, Stapes went missing, and Matt was on stand-by to play the role of Uncle Daddy! Luckily, Hartigan’s journalistic skills saved the day. After kicking things off with a few post-Dublin anecdotes - including James’s near–death experience and an update on Matt’s mouth - Joe recalls the glamour and glitz of the American Poker Awards and talks about his work as a “seat filler” during the ceremony. There are details of the forthcoming #EPTLive Home Game, including the all-important Club ID and Invitation Code. Plus, find out if Teun van Dijk from The Netherlands is a Muggle or a Wizard in a Harry Potter-themed edition of ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. And the show concludes with the boys’ (delayed) review of ‘Deadpool’. #EPTNotLive

James, Joe and Matt are back on location, and bring you some tidbits from their trip to Dublin. There’s also a leftover anecdote from the PCA involving Matt’s mouth, while Joe’s accidental use of “only” instead of “mostly” sparks one of the most ridiculously over-the-top spats in #EPTNotLive history. This podcast also features some excerpts from the ‘Stapleton Sex Tape’, Joe’s ‘Adventures in Online Poker’, and details of the first ever EPT Live Home Game on Thursday 10th March. Plus, Feargal Moore, aka: ‘The Bananas Guy’, competes in a Tarantino-themed edition of ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. (This is the audio version of the show that first aired on #EPTLive from Dublin.)

It’s the EPT Dublin Preview Show! Ahead of their trip to the Irish capital for seven days of live streaming on PokerStars.tv, James and Joe look ahead to the latest European Poker Tour festival. They’re joined by Max Silver, a Dublin resident who won the UKIPT Main Event there in 2010. This week’s episode also features a couple of rants from James (one of them directed at Daniel Negreanu) and the sorry tale of how Joe’s late-night “antics” have resulted in a major dispute with his next door neighbour. It’s fair to say that ‘Superfan vs Stapes’ doesn’t go according to plan. But, thanks to the reluctant participation of Paul the TV producer, Joe is able to compete in a game of ‘Lord of the Rings’ trivia. #EPTNotLive

James and Joe haven’t been anywhere, and their TV shows aren’t currently on the air, but they still have plenty to talk about. There was a great response to last week’s podcast, so James empties the Social Media Mailbox, before Randy Lew (aka: Nanonoko) joins the boys from Melbourne to discuss the Aussie Millions. Randy worked alongside Jason Somerville on the insanely popular Twitch stream from the event, and offers his thoughts on whether #EPTLive should be cards up or cards down. There’s a rundown of the #StarsFun activities planned for EPT Dublin, while Joe treats us to some ‘Too Hot for TV’ behind-the-scenes chat from the PCA 2016 Invitational. And Javier from Mexico demonstrates how much he knows about ‘Breaking Bad’ in ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. Want to appear on the show? Please tweet your Superfan application, including your specialist subject. #EPTNotLive

Once again, Joe is Stateside and James is in London. The boys discuss the nominees for the 2016 American Poker Awards (Joe is up for Presenter of the Year), and over-analyse some of the categories and selections. After a humorous take on the guy who played poker at his own funeral, Joe recaps his recent stand-up gig in New Jersey. Among the invited guests was 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Greg Merson. He’s also the guest on this week’s podcast: reviewing Joe’s comedy show, talking about being a poker ambassador, and taking part in one of the most random quizzes ever featured on the show. Finally, Sean McCaffrey from Northern Ireland aims to win a Step C ticket and a T-shirt by identifying ‘Game of Thrones’ quotations in ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. #EPTNotLive

For the third show in a row, James and Joe. There’s a look back at PCA 2016, including tales of things that happened after the cameras stopped rolling, and incidents that occurred during the flight home. The guys break down the PCA Invitational, which saw Joe make his televised poker debut – as a player. And Joe and Matt talk about seeing the Daniel Negreanu documentary ‘KidPoker’ for the first time. The guys also look ahead to the next EPT festival in Dublin, and the forthcoming UKIPT Series event in London. In ‘Superfan vs Stapes’, Craig Towse tries to prove he knows more than Joe about the film ‘Aliens’. And there’s more movie chat at the end of the show, with a spoiler-filled review of ‘Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens’. #EPTNotLive

The boys are on location again. James, Joe and Matt bring you (nearly) an hour of stuff and nonsense from PCA 2016. Joe’s ever-changing relationship status takes up a decent chunk of the show, as he tells tales from his Christmas travels. He also shares a fair few Social Media beefs. James explains why the inaugural Superfan Home Game left him with a headache, and Matt reveals why his flight to Nassau was so traumatic. There’s a review of the final episode of ‘Shark Cage’ (finally!), and Asif Warris, the so-called Poker Tourist, competes in a special Bahamas-themed edition of ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. #EPTNotLive

This is the second podcast the boys have recorded on location. Please note: this is the audio-only version, so there might be one or two visual references that don’t make any sense. Sorry about that. You really should have watched the video version on the live stream. It was really good. Anyway, James and Joe Christmas-themed edition of the show. There’s more stuff and nonsense from the media tournament, plus anecdotes from a recent pub poker league game. Joe unveils a new feature called ‘Seat Open’, where viewers/listeners get the chance to experience dinner with the EPT team. And the highlight of the show is a special appearance from Twitch superstar Jaime Staples, who’s forced to compete against Joe in this week’s edition of ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. Our next podcast will be recorded at the PCA in early January. Until then, have a great Christmas and New Year. #EPTNotLive

It’s the pre-Prague preview podcast, and the penultimate programme of the year. Please note: this show features the password to the EPT Live freeroll on 17th December 2015. You can also hear James and Joe re-living the highlights of this year’s PokerStars Christmas Party and recent staff poker tournament in London. They also recap the first half of the ‘Shark Cage’ final table (available to watch at YouTube.com/PokerStars). In ‘Adventures in Online Poker’, Joe talks about failing to collect bounties while attracting abuse from his opponents. And John Jacobs from Gibraltar dodges planes and demonstrates his knowledge of WWE in the latest edition of ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. Oh, and find out how you could win a prize by saying nice things about us! #EPTNotLive

After a two-week hiatus, the boys have a lot to get through. Joe regales James with tales from his Thanksgiving dinner, including some entertaining (if disturbing) anecdotes about his ancestors. Meanwhile, James recaps his trip to Toronto for the world premiere of the Daniel Negreanu documentary, 'KidPoker', and tries to justify accepting an upgrade on the flight out, while his boss was left to sit at the back of the plane. There are two 'Shark Cage' episodes to talk about, with Heat 6 now in the books. Vanessa Selbst joins James and James to analyse a couple of key hands she played in that heat. And, after some EPT Prague and PokerStars Christmas Festival chat, Daniel Watters displays his knowledge of the 1963 movie 'The Great Escape' in 'Superfan vs Stapes'. #EPTNotLive

Please bear this in mind as you listen to the podcast: Joe isn’t wearing any underwear. Yep, he’s without pants. But, despite this affliction, the hairy American is on fine form, ranting about idiocy on social media, and the trials and tribulations associated with taking money out of your bank account. Meanwhile, in TV land, it seems Gaelle Garcia Diaz delighted viewers with her performance on ‘Shark Cage’. So, she joins the guys to discuss the latest episode, and reveals that her dog has a rather unfortunate medical condition. James gives the lowdown on the EPT Prague freeroll schedule and the PokerStars Christmas Festival. And ‘Superfan vs Stapes’ turns into a total nerd-fest (as usual), as Dave Goodger goes head-to–head against Joe in a game of Marvel Cinematic Universe trivia. Please note: #EPTNotLive returns on Thursday 3rd December.

Joe is finally back in New Jersey, while James remains in London. But an ocean can’t keep them apart! On the agenda this week: Joe’s impersonation of a billionaire industrialist, a round-up of the WSOP Main Event final table, and a brief discussion of this year’s Poker Hall of Fame inductees (complete with bonus contest). Plus, the latest TV show is put under the microscope, as the boys talk to online qualifier Cory Pansano about his ‘Shark Cage’ experience. There’s also a special message from Pagan Events about one of next year’s EPT festivals. Things get serious when Joe comes to the assistance of a Superfan in need, and James provides some useful tips on how to protect your PokerStars account. Finally, Michael Uong sets out to prove he knows more about soccer than Joe in ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. #EPTNotLive

Although bad weather delayed their flight, James and Joe are back from Malta. They recap the last few days of the festival, including an in-depth review of the world’s best buffet. A young, up-and-coming poker player called Mickey Petersen joins the boys in the studio to compete in this week’s edition of 'Superfan vs Stapes'. Asking the questions: making his second consecutive guest appearance on the podcast. Ronnie Bardah is on board for the TV Recap, talking about his beat-boxing, flirty antics in the latest episode of 'Shark Cage'. And there’s a spoiler-filled review of the new James Bond movie SPECTRE. This is the last item in the show, so skip it if you're not interested, or haven't seen the film yet and don't want your cinematic experience ruined by two pseudo critics! #EPTNotLive

For the first time ever, James and Joe have taken the show on the road. They're in Malta, to bring you an abridged version of the podcast from the site of the second leg of Season 12 of the European Poker Tour. The boys talk airline security, toilets, media events, charity tournaments and 'Shark Cage'. Plus, there's a burst of intense geekery, courtesy of Matt's 'Star Wars' quiz. Please note that this podcast was filmed by the EPT TV crew, and was originally broadcast during the tournament breaks on EPT Live. So, apologies for the plethora of visual references. We appreciate you can't see any of the costumes, photos or videos on this audio version of the show. Sorry. Normal service resumes next week. #EPTNotLive

It's been a busy week for James and Joe. The undynamic duo have spent an unhealthy amount of time in each other's company. They've hosted a private poker game, been to the movies (to see 'The Martian') and both played the £500 UKIPT Super Series event at The Hippodrome. There's a full 'Event Recap', in which James boasts about his deep run in the tournament. Meanwhile, Joe talks about some success of his own in another thrilling instalment of 'Adventures in Online Poker'. There's a new 'Shark Cage' episode to discuss, and one of the stars of the show, Jennifer Shahade, is this week's guest. As part of the EPT Malta preview, James gives out a special password (which you'll need on Sunday 1st November), and Superfan Scott Campbell tries to out-geek Joe in a 'Walking Dead' themed edition of 'Superfan vs Stapes'. Please watch #EPTLive from Malta (Tues 27th–Sat 31st Oct).