Hole cam
Encyclopedia
In poker
, a hole cam (or pocket cam) is a camera
that displays a player's face-down cards (known as "hole cards") to television viewers.
The hole cam became popular in 1999 when the Late Night Poker
program first began using it in televised tournaments shown on British Channel 4. Cameras were also used in the Poker Million
prior to gaining further popularity after the ESPN
broadcasts of the 2002 World Series of Poker
and the World Poker Tour
began airing on the Travel Channel
in 2003.
In some cases, the camera is placed under a glass panel in the table and players are instructed to place their cards over the glass (as in the case of High Stakes Poker
). In other cases, the rail of the table is elevated and a small camera placed within the rail, and players are instructed to examine their cards in the usual manner, but while they're in front of the camera (as is the case on the World Series of Poker
and the World Poker Tour
). The goal in both cases is to allow for the filming and broadcast of the player's hole cards to the spectators without exposing them to the other players. This has led to the audience garnering a greater understanding of what is going on at the table and an increased interest in the thought processes of the players.
If the tournament is broadcast live when hole-card cameras are in use, the players and/or live audience must be sequestered from the commentators, for fear of information being relayed to the players at the table. Also, the broadcast is delayed a few minutes for additional security.
Most tournaments are not shown live, and for security purposes only a few members of the TV crew have access to the hole card images during the taping. Although during the broadcast commentators may appear to be present at the venue, their commentary is most often added after play is complete when they have the opportunity to view the hole-cam video.
Prior to the invention of the hole-card camera, the audience had no way of knowing what the players were holding during any given hand of a poker broadcast unless players chose to show their cards or were all in.
Some televised tournaments also have a camera in the dealer's position to record the turn and river cards when a player wins the pot on the flop or turn. The viewers get to see what would have happened had there been a call, adding an extra element of drama. The players commonly call this the rabbit cam, although different poker shows use their own names for marketing purposes. The name derives from the poker term rabbit hunting, which means to look at the next few cards after a hand is over. Rabbit hunting is generally against tournament rules, partially because it gives away information. Consequently, this extra camera is used so the dealer can show the camera only and not the players at the table.
Henry Orenstein
was granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
for the under-the-table hole-card camera on September 19, 1995.
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
, a hole cam (or pocket cam) is a camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
that displays a player's face-down cards (known as "hole cards") to television viewers.
The hole cam became popular in 1999 when the Late Night Poker
Late Night Poker
Late Night Poker is the pioneering television show that helped pave the way for the explosion of interest in poker in the 2000's. With it's ground breaking use of "under the table" cameras that enabled the viewer to see each player's cards, the show became a cult hit on Channel 4 UK when it first...
program first began using it in televised tournaments shown on British Channel 4. Cameras were also used in the Poker Million
Poker Million
The Poker Million has been a televised European poker tournament since its inception in November 2000. The final debuted to 30 million viewers and has since remained popular. It was created by UK gaming outfit Ladbrokes with the help of sports promotion firm Matchroom Sport...
prior to gaining further popularity after the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
broadcasts of the 2002 World Series of Poker
2002 World Series of Poker
The 2002 World Series of Poker was held at Binion's Horseshoe.This edition was historically notable for two reasons. It was the first WSOP in which pocket cams were installed to allow broadcasters to show the players' hole cards, although only for the Main Event...
and the World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour
The World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting the final table of each tournament. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that...
began airing on the Travel Channel
Travel Channel
The Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
in 2003.
In some cases, the camera is placed under a glass panel in the table and players are instructed to place their cards over the glass (as in the case of High Stakes Poker
High Stakes Poker
High Stakes Poker is a cash game poker television program broadcast by the cable television network GSN in the United States. The poker variant played on the show is no limit Texas hold 'em. It premiered on January 16, 2006 and ended on December 17, 2007 and it returns back on March 1, 2009 and is...
). In other cases, the rail of the table is elevated and a small camera placed within the rail, and players are instructed to examine their cards in the usual manner, but while they're in front of the camera (as is the case on the World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
and the World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour
The World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting the final table of each tournament. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that...
). The goal in both cases is to allow for the filming and broadcast of the player's hole cards to the spectators without exposing them to the other players. This has led to the audience garnering a greater understanding of what is going on at the table and an increased interest in the thought processes of the players.
If the tournament is broadcast live when hole-card cameras are in use, the players and/or live audience must be sequestered from the commentators, for fear of information being relayed to the players at the table. Also, the broadcast is delayed a few minutes for additional security.
Most tournaments are not shown live, and for security purposes only a few members of the TV crew have access to the hole card images during the taping. Although during the broadcast commentators may appear to be present at the venue, their commentary is most often added after play is complete when they have the opportunity to view the hole-cam video.
Prior to the invention of the hole-card camera, the audience had no way of knowing what the players were holding during any given hand of a poker broadcast unless players chose to show their cards or were all in.
Some televised tournaments also have a camera in the dealer's position to record the turn and river cards when a player wins the pot on the flop or turn. The viewers get to see what would have happened had there been a call, adding an extra element of drama. The players commonly call this the rabbit cam, although different poker shows use their own names for marketing purposes. The name derives from the poker term rabbit hunting, which means to look at the next few cards after a hand is over. Rabbit hunting is generally against tournament rules, partially because it gives away information. Consequently, this extra camera is used so the dealer can show the camera only and not the players at the table.
Henry Orenstein
Henry Orenstein
Henry Orenstein is a poker player and entrepreneur who resides in Verona, New Jersey, United States....
was granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
for the under-the-table hole-card camera on September 19, 1995.