Learn from the Pros
Encyclopedia
Learn from the Pros was a television program
sponsored by the online poker
website Full Tilt Poker
, which aired on Fox Sports Net
a number of times during each week. It was hosted by Chris Rose
.
Each episode opened with Rose discussing an element of poker strategy
with a professional poker player associated with the Full Tilt site, usually Howard Lederer
. The discussion was illustrated with footage from one or more hands from Poker Superstars
or another FSN-televised poker tournament. The point was further illustrated by the play of a mock hand by actors, once showing the play without following the tip and once following it. Tips ranged from such basic points of strategy as starting hand selection to more advanced plays like semi-bluffing
and slowplaying
.
In another segment, Rose hosted a roundtable discussion among several pros like Annie Duke
, Phil Hellmuth
, Mike Matusow
, Daniel Negreanu
and others. Initially the pros expanded on the tip of the episode, relating personal experiences with the play and sometimes illustrated by another videotaped hand in which one or more of the pros was involved. The final segment returned to the pros and may have touched again on the tip of the episode or ranged to another unrelated topic.
Other segments featured in various episodes included Chris Ferguson
precision-throwing playing cards and slicing various fruits and vegetables with thrown cards, lessons on spotting tells
, Antonio Esfandiari
teaching chip tricks
and pros answering viewer questions sent by email.
Segments from the broadcast are available for download at the iTunes Store
.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
sponsored by the online poker
Online poker
Online poker is the game of poker played over the Internet. It has been partly responsible for a dramatic increase in the number of poker players worldwide...
website Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker is an online poker card room that opened in June 2004 with the involvement of poker professionals Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Andy Bloch, Mike Matusow, Jennifer Harman and Chris Ferguson...
, which aired on Fox Sports Net
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
a number of times during each week. It was hosted by Chris Rose
Chris Rose
Christopher Rose is an American sportscaster.-Early life and career:Rose attended University School in Hunting Valley during high school. Rose attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and graduated in 1993...
.
Each episode opened with Rose discussing an element of poker strategy
Poker strategy
Poker is a popular card game that combines elements of chance and strategy. There are various styles of poker, all of which share an objective of presenting the least probable or highest-scoring hand. A poker hand is a configuration of five cards, either held entirely by a player or drawn partly...
with a professional poker player associated with the Full Tilt site, usually Howard Lederer
Howard Lederer
Howard Henry Lederer is an American professional poker player and brother of poker professional Annie Duke, and author and poet Katy Lederer. On September 20, 2011, the U.S...
. The discussion was illustrated with footage from one or more hands from Poker Superstars
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament
The Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament is a series of no limit Texas hold 'em poker tournaments. The first season is available on NTSC DVD. It airs on Fox Sports Net in the United States, Rogers Sportsnet in Canada and ftn in the United Kingdom.-Crew:...
or another FSN-televised poker tournament. The point was further illustrated by the play of a mock hand by actors, once showing the play without following the tip and once following it. Tips ranged from such basic points of strategy as starting hand selection to more advanced plays like semi-bluffing
Bluff (poker)
In the card game of poker, a bluff is a bet or raise made with a hand which is not thought to be the best hand. To bluff is to make such a bet. The objective of a bluff is to induce a fold by at least one opponent who holds a better hand. The size and frequency of a bluff determines its...
and slowplaying
Slow play (poker)
Slow playing is deceptive play in poker that is roughly the opposite of bluffing: betting weakly or passively with a strong holding rather than betting aggressively with a weak one. The flat call is one such play...
.
In another segment, Rose hosted a roundtable discussion among several pros like Annie Duke
Annie Duke
Annie Duke is a professional poker player and author who won a bracelet in the 2004 World Series of Poker $2,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Event and was the winner of the 2004 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions, where she earned the Winner-Take-All prize of $2,000,000...
, Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth is an American professional poker player. He is best known for holding a record 11 World Series of Poker bracelets, for winning the Main Event of the 1989 World Series of Poker and for his temperamental, "poker brat" personality...
, Mike Matusow
Mike Matusow
Michael Matusow is an American professional poker player, residing in Henderson, Nevada. Matusow's nickname of "The Mouth" reflects his reputation for trash-talking at the poker table...
, Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu is a Canadian professional poker player. He has won four World Series of Poker bracelets and two World Poker Tour Championship titles. He is currently ranked second in the all-time career earnings list and is the star of poker game show Million Dollar Challenge. He plays a big...
and others. Initially the pros expanded on the tip of the episode, relating personal experiences with the play and sometimes illustrated by another videotaped hand in which one or more of the pros was involved. The final segment returned to the pros and may have touched again on the tip of the episode or ranged to another unrelated topic.
Other segments featured in various episodes included Chris Ferguson
Chris Ferguson
Christopher Philip Ferguson is an American professional poker player. He has won five World Series of Poker events, including the 2000 WSOP Main Event, and the 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. On September 20, 2011, the U.S...
precision-throwing playing cards and slicing various fruits and vegetables with thrown cards, lessons on spotting tells
Tell (poker)
A tell in poker is a change in a player's behavior or demeanor that is claimed by some to give clues to that player's assessment of their hand. A player gains an advantage if they observe and understand the meaning of another player's tell, particularly if the tell is unconscious and reliable...
, Antonio Esfandiari
Antonio Esfandiari
Antonio Esfandiari is a professional poker player, known for his elaborate chip tricks.-Early life:When he was 9 years old his family moved to San Jose, California...
teaching chip tricks
Chip tricks
Chip tricks are manipulations of poker chips. Unlike in magic, chip "tricks" are not demonstrated to fool a spectator. Rather, in the poker community, chip tricks are a way of passing time, fidgeting, showing off, looking impressive or intimidating other players.-History of chip tricks:Since the...
and pros answering viewer questions sent by email.
Segments from the broadcast are available for download at the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
.