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Ultimate Poker Challenge
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Overview
The Ultimate Poker Challenge is one of
the smaller players in TV poker. While this program started out well
during the height of the TV poker boom, the airings are now usually
relegated to overnight Saturday time slots and usually only air once
per week on syndicated channels like WGN or UPN. The format is the
final table of No Limit Holdem events in Las Vegas. You will
occasionally see one of your favorite poker pros, but these events
usually have a smaller prize pool and you'll see a lot of amateurs
battling for the small prizes. Each season, they host a championship
event that draws the largest number of entrants.
Comments
It's pretty easy to see the difference
between the poker TV shows with budgets and the have-nots. While I
like to see any new poker TV make a go of it, this show can get
pretty dull. Personally, I'd rather see faces I recognize playing
smart poker than a bunch of amateurs duking it out. Amateur
tournaments are fine for the local cardroom, but I'd rather watch
the pros on TV. Also, this program puts less into the actual
production which sort of kills the dramatic effect. To produce a
low-budget program, they rely largely on advertising and it gets
sort of invasive with big digital banners overshadowing the cards on
the flop. Still, I'd rather have more programs to choose from than
less and I'll still set up the TiVo occasionally to record the
occasional late-night UPC.
Score
Out of 10, I give Ultimate Poker
Challenge a 5. You can usually catch new episodes late on Saturday nights. View our interactive
Poker TV Schedule for upcoming episodes.
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