Hartigan Talks Player Dynamics and Holy Shit Moments as The Big Game on Tour Returns
It’s official. After its return in 2023 following a 12-year hiatus, PokerStars has confirmed that The Big Game on Tour is back again this year, with more episodes to be filmed at the NAPT Las Vegas festival.
Ten episodes of the show were filmed last year, with the likes of Phil Hellmuth, Maria Ho, Lex Veldhuis and Sam Grafton all taking part. The show features a lucky Loose Cannon who receives $50,000 and has to survive 150 hands playing $50/$100 with a table of poker pros, ambassadors, and celebrities.
PokerNews spoke with Big Game on Tour judge and commentator James Hartigan ahead of the show’s return, and he says he’s thrilled the show is back.
The Big Game “Belongs in Vegas”
PokerStars has announced that the qualification process will remain the same for 2024, but with a twist. Players will be able to enter a free qualifying tournament, with winners advancing to an audition process. This will all be held at NAPT Las Vegas, but new for 2024, every player who has won an NAPT Gold Pass to the event will advance directly to the auditions.
“The opportunity to play with $50,000 in a $50-$100 game needs to be a “holy shit” moment”
During last year’s audition process, Hartigan said that he, along with fellow judges Joe Stapleton and Nadya Magnus — herself a former Loose Cannon — had to “thread the needle” in finding the perfect Loose Cannons.
“We had some people who came through to the audition phases, and it was very clear they were quite far along on their poker journey; Vegas grinders or people who were already making a decent living at the game.
“Then there were other people who were too inexperienced. Either they’ve just discovered poker, and maybe they’re still only playing freerolls or home games.”
“We need someone who is far enough along in their understanding of poker and their poker journey to be competitive, but the opportunity to play with $50,000 in a $50-$100 game needs to be a “holy shit” moment for them. It’s that balance.”
Hartigan says the Big Game on Tour is a format that belongs in Las Vegas.
“It’s great that it’s live at the NAPT instead of being filmed in a sterile studio environment. It feels like it’s in a proper poker room which makes it great for people, friends and partners to come and watch on set.”
“The biggest problem with cash games on TV is that there’s no beginning, no middle, no end - it’s just a game. Whereas The Big Game on Tour has a clear 150 hands cutoff. It creates a tournament dynamic around a cash game.
“The key story is whether or not the Loose Cannon is going to make a profit, and then the second narrative is who else at the table will make the most profit.”
“I was always getting asked if we were bringing back The Big Game.”
The original Big Game ran for two seasons in 2010 and 2011, and quickly became one of the most popular poker television shows in history. Hartigan says that ahead of the show’s return last year, he was worried the show wouldn’t be able to live up to its original airing.
“I was always getting asked if we were bringing back The Big Game. It’s been one of the biggest conversation points for the last ten years,” said Hartigan. “It was a very different time in poker, and I was worried it was lightning in a bottle.
And while a decade ago players could count on the likes of Phil Hellmuth, Tony G or Daniel Negreanu appearing in the Big Game, Hartigan says that the new edition had to rely on player stories and the strength of the Loose Cannon.
“Back in the day, there would be some great line-ups with some repeat players, but with this, it’s a completely different lineup, and that’s the right way to do it. You’re not really making the show for the big names. It’s all about the format and that idea of random qualifier
“But I was still worried whether or not we’d be able to recapture the magic of the original show — it was 12 years since they last filmed it! I think I was right to be cautious, but ultimately I was proved wrong, and I was happy to be proved wrong.”
“Different Dynamic” in New Episodes
Players were able to enjoy five episodes of Loose Cannon Nikki Limo in action, culminating in a big confrontation with Jennifer Tilly. It was a series featuring massive pots, with Lex Veldhuis and Alan Keating both losing six-figure sums over the course of 150 hands.
Hartigan says he was worried that Lily Newhouse’sstint as the Loose Cannon might not pack the explosive punch that the previous episodes did.
“I was worried because the pots weren’t as massive as the first series,” said Hartigan. “Of course, with Alan Keating sitting down at the table with hundreds of thousands of dollars and playing every hand. But there are so many cold decks in the first two shows, so there are some really interesting hands.
“It’s a different dynamic, as it should be based on who the players are. The show is just as entertaining as 2011, but in a very different way, and I like that.”
The dynamic is changed not just by the poker pros at the table, but other amateurs and celebrities such as Dave Krosky.
“Dave’s also a bit of a loose cannon — maybe even more than Lily! That creates an interesting dynamic and that’s what we want. Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you get it wrong. I wouldn’t say we got lucky because thought, time and planning went into who we had on the show.
“But if you don’t get the lineups right you can get a dud at the table. Then you’ve really got your work cut out for you in post-production!”
Who’s On the Big Game This Year?
Hartigan says that the announcement of the Big Game’s return means that conversations can begin about finding players to play when the show is filmed later this year.
“It’s not just a case of finding five people who are willing to play. You need to curate the lineup because you need to have players with a history with each other and who know each other but also aren’t too similar in personality or character type.
“You can’t have five motor mouths because they’ll talk all over each other. If you have Sam Grafton at the table, for example, you need some quieter players as well. And it can’t just be high-stakes crushers - there’s no value in that. You need businessmen or celebrities or who are wildcards.”
The curating that goes into the players at the table extends to the Loose Cannons, without whom the show would lose the dynamic that makes it so special. The vetting that goes into Loose Cannons is even more important, arguably, says Hartigan.
“The key thing is that they’ve got to be good enough to win! The entire show is about giving them a shot at playing in a game with players they’d never normally play against at stakes they could never dream of playing. It’s a fine balance of making sure they’re poker preficient, but not a grinder or a pro, but still someone with their wits about them that can be competitive.”
Hartigan Wants More from Big Game on Tour
With its return in 2024 now official, Hartigan says the entire team is ready to build on the show’s success in 2023.
“Having done it once, I know we can do it again. I’m hoping that this will be a springboard for more live events in the US moving forward. We call in the Big Game on Tour - there’s no reason why it couldn’t go to other destinations in America, even though Vegas is kind of its spiritual home.
“If we were able to give other people the opportunity to qualify or audition at other events in America to then come to Vegas. That would be a good way to take the brand around the US and truly make it the Big Game on Tour.”
Based in the United Kingdom, Will started working for PokerNews as a freelance live reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time staff in 2019. He now works as Managing Editor. He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He also holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism.
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