Adam D asked:
If I’m playing in a televised poker tournament do I have to show my cards to the “pocket cam”?
If I’m playing in a televised poker tournament do I have to show my cards to the “pocket cam”?
Could I block it with my hand or some kind of item?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
no i don’t think so
If you are on TV you might be able to get away with not showing your cards on the cam a few times. The producers of the show will remind you to do it if you forget. Depending on the rules and the agreement the producers make with the players you might get a “break” from playing if you do not show the cards.
on espn’s telecasts they will not force you to show your cards to the camera, but they will ask you to do so if you do not
on the wpt the release you sign before the tournament obliges you to show your hole cards (i do not believe this is included in the espn releases), if you do not the dealer will not take your cards from you until you have shown the camera your cards
If you ever make it to the final table where you have hole cams, yes you do have to show your cards every hand to the cam. There are always a few cases where you do but the cam doesn’t get a clean shot (check out the final table of the WSOP main event 2005 for an example). If the tournament is televised, no matter if it is ESPN or GSN (or Travel Channel in the past), you have to sign a waiver, which includes agreeing to show your cards to the hole cams.
If you have ever played in a w.s.o.p event or w.p.t event they make you sign a paper that gives them the right to use any images they want for t.v and that you will follow the rules they put into place. There were a few players who were upset with the fact that you can’t were headphones anymore in most major poker events, (although there are some where you can) this is one of the things they put in the paper you sign before you can buy-in to an event, it is basically a wavier that they have control of the game, and you do not. Eric Sidel is famous for trying to block hole cameras from looking at his cards, he feels that it gives to much info away to other players in how he plays his hands, but since the rules are set-up that the other players have to have there hole-cards show, he must do so as well.