Twitch streaming has become a major part of the online poker environment in recent years. 888poker got into the act last week by unveiling the 888 StreamTeam.
The site recently relaunched its entire 888pokerTV Twitch channel and is now adding to that even more. As part of that effort, the site recently signed five streamers to represent the brand on the platform.
Along with streaming poker on the 888pokerTV and StreamTeam channels, 888 is planning special promotions, giveaways, freerolls, and more as part of the launch.
PokerScout recently spoke in depth with two of the new StreamTeam members.
David Gibson – contest crash to Twitch success
The road to streaming came with some tough realities for David Gibson. He’d entered an online poker site’s streaming competition in 2019 with hopes of a nice top prize and ticket to a huge Caribbean poker tournament.
In the contest, entrants had to stream for at least 10 hours. Entries were judged on quality, presentation, and innovation.
“It led to a lot of people like myself deciding to bite the bullet and give it a go,” Gibson says. “In the end, there were over 100 entrants, so a heck of a lot of competition. I definitely didn’t envy the insane amount of hours of footage they had to watch, and the work they had to put in.”
The trip to the Caribbean wasn’t meant to be, but some key streaming lessons were learned.
“My stream had no innovation, and the quality and presentation aspects were questionable,” Gibson says. “Going up against some established streamers was an extremely difficult task, but ultimately I just wasn’t good enough anyway.
“I suspect I didn’t make the top 20. That said, I was gutted when I didn’t win. I nearly quit streaming for good on the day the results were announced.”
Instead, the 29-year-old from southwest England fine-tuned his presentation and production skills. As a result, his New_Dave channel has made some major improvements.
That includes now being on camera more, unlike earlier efforts. The changes have not only been good for streaming, but also for Gibson personally.
“People on Twitch didn’t know what I looked or sounded like, and it wasn’t an accident on my part,” he says. “Self-esteem issues plagued me, and still do now, but during the second half of 2019 a lot of Twitch people helped me make a lot of progress.
“One of my favorite things about streaming now is just that it shows me how far I’ve actually come. I also hope it’s gradually building my confidence over time.”
No quitting for New_Dave
Numerous players have taken to streaming, but finding an ambassador role isn’t easy. What sets Gibson’s channel apart from others?
“I find this difficult to answer myself, but people say my stream has a very chill vibe around it,” he says. “It’s somewhere you can go just to relax.
“I’m not a loud person, I can’t bring myself to feign excitement or anger or whatever. I’m pretty calm and dry on stream, which in a way sets it apart I suppose.”
Mixing it up at the tables is also important. Gibson plays several games beyond Hold’em. He even throws in some Pokemon Red during breaks – the action never stops at New_Dave.
Primarily a micro stakes player, many low rollers may identify with Gibson. Streaming has been a nice social opportunity as well.
“The biggest win I’ve had on stream is the friends I made along the way,” he says. “Cheese aside though, that’s literally true. Some of the people I’ve gotten to know through Twitch, and streaming myself, are people I’d now consider true friends.”
That may never have been the case however. After losing the contest, he considered quitting. On the last stream for the competition, he received some motivation however, Two added subscribers moved his channel to affiliate status.
“Their support ultimately made me decide I couldn’t quit because they’d basically paid for a month of content,” he says. “It’s cliche and slightly boring, but I’d tell people to not give up. I’ve given up on a lot of things in the past and this streaming thing was probably the first thing I’d properly forced myself to commit to. It’s served me pretty well.”
That commitment now includes growing the 888 streaming efforts.
“I’m very excited to try and build up the 888poker StreamTeam on Twitch,” he says. “I feel that the more different sites get involved is great for not only Twitch, but poker in general.”
Adam Tocholke – table talk and musical vibes
Poker wasn’t the first streaming option for Adam Tocholke, his background is more musical. He released his first original song “Let’s Go Home” as Eklo in 2015. The song was received well and brought about a highly creative period for Tocholke.
That included producing many of his biggest songs in a small window of time. He’s now been a full-time music and content creator and music producer since 2018.
“I have a huge range of musical influences ranging from James Taylor to Linkin Park,” says the 34-year-old from Ontario, Canada.
“I’ve always written music on my acoustic guitar and include it in many of my songs. I think the blend of that classic summer sound mixed with my style of songwriting and guitar playing is what really shapes the Eklo sound.”
Tocholke’s iamEklo channel originally streamed music production, web shows, and gaming. Poker has become another extension and he likes the back and forth that comes with the game.
“Some stream formats are more difficult to balance what you are doing while also keeping engaged with the community,” he says. “Poker just has this perfect balance of action and interaction.
“There is plenty of time between hands to bond with the community and plenty of high octane moments where we celebrate the big wins and try to shake off the bad beats. I love the game, love sharing it with people, and love a little competition, so poker tournaments really check off a lot of boxes for me.”
Learning the poker ropes
Players new to the game may want to check out Tocholke stream because he’s in the same boat. His mix of tastes and interests also presents a unique experience.
“As a relatively inexperienced player you get to watch me grow through all the good and often terrible decisions I make at the felt,” he says. “I play with a lot of heart and emotion and it is definitely a roller coaster.
“On my channel, interaction takes precedence over the actual poker, which is terrible for my bankroll but a ton of fun with the chat. I’m always looking for ways to interact whether it’s streaming without delay or reviewing previous hands with the community.”
Now as part of the 888 stable, Tocholke is expecting big things to come.
“I’m just happy to be part of the 888poker stream team, the experience so far has been epic,” he says. “I think I offer something a little bit different as the only Canadian on the team and bring lots of experience to the table with regard to audio and video production.”
888 StreamTeam
Beyond Gibson and Tocholke, 888 has added three more StreamTeam members. Here’s a look at the other players joining the crew.
Nick Eastwood
- Stream: eastyyy22
- Age: 30
- Location: Essex, United Kingdom
Eastwood began playing poker 12 years ago while studying philosophy in college. His interests also include football and video games.
His Twitch channel mainly focuses on free learning content for cash game players and some entertaining poker-related videos. That includes his personal poker results and updates.
“I’m very lucky to have some incredible poker players contributing and providing feedback to others every day,” he says. “Members share their goals, graphs, hands, and more.
“Now, through my partnership with 888poker, I’m finally able to focus all my energy into all things poker and content. I’m really excited to continue growing my channel with 888poker and, hopefully, I’ll see some of you on stream soon.”
Ricardo Mateus
- Stream: Mat3usPT
- Age: 37
- Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Mateus started playing poker around 2006 and soon fell in love with tournaments, playing many years recreationally. In 2018, he allocated more time and study while streaming more regularly. Mateus began building a small community – making each show more fun.
“We must be professional and competent,” he says of streaming, “but above all, I think we should have fun.
“I’m extremely flattered and excited to represent a brand like 888poker. I think that together we will be able to do fantastic things and raise the game of poker in Portugal in a fun and responsible way.”
Josh Manley
- Stream: JoshManleyPoker
- Age: 32
- Location: United Kingdom
Manley started playing poker at age 18, first with play money and then via freerolls to help build a bankroll. He later transitioned to real money games and began seeing some improvement in his skills
Some regular deep runs at micro stakes followed. Eventually, poker became a full-time job over the next 10 years for Manley.
“I’m very happy to be joining 888poker,” he says. “To team up with one of the best sites out there is a dream come true. I’m hoping to continue climbing stakes and having a great time on stream.”