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ACTION: New PokerStars Ambassador Nick Walsh Details Plans for Site’s Twitch Channel

PokerStars recently named Nick Walsh as a new ambassador and face of the site's Twitch channel. He spoke with PokerScout this week about his pans.

Being tabbed as the face of PokerStars’ Twitch streaming efforts might seem like quite a hurdle for most poker players. But Nick Walsh is ready for the challenge.

The site recently named Walsh as a new ambassador, zeroing in on his role as a streamer for the company. He takes over the PokerStars Twitch channel and has promised plenty of new ideas for poker fans.

“I feel honored,” Walsh told PokerScout about his new role. “I’m also very excited at what this opportunity allows me to accomplish alongside the poker community. I’ve got some really cool ideas that I think the viewers are going to enjoy, and now working with PokerStars I’ve got the resources to try some of them out.”

Big plans for PokerStars streaming

PokerStars ambassador and Twitch streamer Nick Walsh.

For the last two years, Walsh streamed as a member of OP-Poker, but now takes the microphone on the main Stars channel. PokerStars describe his personality as charismatic and he hopes to let his passion for the game come out.

Poker fans can look for traditional poker fare on the channel and he plans to stream and offer advice for events like:

Viewers can also look for more non-traditional poker content as well from Walsh.

“I am also very keen to get more guests into the weekly schedule, adding more variety to the already successful stream content,” he says. “These ‘weekly’ streams will take place most Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and we’ve already started getting guests in which the community seem to really enjoy.

“Additionally, we will be using the occasional Friday streams to experiment with larger, more complex stream formats, some of which the community may not have seen before.

Adding his own spin to Twitch

Although he’s bringing new ideas to the platform and offering different content, Walsh isn’t trying to completely reinvent the wheel.

“While I do think we’ve got a few ideas that might be completely unique to Twitch in the pipeline,” he says, “I’m more interested in taking existing ideas and improving them or perhaps tailoring them to the Twitch environment.”

For example, dual streams have become a regular part of poker streaming. Two hosts play poker and talk strategy, but one of the two hosts has his cards hidden. Walsh says that may be changing soon, allowing viewers to observe the pay of both.

“Using a new capture method we developed, this year we are now able to host very stable, high-quality, fully cards-up dual streams which immediately improves the viewer’s experience,” he says,

“While this is only one example, the same methodology invites a host of other applications for more complex and never-before-seen stream formats which we are going to implement later this year.”

Working on his game, poker commentary, and hitting the live poker tables

Much of Walsh’s early streams involve his new “back to school”’effort. He lets viewers follow along as he sharpens his online poker skills.

Some live poker is also in his future as part of the PokerStars team. He’ll attend all European Poker Tour events, serving as a commentator alongside James Hartigan, Joe Stapleton, and other PokerStars Team Pros.

Walsh, from Brighton in the United Kingdom, is also excited to see the return of Stars’ United Kingdom and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT). The tour is currently running a series in London and Walsh is pleased to be back at the live tables. 

“I’m looking forward to getting back on the felt at these events,” he says. “Just really excited to see live poker back in the UK.”

Beyond poker, the newest PokerStars ambassador considers himself a “nerd at heart.” He enjoys gaming, photography, videography, and film. Many of his interests outside poker involve visual media, which may help in his role on the PokerStars Twitch channel.


While he plans on bringing many of his own ideas to the new role, Walsh sees streaming as a two-way street. Viewers’ ideas will definitely be considered and taken into account, he says.

For Walsh, there’s a real sense of community when battling it out on the poker tables via Twitch. And he’s hoping that comes out when the camera is on.

“I’m really passionate about this project but I really need the community to help me make this really great,” he says.

“Your feedback on the content we create will not only help us to improve our offering on the PokerStars channel, but could shape the content we create in the future too. Get in touch with me on social media and become part of the development process.”

* Photos courtesy PokerStars

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PokerStars Hosts ‘Easter With Aces’ Featuring Platinum Pass; ESPT-Madrid Breaks Records

PokerStars is bringing online poker players 13 days of action April 4-16 with the Easter With Aces series and a Platinum Pass on the line.

With spring in bloom, PokerStars is bringing online poker players 13 days of action April 4-16 as part of the Easter With Aces  series. Players will find 10 tournaments and six community home games as part of a fun new low-roller series.

 Poker pro and PokerStars ambassador Fintan “EasyWithAces” Hand hosts the series with plenty of fun and prizes planned as well as a $186,490 guaranteed prize pool. The Easter series includes buy-ins ranging from $5.50 to $55 with a Main Event featuring guaranteeing $75,000.

A highly coveted Platinum Pass will also be up for grabs for the PokerStars Players Championship. That awards a player a complete travel package and $25,000 tournament buy-in.

“Happy Easter you beautiful folks,” Hand said in a news release announcing the series. “I am really excited that PokerStars are giving me my own series and an amazing opportunity for someone from my community to win a PSPC Platinum Pass.”

 

What to expect from the series

The Easter With Aces festival isn’t the traditional poker series and Stars is throwing some additional bonuses into the mix. Throughout the series, Hand will also set challenges via Twitch moderators.

PokerStars is promising some entertaining viewing as Hnd attempts to meet these challenges during the series.

Easter With Aces is a great opportunity for those with lower bankrolls to take a shot at some nice prize pools. The events kick off on April 4 with an $11 No Limit Hold’em Freezeout with a $7,500 guarantee.

Another interesting event is the $55 High Roller on April 9 with a $20,000 guarantee.

The $33 Main Event is set for April 16 and comes with a $75,000 guarantee. Here’s a look at the complete series.

2022 PokerStars Easter With Aces

DateTournamentBuy-inGuarantee
April 401: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout]$11$7,500
April 502: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty]$5.50$5,000
April 603: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout]$22$10,000
April 74: $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Turbo PKO]$5.50$5,000
April 805: $11 Eight-Game [6-Max, 8-Game]$11$2,500
Aprtil 906: $55 NLHE [8-Max, High Roller]$55$20,000
April 1007: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Triple Stack]$11$7,500
April 1108: $22 NLHE [Marathon]$22$10,000
April 1209: $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Deep Stack]$5.50$5,000
April 1610: $33 NLHE [8-Max, Main Event]$33$75,000
April 17EasterWithAces Freeroll – 1 Platinum Pass + $9,000 Guaranteed* Freeroll ticket$38,990
TOTAL$186,490

More planned for PokerStars’ Easter With Aces

Alongside the tournaments, six community home games are set for April 13-15, with buy-ins from 11 cents to 55 cents.

Tickets awarded throughout the series for a special freeroll on April 17 may be even more exciting. Those who snag a ticket have some big prizes to play for.

First place score a Platinum Pass for a once-a-lifetime tournament opportunity. Several other nice prizes are also planned and here’s a look at what to expect.

  • 1st – Platinum Pass
  • 2nd – $5,300 tournament ticket
  • 3rd – $1,050 ticket
  • 4th-5th – $530 ticket
  • 6th-7th – $109 ticket
  • 8th-9th – $55 ticket
  • 10th-50th – $22 ticket
  • 51st-100th – $11 ticket

Stars and Hand are promising even more in the coming days. Players are asked to keep an eye on Hand’s Twitch channel for some entertaining content.

 

ESPT sees record turnout for Main Event

In other PokerStars news, the Estrellas Poker Tour continues playing out in Madrid, Spain. Many European players are pleased to see live poker return to the continent.  

That may be exemplified by the ESPT Madrid €1,100 Main Event turnout. The tournament broke the tour attendance record with 784 entries across four starting days for a €752,640 prize pool.

That topped the 2014 record of 721 entries. The Main Event wrapped up on Sunday at Casino Gran Vía with Romani’s Nico Giuri finding the top spot for €123,410. This was by far the largest live tournament score of his poker career.

Giuri won the event after cutting a heads-up deal with Josef Snejberg, who took home €100,000. Japanese player Makoto Yoshimichi finished third for €61,360.

In other action, Norway’s Tom Bedell took the title and €55,220 in the €5,200 Super High Roller. The tournament saw a field of 33 entries with Yaman Nakdali taking runner-up for €36,010.

More PokerStars Live action is in the works including the EPT Monte Carlo, set for April 28 – May 7.

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Checkmate: PokerStars Ambassador Jennifer Shahade Pens Inspirational Chess Book

Like some viewers of the popular 2020 series The Queen’s Gambit, many poker players around the world were inspired to get out the chess board and embrace some different kings and queens.

PokerStars ambassador Jennifer Shahade has a hand in both games. She has $348,282 in live tournament winnings and is a regular online poker player in Pennsylvania, where she represents Stars in the US market.

An Olympic chess champion and a Woman Grandmaster, Shahade is also a two-time US women’s chess champion. She was also the first female to win the US Junior Open.

When not at the poker table or chess board, the Philadelphia native has also been busy at the keyboard, Shahade recently released a new book, Chess Queens: The True Story of a Chess Champion and the Greatest Female Players of All Time. While the book focuses on chess, the author promises some poker thrown in as well for fans of both these mental games.

 

“I talk about poker in many places in the book, especially the last chapter, which explains why I ultimately ended up devoting myself to that game too,” she tells PokerScout. “I also talk about how chess was a conduit to poker for American champion Diana Lanni, and the rare moments in chess when it’s important to keep a ‘poker face.’”

A life of gaming – from rooks and pawns to bets, bluffs, & PokerStars

Games have played a crucial part in Shahade’s life. She began playing at age 5 and fell in love with the game by 13. Ironically, that’s the same age many girls drop out of the game, she says.

“Because my family plays chess, my brother and dad are both chess masters and champions, it was easy to hop in and out of the game,” she says. “Not all girls are so lucky. They often leave chess before they’re able to gain so many of its benefits.

“That’s why it’s so important for me to inspire young girls about chess and its benefits, work that I’ve been doing for over a decade, and most recently via my non-profit program US Chess Women.”

After graduating from New York University, the poker table joined the chess board in her gaming repertoire. Her brother, Greg Shahade, was a professional player and one of PokerStars first players. He founded a chess school and league that was sponsored by Stars for several years.

Greg also began teaching his sister how to play poker and she became fascinated with that game as well.

In the years to come, Shahade even became a writer for the “PokerStars Women” initiative. She began playing chess and poker all around the world, from Monaco to Madrid and everywhere in between.

“I started to become immersed in poker culture,” she says, “which deepened my passion for the game, as well as the community around it.”

Poker rounders becoming chess players

Since the Netflix series, poker players have jumped into chess including players like Daniel Negreanu. That interest may have ebbed a bit, but Shahade believes the games definitely have some overlap.

“The interest from poker players in chess peaked during the Queen’s Gambit boom, but I think it predates that,” she says. “I noticed a huge uptick in chess interest around the same time as solvers took over most poker training programs.”

Shahade believes some players realized their game was becoming more like chess, in practice and study. For many, learning chess simply made sense.

“I created my podcast, The GRID, to showcase the ways the games were merging: chess is becoming more glamorous and story-oriented, while poker is becoming more scientific,” she says.

“But what I love about both games is the combination: the story and community with the pursuit of truth and beauty.”

A return to the chess board

Jennifer Shahade at the chess board. (photos by David Llada)

Chess Queens has allowed Shahade to get back to her roots in the game. The author says this is the type of book she’d have wanted to read when she was younger and learning the game.

The hope is that young and older players alike can be inspired by some of the players’ stories included in the book.

“The world fell in love with the fictional Beth Harmon and the Queen’s Gambit,” she says. “We have so many new chess devotees as a consequence, of all genders and ages. They’re hungry to learn more about the real women of chess, who broke down barriers to become grandmasters against the odds.”

Beyond telling stories of some chess’s great players, the new book also allows Shahade to motivate others with her own story.

“Chess Queens tells those stories and intertwines it with my own coming of age story with chess,” she says, “which changed the course of my whole life, ultimately leading to poker too.”

 

Bringing more women into both games

With more women getting into the game, there is hope among many in the industry that more women are also attracted to poker. Many tour operators and online poker companies have initiatives in place to encourage more female players.

Shahde is doing her part in those efforts. She’s also hoping to see even more expansion of online poker in the next five years.

“I’m lucky to be able to play PokerStars Pennsylvania and look forward to more states joining the fun,” she says. “I think there is a craving right now for classic games like chess and poker, that provide a strong community and history, while giving us a precious opportunity to escape our worries and lose ourselves in a game.”

She remains a firm believer that making poker more inclusive will lead to greater growth.

“That’s why I’m excited about PokerStars continual interest in women’s initiatives,” she says. “I also am proud to be part of the Poker Power movement, an organization that aims to teach poker to one million women, unlocking our potential in other fields we are underrepresented in, from politics to the business world.

“I’m grateful that more and more people now see that gender diversity makes poker and chess more fun for everyone.”

Chess Queen’s is published by Hodder & Stoughton and available for $28.99 in hardback and $9.99 in ebook format. The book is available for purchase here.

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Nick Walsh Signs as PokerStars Ambassador, Becoming the Face of Site’s Twitch Streaming Channel

The World Poker Tour is honoring PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg as one of the latest recipients of the WPT Honors Award.

With Twitch poker streaming continuing to grow, PokerStars added another player on the platform to its ambassador roster last week. British poker player and online streamer Nick Walsh has officially joined the PokerStars team.

Walsh will take over the PokerStars Twitch channel, the company announced. He will stream all things poker with a variety of action and entertainment.

“I am very honored and excited to rejoin PokerStars’ Team Pro Online,” Walsh said in a news release. “As a new ambassador with a focus on streaming, I aim to create fresh poker content for players of all levels and poker disciplines, with a focus on community collaboration and strategic analysis in an accessible way.”

An expanded role at PokerStars

PokerStars ambassador Nick Walsh.

Walsh isn’t new to the world of poker streaming. He manned the microphone

previously, streamed with PokerStars for the last two years as part of “OP Poker.”

The OP Poker platform features videos, charts, strategy guides and links on playing some of the less-common PokerStars games. Stars acquired OP in 2019 and Walsh now takes on more of a prominent role with the online poker operator.

“With his charismatic personality and passion for poker, Nick is the perfect fit for Team Pro and brings a wealth of knowledge to the stream, with his particular strengths lying in Spin & Go’s and PokerStars Kick-Off,” PokerStars noted in a news release.”

Streaming platform goals

As part of his PokerStars Twitch efforts, Walsh is expected to add to the channel significantly. The signing makes him the new face of PokerStars’ streaming channel.

That begins with a new “back to school”’effort on the stream. Walsh’s plan is to work on his online poker game and improve his overall multi-table tournament (MTT) skills.

Viewers can look for plenty of fun included along the way. Walsh plays a key role in bringing engaging content to the PokerStars Twitch community throughout the year, the company notes. He hopes to develop the channel through feedback from players and poker fans alike.

“Unlike my previous role, PokerStars has given me the opportunity and the resources to help lead the development of the PokerStars Twitch channel directly,” he said. “And I’ve got some pretty ambitious concepts I would like to try out.”

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Polish Player Qualifies Online Then Scores Main Event in First EPT Prague; Papo MC Grabs Two Titles

The EPT Prague returned to King’s Casino from March 5-16 following a two-year hiatus, with $30 million awarded to players.

The 2022 European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague returned to King’s Casino from March 5-16 following a two-year hiatus. PokerStars officials hailed the series a success, with almost €30 million awarded during the series.

That included 16,503 players from 62 countries across 12 days of action. One online poker qualifier stood out among the field. Grzegorz Glowny, of Poland, won his way to his first EPT via a €530 online satellite.

That brought him an entry into the €5,300 buy-in Main Event. The tournament saw 1,190 entrants compete for a share of the €5.8 million prize pool.

Glowny ended up taking the top prize for almost €700,000, the biggest win of his career. According to Hendon Mob, he had only one previous tournament cash for €4,790. Here’s a look at some of the other action from EPT Prague.

 

Papo MC does it again

No stranger to success on the felt lately, PokerStars ambassador and Argentine rapper Alejandro “Papo MC” Lococo took the title in the PokerStars Eureka €1,100 Main Event.

PokerStars has added rap freestyler, poker player, and Twitch streamer Papo MC as an ambassador to the site's free-to-play platform.
Alejandro “Papo MC” Lococo

The event set an all-time PokerStars record for biggest stop in EPT history with 3,155 entries. That topped the previous record by 27%.

For his efforts, Lococo scooped €417,820 with runner-up Bartolomeo Tato, of Italy, taking home €249,000. He didn’t stop there however, and came out victorious again in the EPT National Main Event.

Lococo added another €88,560, bringing his total lifetime winnings at EPT Prague to a huge €506,380.

Papo MC made some big news in 2021 as well by finishing seventh in the $10,000 Main Event at the World Series of Poker for $1.2 million.

Robert Cowen wins high roller; Monte Carlo next stop for EPT

In other action from the festival, British player Robert Cowen took down the €10,300 High Roller event. The tournament drew in 271 entries for a €2.7 million prize pool. Cowen earned €475,410 for taking the title.

PokerStars officials were happy to see live action return and the results of the first series.

“We were so pleased to see so many of the PokerStars community come together again and are delighted at the positive reaction and feedback from the event,” Stars managing director and commercial officer Severin Rasset said. “EPT Prague was a great step back into the live space and we’re excited to offer our players even more memorable live experiences throughout the year.”

The EPT next heads to the Monte Carlo Casino, with 10 days of poker from April 28 to May 7. Players can again look for qualifying opportunities online at PokerStars.

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Monaco Grand Prix Becomes Launch Site for New PokerStars, Red Bull F1 ‘Red Spade Pass’

PokerStars is hitting the gas on even more promotional power with Red Spade Passes now on the line for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Cue the green flag, PokerStars has ramped up the site’s Formula One involvement. The company announced its first collaboration with Oracle Red Bull Racing on Thursday that will include the “Red Spade Pass” promotion, rewarding Stars players and racing fans alike.

Red Spade Pass winners earn exclusive access to the ultimate F1 fan experience. That comes with rewards and experiences curated by PokerStars and the Oracle Red Bull Racing team.

PokerStars announced the partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing earlier this year. The multi-year partnership features branding on the RB18 and race suits. The agreement is aimed at F1’s growing audience as technological advancements provide fans with new ways to enjoy the sport.

“It’s set to be an epic season and we are excited that through this partnership, the PokerStars community, and beyond will be with us every step of the way,” Oracle Red Bull Racing team principal and CEO Christian Horner said in a news release.

What to expect from PokerStars & Red Bull

With the launch of the Red Spade Pass, online poker players can expect some nice perks. The action kicks off with the Monaco Grand Prix. The first set of Red Spade Passes award winners with a four-day, all-expenses paid trip for two to Nice, France, and Monaco.

Winners can check out the race from PokerStars’ private waterside location, which overlooks the famous track. Red Spade Pass holders soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the live action at one of F1’s most glamorous competitions.

Players can jump in freeroll tournaments on April 2 to win the first two passes. More opportunities will pop up across the PokerStars universe in the coming weeks as well.

More rewards and experiences are also coming to PokerStars throughout the F1 season. Players can win passes at special moments through a variety of routes across Stars poker, casino, and sports platforms.

The company notes that the promotions will take “fans and players on an unforgettable ride, built around the mission of offering players epic experiences.”

On top of exclusive access and moments, all Red Spade Pass winners also receive:

  • a personalized message from an Oracle Red Bull Racing team member
  • PokerStars and Oracle Red Bull Racing merchandise
  • a poker coaching session with a PokerStars ambassador or PokerStars Learn coach
  • offers and tickets from PokerStars Sports, Casino, and Poker

More details on winning a Red Spade Pass

Of the first two Red Spade special edition freerolls, one is for players on the international .COM site and one for France. The PokerStars Twitter feed will reveal a password for the international freeroll in the next few days.

In France, players who participate in an EPT Monte Carlo or France Poker Series (FPS) Monte Carlo qualifier through March 31 receive a freeroll ticket. Those are awarded April 1 with the freeroll taking place the following day.

The winner in each freeroll earns the coveted pass. There will also be $1,000/€1,000 worth of tournament tickets for runners-up in each freeroll. Even more is in the works in the coming months.

“The partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing has entertainment at the heart of it, supporting our vision of giving our community epic moments they’ll never forget,” PokerStars group marketing director Tom Warren said.

“We’ve got even more rewards to come so stay tuned for more exciting news. It’s going to be a memorable season for our community on and off the track.”

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Million-Dollar Moments: German Player Tops $10.4M Sunday Million Anniversary at PokerStars

The special 16th edition of the Sunday Million wrapped up on Tuesday at PokerStars with Germany's “Blackbeaty” taking the tile for $931,885

Anniversaries are big events at PokerStars and that continued earlier this week. The 16th edition of the Sunday Million wrapped up on Tuesday with Germany’s “Blackbeaty” taking the tile for $931,885.

The $109 buy-in event is the oldest weekly online tournament with a $1 million guarantee. Stars upped that to $10 million for this prestigious Sunday celebration.

Big winners crowned at PokerStars

When the dust settled on Monday, the tournament ultimately topped the hefty guarantee. The special Sunday Million saw 52,210 entries for a $10.4 million prize pool.

Blackbeaty wasn’t the only player celebrating with the second- and third-place finishers scoring some huge returns on investment as well. Danish player “JanRas1983” took the runner-up position in the tournament for $817,000 after making a deal with the winner.

JanRas turned a $4 Spin & Go into a Sunday Million entry. That win brought an $11 ticket, which the Danish player then used to satellite into the event. JanRas then went on to turn that four bucks into a massive six-figure payday.

Another player aso scored a huge win via a free satellite entry. Brazilian player “ChavesVila” finished third and took home $552,000 after receiving a $20 ticket in a PokerStars Rewards Chest.

Brazilians continue finding some major success in the online poker realm. Four of the final nine players hailed from the land of samba and sun. Here’s a look at all the final table results.

16th Anniversary Sunday Million

FinishPlayerCountryPrize
1BlackbeatyGermany$931,885*
2JanRas1983Denmark$817,235*
3ChavesVilaBrazil$552,126
4Peauker123Belgium$406,954
5EdlisonRTJBrazil$299,952
6bamse25Sweden$221,085
7ajjapasiaUK$162,995
8begines1Brazil$120,108
9NiglesnutsBrazil$88,528
* deal among top two finishers

A busy Sunday and more in the works

PokerStars players may have to wait another year for a special Sunday Million anniversary, However, the million-dollar tournament action continues each week at PokerStars.

Some of the biggest names in poker have competed and won the event through the years. The weekly tournament is open to players of all levels with qualifying events starting at under $1.

The anniversary edition made for a busy Sunday with the GGMasters Overlay Edition also playing out at GGPoker. The two events brought plenty of action for online poker players with more than $15 million awarded between the two events.

 

Client updates include added chip, card designs

In other PokerStars news, the company recently updated its international software client. That came with some additional aesthetic additions for players.

These included a new set of “dark chips” for those seeking something new on the table. Players can also choose cards with larger graphics and text.

This is the sixth card design available for players to choose from. This set is known as the “Kick Off” deck, named after soccer star Neymar Jr.’s branded games of the same name also on the site.

PokerStars has also introduced several new table colors for players to check out. More big events are in the works at the site in the coming weeks.

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Contest Crusher: ‘Dare2Stream’ Winner Sebastian Huber Joins PokerStars Ambassador Team

Austrian streamer Sebastian Huber recently won the PokerStars “Dare2Stream” competition to become the site's newest ambassador.

When PokerStars launched the “Dare2Stream” competition in October, Austrian streamer Sebastian  Huber knew he had to get involved. The contest awarded a coveted site ambassador role and that made Huber want to man the microphone even more.

“Right at the moment PokerStars released the Dare2Stream challenge, I knew I wanted to participate in it,” he says. “For me, it was pretty clear that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The competition itself started well and fortunately the stream took off toward the end of the competition.”

His streaming efforts paid off and Huber (aka “Peacendloove” online) won the competition. He topped 263 entries in the contest and also secured a PokerStars Players Championship Platinum Pass.

That’s certainly a nice run for Huber, who’s been playing poker full time for the last four years. Notching a nice score with that Platinum Pass might make his run even better. He spoke this week with PokerScout about the big win and his life in poker.

 

A PokerStars streaming success

After playing poker for several years, Huber decided to branch out into Twitch streaming in September 2020. His channel now has 4,400 subscribers, which will certainly grow after his new role with PokerStars.

He’d always felt like getting his game online would be fun, but never quite made the effort to start streaming. His girlfriend helped change that.

“When I was playing poker, I always felt there was a piece missing,” he says. “Therefore, I actually wanted to start streaming a long time ago. However, my girlfriend finally pushed me to start streaming and I have fallen completely in love with it.

“Obviously, the streaming itself gets more competitive from time to time, but I try my best to have some unique moments in my stream too. For example, focusing on games not many are playing or riding a bike while playing.”

PokerStars ambassadors Mason Pye and GJ Reggie announced Huber as the Dare2Stream in December live on Twitch. He then had his formal enrollment as an ambassador during the European Poker Tour (EPT) stop in Prague.

Fellow PokerStars ambassador Sam Grafton announced the news live at the event. Huber then wore his for the record-breaking €1,000 EPT Eureka event, which drew 3,155 entries.

“Before the tournament started, I was pretty nervous,” he says. “Especially because I knew that everyone would have a close look at the new ambassador. Being part of team PokerStars has a lot to say for the poker community.

“The nervousness had subsided with the beginning of the tournament and from that moment on I was just proud of being part of the team.”

Life at the poker table

Like many poker players, Huber began getting in the action just for fun. He played regularly with friends and his group even built their own poker table.

“Then I discovered Twitch poker, so I started playing online too,” he says, “Since I began to stream on Twitch, the poker community has motivated me to get better at the game and I really enjoyed every second of it.”

His Twitch community can now expect even more poker action throughout the year after adding his name to the Stars team.

After high school, studying business in college followed. But his success at online poker soon had him playing the game full time. Huber now considers himself a professional content creator as well as a poker pro.

Sticking to a regular regimen helps Huber in his efforts at successful stream and online poker.

“My daily poker routine is pretty simple, but there are three important things I need to do to make it a successful working day,” he says. “Those three things are sports, good and healthy food, and motivation. If I follow these three points, I will be well-prepared to give my best every day.”

Outside of poker, sports are a huge part of his life and he’s currently training for and competing in triathlons.

“For me, endurance sport is just amazing to keep your mind clear after long poker and streaming sessions,” he says. “On the other hand, it helps you to keep your high-performance level and I also love to push myself to new limits.”

That commitment to high performance may just carry over to the poker table as well.

* Lead image courtesy PokerStars/Danny Maxwell

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