Norm Macdonald, Justin Young, and Chris Moneymaker are the players, while Jeff Platt is the host. The channel is PokerGO. What you are about to watch has been dubbed one of the best and most fun quiz show that has aired this year.
For those who haven’t watched the first episode of The Big Blind, there is no denying that you are terribly missing out. This review is laced with a number of spoilers so if you are yet to see it, do so without wasting time.
It is not a surprising thing to see that most quiz and poker shows don’t go according to plan. If you take a look a Shark Tank, it was nothing short of interesting. PokerFace, on the other hand, was nothing to write home about save for the hosts of the show.
According to Calvin Ayre, it is unarguable that Quiz shows are very popular. Without any doubt, poker is the most played card game today.
But as much as people have tried to combine it, they just don’t seem to mix well. From the look of things, The Big Blind might just be the show to break the jinx.
On the surface, the game’s format is quite simple. There are 3 levels. With each level come 3 questions, and they increase in difficulty with each level. All players can bet, fold or raise but it is strictly pot limit. The questions are quite diverse, and they are from subjects ranging from Hand Analysis to Vegas Related Music. Each player has the option of folding out of a question. It is fun to participate in and fun to watch.
The mastery and skill of Jeff Platt as a host cannot be understated as he maneuvers each player to take different courses of action.
The game has all the potential to be a huge success, and the three guests fit the bill perfectly. Apparently, Justin Young took the place of Amanda Negreanu, but he should’ve been the first person on the list.
You can see how he tries to contain his joy when he gets an answer correctly. This is the same way you can see the frustration of Norm Macdonald and Chris Moneymaker when they get an answer wrongly.
The desperation of Moneymaker to be successful makes it amusing especially when he fails certain questions. Norm MacDonald, on the other hand, is hilarious through and through and both Moneymaker and Young are enjoying the jokes he dishes out.
With Platt sitting comfortably on the host’s chair and the guest adding to a climatic ambiance with their cheers, it does not matter whether Justin Young wins by a mile. From start to finish, the 45 minute show is a joy to watch.
For serious poker players who would like to know more about the game’s history and for people just viewing the show casually. They are sure to laugh their hearts out and get silly prizes.
There’s no doubt that the Big Blind is enjoyable to watch and we highly recommend it. There’s always something to learn, and you’re assured of not having a dull moment.
