Fifth Anniversary of The Bernard Lee Poker Show

May 8, 2007

On this particular Tuesday night, I launched my radio show in Boston aptly named The Bernard Lee Poker Show. Leading up to that night, I had plenty of anxiety preparing for my on air debut.

My first guest was Alex Jacob, the 2006 United States Poker Champion. Concerned that his cell phone would not have a clear signal, I was promised by Jacob that he would find a landline for the interview. After unsuccessfully trying to locate one, he actually rented a hotel room to assure a good connection (Thank you Alex for going above and beyond the call of duty to make sure my first show was a success). Additionally, the night before, I had a charity appearance, speaking with dozens of players for several hours. When I awoke the next morning, I had slightly lost my voice, so I had to remain silent all day before my premiere.

Nevertheless, the show went smoothly and my radio show was off and running.

The following week, I scheduled Joseph Hachem, the 2005 WSOP main event champion, to call in live from Australia. With the 14-hour time difference, I was concerned that he wouldn’t wake up in time for the interview. Nevertheless, we connected and he kindly said on-air, “Not many people can drag me out of bed at 8 o’clock in the morning. Let me tell you that.”

Today, thousands of people listen to my show across the world as it airs every Tuesday night from 6-7 p.m. on 1120 am in the Boston area on Money Matters Radio network and also on RoundersRadio.com. Additionally, The Bernard Lee Poker Show is also available via podcast on iTunes or RoundersRadio.com.

On May 8, 2012, I will celebrate the fifth anniversary of my radio show. In celebration of this milestone, I will be bringing my radio show to television for a few episodes. The program will be available on Comcast Sports Net in the New England area, debuting on the eve of my actual anniversary, Monday May 7, at 8:30 p.m. and also on DirectTV. My special guests will be some of the biggest names in poker: Chris Moneymaker, Dennis Phillips and Phil Hellmuth.

Since 2007, I have performed over 250 interviews for my radio show. As I reminisce over the past five years, here are five primary interview categories and the most memorable interviews in each.

1. Poker Icons:

It has truly been an honor and privilege to interview some of the biggest names in poker. Hearing the poker backgrounds and picking the brains of these players such as Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Erik Seidel, TJ Cloutier, Chris Moneymaker, Joseph Hachem, Greg Raymer, Mike Sexton (just to name a few) is sincerely riveting material.

However, the player I was most nervous about interviewing was Doyle Brunson. After all, he is “The Godfather of Poker.” I read Brunson’s Super System when I began getting serious in poker. Now, I was speaking with the legend himself. We talked about not only the evolution of his poker career, but also his athletic career and his family. It was a real honor to interview Texas Dolly.

2. World Series of Poker (WSOP):

Having played at the WSOP every year since 2005, I have had ample opportunity to interview numerous bracelet winners. Of course, it is always a privilege to speak with a WSOP main event champion. My favorite WSOP guest has to be Chris Moneymaker. Initially a fan from the ESPN coverage, I am fortunate to have interviewed him numerous times and, in the process, becoming good friends. I love his colorful stories, especially when he tried not to qualify for the 2003 WSOP main event (if you don’t know this story, definitely watch my fifth anniversary television show as he discusses the event in detail).

However, my favorite compilation radio show was the 2010 WSOP main event final table. During that year, the final ten players endured an exhausting six-hour November Nine bubble. When it finally burst, I was able to interview several of the players, just moments after they had made the 2010 November Nine. Among the players I spoke with were Jonathan Duhamel, Michael Mizrachi, John Racener, John Dolan, Jason Senti, and Soi Nguyen. After such a mentally draining experience, I was able to capture their exhausted exuberance and share it with my listening audience. We also discussed their thought process during bubble play and what their plans may be leading up to the November Nine.

3. Poker revelations and firsts:

Throughout the years, I have been able to secure many interviews that either were firsts in the industry or revealed breaking news to the poker world. For example, I was able to get the first extended interview with Jonathan Duhamel, the chip leader, minutes after he made the 2010 November Nine. Additionally, the elusive Darvin Moon granted me one of his first interviews after he returned home from Las Vegas. In 2008, Mike Sexton was a guest on my radio show, announcing publicly for the first time that he had signed an endorsement deal with nlop.com.

However, the most shocking revelation came from Jason Mercier when he discussed his 2008 stabbing after capturing the European Poker Tour’s San Remo main event. Before it was general knowledge, Mercier described this life-threatening incident on my show and how it changed his outlook on poker and life forever. Many listeners including myself were shocked at his candid description of the stabbing and his mindset thereafter.

4. Strategy:

Since my radio show revolves around a poker guest, many players utilize part of their interview to discuss strategy. The topics can range from general strategy to very specific topics. For example, Jonathan Little recently discussed no-limit hold’em tournament strategy. Moreover, David “Doc” Sands talked about deep-stack strategy, while Matt Jarvis described six-handed tactics after his 2011 WSOP bracelet win. I have also had several guests describe strategy for games other than no-limit hold’em including Sam Farha (Omaha) and Matt Glantz (mixed games).

The player that I personally received the most value from was seven-time WSOP bracelet winner, Billy Baxter. Winning all of his bracelets in lowball games, Baxter has been known as the master of lowball. Having delved into deuce-to-seven single draw no-limit, I eagerly asked several questions based on his vast experience and afterward had a much better grasp of the game. Coincidentally, I was fortunate (or some would say unfortunate) to be seated at the same table as my mentor during Day 1 of the 2010 $1,500 event. After completing the day, I asked Baxter to critique my game. After he told me that I had a natural talent and feel for the game, I gained a lot of confidence in the game. The following year (2011), I made the final table of the $1,500 event (where I finished fourth). I actually spoke with Baxter the morning of the final table to get some last second advice.

5. Rising Superstars:

Over the years, I have been fortunate to play with some phenomenal young players. I have invited some of them on my show before they were bonafide superstars, including Vivek Rajkumar and James Campbell.

However, John Racener truly made me seem clairvoyant. In December 2006, Racener made his debut at the WSOP Circuit event in Atlantic City, in which I played a good portion of Day 2 with him. After he made the final table, he continued his hot streak for the next several months. I invited him on my radio show, predicting that he would do something special one day. After making the 2010 November Nine, I thanked him for making my prediction come true.

I’m very grateful for everyone’s support over the years. From all of my guests to the radio show producers to my radio show news manager, Steve Buchanan (who started out from the beginning as my show’s intern), I could not have done it without their assistance and guidance.

I hope you enjoy the upcoming shows including the special fifth anniversary television episodes. Also, follow me on Twitter (@BernardLeePoker) to be eligible for several fifth anniversary show prizes.

Here’s to five more years (and beyond)! ♠

Bernard Lee is the co-host of ESPN Inside Deal, weekly poker columnist for the Boston Herald, ESPN.com, author of “The Final Table, Volume I and II” and radio host of “The Bernard Lee Poker Show,” which can be found on RoundersRadio.com or via podcast on iTunes. Follow Bernard Lee on Twitter: @BernardLeePoker or visit him at www.BernardLeePoker.com