Starring Role in "Poker After Dark" Reboot

Over the next few weeks, as the reboot of “Poker After Dark” gets closer and closer, Poker Central will prepare poker fans for the return of PAD in a variety of ways. From episode recaps from past seasons, which are currently streaming on PokerGO, to exclusive interviews with some of poker’s biggest names, Poker Central is here to get you ready for brand new episodes of “Poker After Dark” before the series returns on August 14.

“Poker After Dark” brought poker to the masses and in turn, created the stars of the game that those masses know and love. Over the last decade, few players have been able to achieve those levels of stardom but during that time, Daniel Negreanu’s star has only gotten brighter.

The Hall of Famer is coming off a career-best World Series of Poker, one in which he recorded eight top-18 finishes and gave fans an up close and personal look at his entire summer through daily vlogs. Those vlogs are just the newest platform that has allowed Negreanu to reach the poker masses and “Poker After Dark” was one of his first.

“It came into everyone’s living rooms and familiarized specific players with the public.” Negreanu said, before adding, “That’s how they became poker stars. Since that period, since ‘Poker After Dark,’ we’ve seen that sort of decline.”

Negreanu mentioned that the August “Poker After Dark” reboot should re-open those opportunities and create new stars, while also bringing back some fan favorites. Those fan favorites are icons and legends in the poker world and for a player that was a staple on “Poker After Dark,” Negreanu knows all about battling with the best.

“Tom Dwan, Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey, you know the battles they had.” Negreanu said, when asked about his favorite PAD’s memories. “You throw Gus Hansen in, Doyle Brunson and you’ve just got like a bunch of guys, who are killers, going after each other and on the verge of being total borderline total degen gamblers.”

Those dream “Poker After Dark” lineups included some of the best players in the world but Negreanu was quick to point out that there was more to PAD than that.

“’Poker After Dark’ isn’t a game where people should be sitting there with hoodies and sunglasses.” Negreanu said, adding, “Interaction is what it is all about. They do a great job of casting.”

Those players and lineups can be replicated but there is no denying that the action on “Poker After Dark” is some of the biggest the poker world has ever seen. That is something Negreanu thinks has also been missing over the last few years.

“You want to see a bet of $170,000 real dollars versus somebody going all-in for $3,500.” Negreanu said, before talking about what kind of stakes fans can expect on “Poker After Dark.” “I think it does create a bit of a prestigious aspect but it doesn’t have to be so astronomically high. You know, nothing more than a $1 million swing in a game.”

Those kind of swings and stakes will make new “Poker After Dark” episodes must-watch television, just like it was a decade ago when stars like Daniel Negreanu were born.