Top Pair Home Game Poker Podcast

After 11 years on the air, the Top Pair Home Game Poker Podcast has recorded its final episode, #365. Co-hosts Bruce Briggs and Robbie Strazynski take an hour to reminisce about all the highlights, favorite moments, and top tier interviewees, and to thank guests, contributors, and listeners. Bruce shares the story of how the show began, with then-co-host Eric Nelson. Robbie talks about how he joined as the new co-host in 2014. This episode is the first ever time Robbie and Bruce are...

In this short, but sweet episode of the Top Pair Home Game Poker Podcast, Robbie recaps his final in-person home game before the proverbial walls of Israel’s lockdown closed in. Bruce reflects on the beauty and blessings of having a number of home game buddies that he can call good friends off the felt as well. The show ends off with a curtain call from Ben Ludlow, who’s got his farewell One Outer segment.

Robbie and Bruce recap their home games, played both online and in person. Bruce lost two whole dollars, while Robbie’s Dad came back to the home game after a on over 6-month-long hiatus. Two of poker’s legendary Tiltboys, Dave Lambert and Paul Swiencicki join the hosts for a wonderful interview about the history behind their home game, over 25 years of playing poker together, the many amazing stories they have to share, and a book that chronicled their adventures over the years. Other...

Robbie and Bruce recap their home games, played both online and in person. Bruce hits a royal flush, while Robbie eked out a win with quarantined Kenny watching from the virtual rail. The game featured the (unofficial) home game call of the century, as Maurice and Moe squared off in badeucey; it’s a story you HAVE to hear. George Chao of BBO Poker Tables talks about the future of live poker in the U.S., as rooms begin opening up, as well as home games re-starting after a lengthy hiatus....

Robbie finally played in an in-person home game again. Bruce has been watching both old and new poker content, specifically High Stakes Poker on PokerGO and The Orbit on Twitch. The hosts are joined by Steve Fredlund and Jim Reid of Rec Poker and the pair discuss everything their podcast and community of poker players is all about in an extensive conversation. Finally, our One Outer features a home game host who absolutely insists that the lights be turned off at the end of the session.

Bruce plays more home games (2) than Robbie (0) for the first time in ages, so which WSOP Main Event champion reached out to empathize with Robbie’s plight? Also, the hosts discuss the debut of #TheOrbit, an innovative new concept in poker media showcasing a panel discussion of poker experts. We get back to our roots, reviewing an excellent article about home games from the PokerStars blog. Finally, Ben Ludlow wraps up the show with another must-listen One Outer on the imminent Polk vs....

Bruce is finally back playing poker after a four-month hiatus. Robbie was the big winner in his Dad’s home poker game, where they welcomes a special guest: Simon. Our sound engineer, Jeff, joins us again to give us a trip report on his time in Las Vegas, sharing tales from the felt and the overall vibe of the city. We take a moment to discuss the importance of including the folks in more at-risk categories who aren’t playing poker during the pandemic; we can’t forget about ‘em! Finally,...

Bruce and Robbie welcome longtime listener and poker podcast superfan Chad McVean to the show to discuss his home game history, what he loves so much about poker podcasts, and all things poker. We’ve also got a “reporter in the field”, our sound engineer Jeff, who’s visiting Las Vegas, reporting from “ground zero” of what the poker scene and the city in general are like in this time of limited reopening. Robbie’s also got some home game recaps to share, and Ben Ludlow offers some hot takes...

Bruce and Robbie welcome home game host Cody back to the show to discuss how online home poker games have become quite different than in-person home games among the same group of friends. The hosts also discuss the reopening of poker rooms across the US. Plus, George Chao from BBO Poker Tables has a great “al fresco” edition of Table Talk, and Ben Ludlow’s got another great virtual WSOP top 10 list for this week’s One Outer that’ll make you literally laugh out loud.

Bruce and Robbie welcome well-regarded poker coach and co-founder of Red Chip Poker James “Splitsuit” Sweeney to the show. James shares his personal poker journey, specifically how he started out playing and then transitioning into coaching. He also discusses the massive upgrade to Red Chip Poker’s CORE offering (2.0) and how the training materials can best help home game players The hosts also speak with longtime listener and Salt Lake City home game host Chad who describes hosting and...

Bruce and Robbie welcome poker coach and strategist Tadas Peckaitis to the show. In his first-ever audio interview, Tadas shares how he discovered poker in Lithuania, got into the game, and eventually ended up coaching students. He also shares some great home game strategy tips. The hosts also discuss the slow restart of post-pandemic live poker on the home game front as well as in Las Vegas and other poker rooms around the world. BBO Poker Tables’ George Chao has a great Table Talk...

Bruce and Robbie discuss when live poker home games are likely to return – it depends not only on the public data and statistics, but also on people’s personal comfort level. Plus, the back story of how Robbie finally got the opportunity to interview Doyle Brunson. Our hosts then get into a lengthy discussion about the planned return for live poker in Nevada, discussing the merits and pitfalls of four-handed play as well as when home poker game players might be ready to hit the tables...

Bruce and Robbie welcome back the very first guests to ever have appeared on the Top Pair Home Game Poker Podcast, Jan Fisher and Linda Johnson. Jan and Linda are individuals who have practically been synonymous with the game of poker for decades now. Both of them are founding members of the TDA (Tournament Directors Association) and members of the inaugural class of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, and Linda is also a WPT Honors recipient and member of the Poker Hall of Fame. Much home...

Online poker home games continue to surge in popularity in the Coronavirus era. Bruce and Robbie speak with two home game poker hosts, Robert and Chad, to learn how they handle cash games, tech issues, funds tracking, and more, plus some interesting ideas – like a private “March Madness” style bracket competition for online poker home game aficionados. George Chao of BBO Poker Tables speaks about the importance of family bonding while playing board games (not just poker) and Ben Ludlow...

With the poker world and world as a whole consumed by the Coronavirus pandemic, Bruce and Robbie tackle the topic of moving home games online. They speak to a home game host, Robert, about what the experience has been like to play in private online poker home games, settling up via money transfer apps after the fact. Robbie also shares his personal experiences playing in online home games with his regular group, including all the customization options, playing for play money, and using Zoom...

Bruce and Robbie welcome popular veteran poker strategy author Ashley Adams to the show to talk about his new book Winning Poker in 30 Minutes a Day, published by D&B Poker. They discuss the book’s target audience, main messages, and Ashley’s goal of having written it, his third book on poker. Robbie’s home game recap includes an interesting situation regarding what to do in a declare game when having both a strong high and low hand and there’s also plenty of talk about the world’s “topic...

Bruce and Robbie welcome famed poker coaches Tommy Angelo and Lee Jones to the show to talk about their great new project called Poker Simple. They also have a short chat with Steve Fredlund, founder of the Rec Poker Podcast, to welcome him and the show to the Cardplayer Lifestyle podcast family. After some traditional home game recaps from our hosts, George Chao of BBO Poker Tables chimes in with a segment featuring all the information you always wanted to know about poker table...

Bruce and Robbie are back for another fun-filled show, and they’ve both taken poker trips! Bruce headed to Wendover, Nevada to step foot inside a brick and mortar poker room for the first time in years, while Robbie flew abroad to cover the 888poker LIVE festival in Madrid. After recapping their action at the felt, and Robbie sharing some fascinating “Madrid poker rules”, Bruce talks Oscar night betting strategies. Finally, in the spirit of awards season, Ben Ludlow’s One Outer tackles...

We've Been Adopted By A New Family - Catch Us On Cardplayer Lifestyle Robbie's Rambling Again - Headed To Madrid To Cover Poker Action Welcome Back To The Producer Chair, JEFF!! Interview With Our One Outer Guy - Ben Ludlow - Laughs & Poker, What A Combo Poker Tables - The Right Materials Count High Stakes Online Play - Engaging & Entertaining

Bruce and Robbie dive deep into all the different kinds of poker chips you can use when hosting a home game, and recap their last home game sessions of 2019. George Chao of BBO Poker Tables has a great Table Talk segment on giving your home game poker table all sorts of technological upgrades, and Ben Ludlow shares a One Outer take on poker’s current hot topic: tournament re-entry!