It has become quite common for a lot of
poker players to take live reporting at bigger events as a given and
then complain about the lack of updates or mistakes in it. There even
used to exist a running gag that “bloggers” do this job, because
they are not good enough at playing poker themselves. Below I'd like
to give my own perspective about what we do as live event reporters
and maybe that will change the point of view for some.
For approximately five and a half
years, I have been working at live poker events. This somewhat
corresponds with my education, as I studied business and languages at
a business school in Germany. I may not be able to type with ten
fingers, as attempted to bring upon me by my teachers back then, but
the project management part fits quite nicely. Furthermore, I
actively use all the languages taught, some more and some less
frequently, and the business aspect in poker is also quite important.
Now, if I was supposed to explain my
teachers what I am doing for a living, many would rise their eye
brows and others would simply shrug. Same applies for family members
as well. It's a very uncommon kind of job, you cannot really learn
the art of poker live reporting in any school. Most of us are
actually thrown into cold water and it soon becomes obvious who can
adapt quickly and who cannot.
A certain enthusiasm for the card game
does come in handy, though, and it also helps to play poker to a
certain degree in order to know all the game types, expressions and
terms in question. For me, it is important to enjoy the experience
and I don't mind the pressure to deliver while coping with often
unpredictable scenarios and strange working hours. After all, without
the joy and excitement, it would just be work and that appears rather
boring.
So what does it take to be a live event
reporter and what tasks does one have to deal with? First of all,
preparation is the key. It helps to arrive well in time before an
event starts and check out the venue, get in touch with local staff
and take a closer look at the schedule and structure. Such key
details should then be mentioned in the introduction every day. Once
the event gets underway, the time has come to look through the field
of players and see if you recognize anyone.
Only a few tournaments have in fact a
media tracking system in place, many still don't. As a participant in
the event, if you are asked for the name or more details, please
don't come up with something fake because that seems like a genius
idea in that very moment. After all, many poker players also want to
be reported on when they are doing well or in case of losing in very
unfortunate fashion.
As the day progresses, a live event
reporter is expected to update general information such as the number
of entries, the prize pool and payouts. This also includes big stacks
and, if possible, how they got there, as well as keeping track of
players that were previously mentioned within the updates. Towards
the end of the day, this becomes increasingly important, as it comes
in handy to know who has the most chips.
Most hosts expect a short and precise
recap of the daily action and, depending on the number of entries and
survivors, the full chip counts and available seat draw going
forward. It isn't the time to get witty, as that fits way better to
specific tournament highlights, but the recap will ideally be enough
to summarize what happened and may even be used as news article.
This sounds rather easy thus far, am I
right? Well, there is more to it. The interaction with the
participants plays a big role and in most stages of a tournament, it
becomes increasingly important to be very selective and
time-efficient about what to include in the updates. If there is more
than one live event reporter in charge for the coverage, the tasks
of getting hands, highlights, quotes and the atmosphere in general
can be split up. Apart from the breaks, there won't be much time to
relax and check your Facebook for the latest funny pictures without
possibly missing some crucial action at the tables.
All that being said, there are a few
aspects that make the job in itself very appealing for me personally.
- Completing challenges.
- The interaction with players.
- The opportunity to travel.
- Improving as writer and photographer.
- Making sure I can pay my bills.
Every tournament is a challenge and I
tend to be a competitive person. Not everyone is used to shifts of
12-16 hours per day and a poker event can quickly become physically
and mentally tiring. Keeping up the balance and focus under such
circumstances is exactly that, a challenge. You may work at a
location you have never been to before. There are no media cards and
you barely know anyone. Take a deep breathe, ask the floor for some
notables and take a closer look at all tables.
Be prepared to make yourself look like
a fool when asking for a name or other details. And then go with the
flow, that's it really. The way you approach the players will
determine your success. It usually helps to be friendly and smile,
ask in a calm manner. The more you get to know the players, the
easier it will be to track them throughout the event and they may
very well provide details relevant to the updates. Some of them may
even become more than just a source of information, they will greet
you at a different tournament and have a friendly chat to reduce the
stress level.
Of course it would be foolish not to
mention the chance to travel and the excitement that comes along.
Back in school, it was already a big thing to travel with your class
to London or Paris for a few days. Over the last few years, I was
very fortunate to explore far more exotic destinations, for which I
am very thankful. There are some empty spots to be filled still,
while favorite cities and countries have been established such as
Australia and Canada.
As far as the writing is concerned, I
am no magician or poet with words like the staff of the PokerStars
Blog. But seeing them in action and being able to interact
provides the chance to see their point of view, learn and constantly
question the own quality. Without practice, it is unlikely to improve
after all. I am also no Joe Giron (WSOP and WPT lead photographer) or
Neil Stoddart (EPT lead photographer), nor any of the other talented
people that take pictures for a living. Again, I have a lot to learn,
and the chance to combine and exercise my passions of poker, writing
and photography are crucial for the entire experience.
Last but not least, the monetary aspect
is also important. While the players in the poker events I cover are
not guaranteed to make profit, I more or less know the salary in
advance already. Depending on the own performance and impression, it
opens further doors and certain bills require to be paid, especially
when being self-employed. Some hosts are more reliable than others
and it becomes increasingly difficult to get enough work when poker
sites and live event operators are trying to cut down their expenses.
If you happen to see a live event
reporter or photographer at the next poker tournament you participate in, be nice to him or her.
Most of them will even accept kind donations in the form of (healthy)
drinks such as coffee, tea, juices or smoothies to feed their inner
child.
