The Overlay a poker podcast

The Overlay podcast talks about the current state of poker, focusing on live poker on August 6th, 2020. We cover the best and worst times to show up at CCG poker, the new MSPT and HPT schedules, and the hope of another November 9 WSOP Main Event happening this year. In these unsure times, Ken and Brandon try to bring a little clarity to LIVE poker during a global pandemic. If you are enjoying our...

In this week's episode, we interview our guest host Sara from Poker Powher.  Poker Powher is dedicated to teaching one million women how to play poker. We talk about Poker Powher's mission, how life lessons are learned through the game of poker, how players can benefit from learning poker, how women can learn the game from other women who love the game, and how to volunteer with the orga...

In this week's episode, the hosts of the Overlay go over their favorite, and least favorite poker movies. Did James Bond really need to have a straight flush to take down Le Chiffre and save the world? How many actual no limit texas hold em poker hands are played in Rounders? Was Maverick really a magician or a wizard? If it is just a quick scene or the entire movie is based around poker we g...

In this episode, we talk about short-handed cash play and how to be Game Theory Optimal (GTO) while playing with fewer players.  Specifically, we talk about the lack of UTG, UTG+1, and UTG+2 and how you must open your ranges in order to be a successful short-handed player.  While most games are now played short-handed due to safety procedure from COVID-19 we want our Overlay listeners to up their...

In this episode, we sit down with Pat the Nit, a long time CCG regular & poker grinder, our local poker marketing expert, and part-time poker professional.  We talk to Pat about his ability to balance school, work, and other hobbies all while playing poker at a serious professional level.  Learn about his biggest wins, his biggest loss, how he became a nit, and his 2nd place finish in a profes...

The Overlay podcast talks about the current state of poker, focusing on live poker reopening across the USA at the end of June 2020. In the self-proclaimed "LAST" episode about COVID-19 we go over the new online WSOP, how poker has been affected so far and is still being changed daily by this new disease.  Plus Ken goes on a pretty long rant about how COVID-19 has affected him and someth...

In this bonus episode, we interview Joe L a long time CCG player and an avid amateur poker player. We go over Joe's biggest win, how he got started in the game, playing poker while on vacation, and the ins and outs of playing poker at a serious level but keeping things in the recreational section of the pocketbook.  Plus we get to hear a blackjack story from Ken, and those never end well.  If...

The who what why when and where of Mixed Games.  We go over Limit Holdem, Omaha 8 or better, RAZZ, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud High/Low, Duece to 7 triple draw, Badugi, Badacey, Baduecey, 5 Card Omaha, BIG O, Dramaha... Learning Mixed Games can be a daunting task, but we try to cover as much or each game as possible to help introduce our listeners to some of the different poker games. Give th...

Poker Culture 201: Poker culture and how it pertains to American society, a 200 level course. Poker players have their own language, terminology, shorthand, code words, and unwritten laws. In this episode of the Overlay, we talk about culture in a poker room as it pertains to chopping a tournament, staking poker players, and what poker players wear in a poker room. All this and more in this week&a...

The Overlay podcast talks about the current state of poker, focusing on live poker reopening across the USA at the end of May 2020. We cover and talk about poker rooms opening or not opening in Texas, Florida, Las Vegas, Maryland, Indiana, and Illinois. Plus the new safety procedures and protocols that poker rooms are implementing to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are enjoying our show please...

The episode is dedicated to prop bets, side actions, money dares, and basically all the things you can gamble on when you are not actively in a hand. Prop bets are meant to keep our poker minds busy while waiting for those premium poker hands. Learn all about different types of prop bets to play while playing poker, sports prop bets, DFS side action, and the wild things poker players will gamble o...

The Overlay podcast describes ICM and how to apply ICM theory to your final table play as it pertains to the big stack, middle stacks, and short stacks. ICM stands for the Independent Chip Model. This model is a means to convert tournament players chip stacks into their money equity (as a percentage of the total or remaining prize pool). It may sound difficult but Brandon breaks it down for us so...

Learn how to exploit your fellow poker players when the bubble approaches. The Overlay podcast boys go over how to play a big stack, a medium stack, and a small stack when the money bubble is approaching. Do you change your play when the bubble approaches? Do you have a bubble specific game plan? When the bubble bursts which side will you be on? If you are enjoying our show please subscribe and le...

Poker Culture 101: Poker culture and how it pertains to American society, a 100 level course. Poker players have their own language, terminology, shorthand, code words, and unwritten laws. In this episode of the Overlay, we talk about culture in a poker room and different poker player stereotypes.  What makes a good poker game? How does the poker ecosystem work? How can you apply this to your game...

The trifecta of poker player problems: How to manage your bankroll, How to deal with variance, and how to get through the downswings. The Overlay covers al three this week with tips, tricks, and stories on how to deal with the big three of playing poker like a pro. Plus Brandon's number 1 tip of all time... ps he hopes you do not listen to this episode if you play PLO with him at the Horsesho...

The boys from the Overlay are still quarantined at home in the Midwest, and they are going a little stir crazy.  We talk about the WSOP being postponed until the fall, how sports are dealing with COVID-19, at-home testing, the NFL draft, poker apps, and Ken has a pretty good freak out in the last ten minutes of the show. If you are enjoying our show please subscribe and leave us a 5-star review on...

In this episode, we talk to a two-time WSOP champion Jordan Helstern.  Jordan has over $200,000 in tournament winnings, several top ten finishes, lots of close calls at final tables, and ultimately two WSOP circuit event rings. Jordan is currently in the points race for the 2020 Global Casino Championship set for August. Jordan talks about his life on the poker tournament road, how he copes with s...

Everyone has a bad beat story to tell that no one wants to hear. However, this episode is about the flip side to the bad beat... run good stories.  Ken and Brandon talk about a DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) run from $100 free play up to a $17,500 payday. Along with a sick PLO story from Texas where the hero hits every card that he needs and every river holds for a $7,500 winner in a $1-2PLO game. Plu...

How the poker world is transitioning away from No-Limit Texas Hold'em and into Pot Limit Omaha. A lot of poker players consider NLH to be a solved game, where PLO is the wild west just waiting to be tamed by poker's best players. If you are enjoying our show please subscribe and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. If you are listing on Spotify please hit that follow button.  Wher...

I am lucky enough to have special guest Jaman Burton of the Drawing Dead VLOG on the show to talk about his start in poker, his meet up game in Texas at Paramount Social Club, and his recent nomination for a 2019 Global Poker award.  Be sure to check out Jaman's vlogs on YouTube Thanks for Listening. If you are enjoying our show please subscribe and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts....

Re-entry, Re-buy, or Freezeout poker tournaments.  This episode the Overlayboys go over the pros and cons of a re-entry tournament. What it is, Who it benefits, who is at a disadvantage, and why you should care about re-entry poker tournaments. If you are enjoying our show please subscribe and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. If you are listing on Spotify please hit that follow button. ...

This episode is all about bad beats, how to take them, how to tell them, when you should tell them, and how much to charge your friends when listening to their bad beats. Plus we get to hear our hosts talk about the absolute worst beats they have taken in their gambling careers. If you are enjoying our show please subscribe and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. If you are listing on Spot...

The boys from CCG poker are stuck at home, with no live poker to be played. We go over the current state of poker while most of the nation is on a voluntary self-quarantine (March of 2020).  We cover how live poker has been effected, where the game is headed, and what is going to happen post COVID-19.  We also cover what is going to happen with the WSOP 2020 and the rise of the poker app. If you a...