Best Ben Strivens Podcasts (2024)

1
305. Lexy Gavin-Mather 1:07:16

12h ago1:07:16

1:07:16

In a change to our advertised programming, James and Joe are joined by poker player, coach, content creator, author, and commentator Lexy Gavin-Mather. In an extended interview, Lexy talks about her start in poker, her years as an online grinder, her first foray into live poker at the PCA, finding love on the circuit, and diversifying into coaching…

1
304. Sunday Million Anniversary recap, plus news update from Jon Sofen (Senior US Editor, PokerNews) 1:14:04

8d ago1:14:04

1:14:04

James is celebrating a deep run and a $5k score in the #SundayMillionAnniversary. He and Joe also celebrate the champion 'CrossBreed17', having streamed the final table and the winning moment on the PokerStars Twitch channel. They guys are then joined by Jon Sofen, Senior US Editor at PokerNews, to discuss the latest poker stories from North Americ…

1
303. Irish Open 2024 champion Tero Laurila 52:42

20d ago52:42

52:42

James and Joe are back from Dublin – and Stapes has recovered from a nasty stomach bug – so they recap the last few days of the #IrishOpen in the company of Main Event champion Tero Laurila: the first ever Irish Open winner from Finland. He talks about his 20-year poker career and what it means to him to win such a historic title. Meanwhile, Swedis…

1
302. At the Irish Open with Felix Schneiders, Paul O'Reilly, David Lappin and Dara O'Kearney 1:17:19

21d ago1:17:19

1:17:19

It's a special edition of the podcast recorded on location at the #IrishOpen in Dublin on Day 1A of the Main Event. James and Joe have had the chance to play a couple of tournaments, and Joe scored big in one of them. Felix Schneiders from Team Pro streamed the final table on Twitch, so joins the guys to discuss Joe's journey to (near) victory. Eve…

51
301. Patrick Marber 1:04:58

27d ago1:04:58

1:04:58

It's the #PITE300 after-party, as James and Joe recap what happened behind-the-scenes in the run up to their live show in London, and what happened at the poker tables afterwards. Patrick Marber's name came up a couple of times at The Hippodrome, and the actor-writer-director is the guest on this week's episode. Patrick talks about playing in the '…

51
300. Live at The Hippodrome with Victoria Coren Mitchell, Jake Johnson, Nico Leonard and others 1:22:49

1M ago1:22:49

1:22:49

To celebrate their third centenary, James and Joe returned to The Hippodrome Casino in London on Wednesday 13th March 2024 to record the podcast on stage in front of an audience of fans. This special live show opens with a five-minute stand-up set from Stapes, followed by a Poker Movie Monday, as the guys revisit 'Win It All' with the Netflix film'…

51
299. Global Poker Award winners Marle Spragg and Francine Watson (Associate Director, Creative and Content, PokerStars) 1:21:13

1M ago1:21:13

1:21:13

With one week to go until their live show at The Hippodrome in London, James and Joe preview #PITE300 and celebrate the success of a couple of their friends at last month's #GlobalPokerAwards. They're joined by Marle Spragg – winner of Best X/Twitter Personality – and Francine Watson, Associate Director, Creative and Content at PokerStars. Francine…

101
298. EPT Paris champion Barny Boatman, plus Global Poker Awards winners 1:38:06

2M ago1:38:06

1:38:06

Following a big weekend, which saw UK poker legend Barny Boatman take down the #EPTParis Main Event and the PokerStars live stream production team triumph at the #GlobalPokerAwards, James and Joe look back on a successful start to the European Poker Tour's 2024 season and highlight some of the key winners at the GPI's awards ceremony in Vegas. Plea…

1
297. EPT 2024 preview with Prague champ Padraig O'Neill 1:09:10

2M ago1:09:10

1:09:10

There's less than a month to go until #PITE300: James and Joe's live show at The Hippodrome in London. Listen to this episode to find out how to secure your seats and hear a few headline details about the event. Meanwhile, with #EPTParis getting underway, the guys look ahead to the 2024 European Poker Tour season, and speak to the most recent EPT c…

1
296. All aboard The Good Ship Murder with Jonathan Little 1:22:36

2M ago1:22:36

1:22:36

James and Joe are reeling from what might be the worst poker scene ever filmed (and that's saying something), having watched 'The Good Ship Murder'. They review the poker-themed episode of this British TV series and ask poker pro and coach Jonathan Little to analyse the Hold'em hands. Jonathan also talks about his success in last week's PokerGO Cup…

1
295. News round-up, including PokerStars Rewards changes with Ashley Chase and Chris Straghalis 1:25:45

3M ago1:25:45

1:25:45

Welcome to #PITE 2024! On their first podcast of the year, James and Joe recap some of the big poker headlines of the last six weeks. From the good – the Global Poker Award nominations – to the bad – accusations of super users and bots on other sites. As far as PokerStars is concerned, the Sunday Million 18th Anniversary has been announced and the …

1
294. EPT Prague preview with Jasper Meijer van Putten + Elliot Roe on A-Game Poker 1:26:47

4M ago1:26:47

1:26:47

In their final episode of 2023, James and Joe look ahead to the last European Poker Tour event of the year: #EPTPrague. They run through the live streaming schedule (six days of coverage on the PokerStars Twitch and YouTube channels) and catch up with 2016 Main Event champion Jasper Meijer van Putten. The second guest of the week is mindset coach E…

301
293. The Truth Detective with Alex O'Brien 1:09:29

5M ago1:09:29

1:09:29

James and Joe are still recovering from Vegas (and a large Thanksgiving meal), but have had a bit of time to relax, watch movies…and read a book! Yes, on this week's podcast, they delve into 'The Truth Detective' by Alex O'Brien. Alex is a science writer and poker enthusiast. She talks about the idea behind her book, subtitled 'A Poker Player's Gui…

1
292. Las Vegas Grand Prix with P1's Tom Bellingham 1:24:19

5M ago1:24:19

1:24:19

Welcome to the Vegas afterparty! James and Joe have finally left the poker capital of the world (after 18 days) and recap what happened in the last week of their trip, in the run up to, and during the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The guys are joined by a Formula 1 expert – Tom Bellingham from the P1 podcast – to recap the race and talk about his Grand Tau…

1
291. NAPT Las Vegas recap with winners Sami Bechahed & Sam Laskowitz 52:16

5M ago52:16

52:16

James and Joe are roughly mid-way through their Las Vegas adventure, with the Big Game on Tour in the can and #NAPTLasVegas in the books. They discuss what happened behind-the-scenes while filming the Big Game and casting the Loose Cannons and celebrate the successful return of the North American Poker Tour. Plus, there's the chance to hear from tw…

1
290. NAPT Las Vegas preview with Arden Cho 57:31

6M ago57:31

57:31

James and Joe are heading to Vegas for the first North American Poker Tour event in more than a decade, plus the F1 Grand Prix! They discuss the #NAPTLasVegas live streaming schedule (three days of cards-up coverage on the PokerStars Twitch and YouTube channels) and look ahead to the return of the Big Game. The guys are joined on the podcast by act…

1
289. EPT Cyprus champion Gilles Simon 1:10:20

6M ago1:10:20

1:10:20

With the first ever #EPTCyprus in the books, James and Joe recap their trip to Kyrenia and speak to Main Event champ Gilles Simon. In an extended interview, he talks about his poker journey, from streamer, to Platinum Pass winner, to professional player to besting a field of more than 1,300 to become a European Poker Tour champion. Plus, the guys l…

1
288. EPT Cyprus preview with Daniel Dvoress 1:09:45

6M ago1:09:45

1:09:45

James and Joe are making their first ever trip to Cyprus for the penultimate event of the 2023 European Poker Tour season. They provide details of the streaming schedule (October 18-22 on the PokerStars Twitch and YouTube channels) and the accompanying Mini EPT online series. Plus, the guys are joined by Super High Roller regular Daniel Dvoress, wh…

1
287. WCOOP 2023 record-breaker Benny Glaser + Howard Swains 1:07:22

7M ago1:07:22

1:07:22

James and Joe draw a line under the 2023 World Championship of Online Poker, with #WCOOP Correspondent Howard Swains providing the final facts and figures. Plus, this week's special guest is Benny 'RunGodlike' Glaser who claimed an unprecedented seven trophies during the series and now has the highest number of WCOOP wins (and overall COOP titles).…

1
286. Steve Preiss (VP, PokerStars North America) and WCOOP update with Howard Swains 1:12:51

7M ago1:12:51

1:12:51

Big things are happening in the USA. The inaugural #NACOOP has been a huge success. Maria Konnikova, author of 'The Biggest Bluff', is returning as an ambassador. The North American Poker Tour is coming back after more than a decade. So, James and Joe bring Steve Preiss, VP of PokerStars North America, onto the podcast to talk about what players ca…

1
285. The Adults with Dustin Defa, WCOOP update with Howard Swains and Superfan Jack Sinclair 1:11:45

7M ago1:11:45

1:11:45

For their latest Poker Movie Monday (recorded on a Wednesday, released on a Thursday), James and Joe discuss 'The Adults', starring former #PITE guest Michael Cera. They talk to the film's writer-director Dustin Defa about the importance of poker to the story and the challenges that come with staging and shooting Hold'em scenes. Meanwhile, as the 2…

1
284. EPT Barcelona champion Simon Wiciak and WCOOP update with Howard Swains 1:24:52

7M ago1:24:52

1:24:52

James and Joe have a lot to get through in this extended episode of the podcast. In addition to recapping #EPTBarcelona, and speaking to Main Event champion Simon Wiciak, Joe talks about a "lively” comedy night in west London and hosting a charity event in Las Vegas, while James discusses his trip to #UKIPTBrighton and celebrates Spraggy's success …

1
283. EPT Barcelona preview with Fabiano Kovalski 1:05:01

8M ago1:05:01

1:05:01

James and Joe are about to head to Spain for the next stop on the European Poker Tour. That means it's time for the #EPTBarcelona Preview Show! They run through the streaming schedule – eight days of cards-up coverage on the PokerStars Twitch and YouTube channels, starting Sunday August 27 – and speak to Brazilian pro Fabiano Kovalski, who's enjoye…

1
282. WSOP 2023 recap with Nate Silver 1:24:44

8M ago1:24:44

1:24:44

James and Joe are back from their break, ready to reveal what happened in Las Vegas this summer. Both played the World Series of Poker Main Event for the first time, with different expectations and experiences. Spoiler alert: neither of the guys made the money, but they're joined by a player who did cash in the tournament. Nate Silver, the statisti…

1
281. Blackbird and Lucky You with Matt Savage 1:21:42

9M ago1:21:42

1:21:42

In this summer special (recorded a few weeks ago), James and Joe look at two "iconic” poker movies. They revisit 'Lucky You' (first reviewed in Episode 103) in the company of one of the film's consultants and stars: tournament director Matt Savage. Plus, the guys discuss Michael Flatley's 'Blackbird', an incredibly awful vanity project that feature…

1
280. WSOP Main Event preview with Lon McEachern 1:06:04

10M ago1:06:04

1:06:04

James and Joe are both preparing to travel to Vegas to play the $10k World Series of Poker Main Event. James is excited. Joe is incredibly stressed. So, they enlist the services of legendary broadcaster Lon McEachern – the voice of the #WSOP for more than two decades – to provide a pep talk and some useful hints, tips and life hacks. The guys also …

1
279. WSOP 2023 update with Jeff Platt 1:01:24

10M ago1:01:24

1:01:24

After a two-week break – during which they spent some time together in LA – James and Joe are back, catching up on what's been happening at the 2023 World Series of Poker. They enlist the services of PokerGo's Jeff Platt to provide the details on the key winners and headline stories from the first three weeks of the #WSOP. Plus, James reveals why a…

1
278. SCOOP 2023 recap with Howard Swains 54:17

11M ago54:17

54:17

With the 2023 Spring Championship of Online Poker in the books, James and Joe take a retrospective look at the series and review the headline stats and stories with their #SCOOP Correspondent Howard Swains. Plus, the guys briefly discuss some other big events in the poker world, including the 'Million Dollar Cash Game' and the start of the World Se…

1
277. Between the Lines with Will Courtenay (Head of Race Strategy, Oracle Red Bull Racing) 1:08:42

11M ago1:08:42

1:08:42

This week's podcast focusses on the release of the new video series 'Between the Lines', a collaboration between PokerStars and Oracle Red Bull Racing. James and Joe analyse the first episode (available to watch on the PokerStars YouTube channel and at pokerstars.net/poker/between-the-lines) and speak to Will Courtenay – Head of Race Strategy at Re…

801
276. EPT Monte-Carlo champion Mike Watson + SCOOP Correspondent Howard Swains 1:15:26

11M ago1:15:26

1:15:26

James and Joe start this week's podcast paying tribute to Doyle Brunson, 'The Godfather of Poker', who's died at the age of 89. They then recap their trip to Monaco and talk to the #EPTMonteCarlo Main Event champion: two-time European Poker Tour winner Mike Watson. Plus, mid-way through the Spring Championship of Online Poker, there's an update on …

1
275. EPT Monte-Carlo preview with former champ Manig Loeser 59:57

12M ago59:57

59:57

James and Joe are heading to Monaco for the PokerStars EPT Presented by Monte-Carlo Casino, so look ahead to seven days of live streams on Twitch and YouTube (April 30-May 6) and talk to former champion Manig Loeser, who won the #EPTMonteCarlo Main Event in 2019. Plus, James provides a brief overview of the plans for cards-up coverage of #SCOOP in …

1
274. The Science of SCOOP with Steve Clarricoats (Head of Poker Operations for PokerStars Global Market) 57:59

1y ago57:59

57:59

With the 2023 Spring Championship of Online Poker just around the corner (May 7-31), James and Joe go behind-the-scenes at PokerStars to talk to the man responsible for planning, scheduling, building and running every tournament series on the global site. Steve Clarricoats has been working at Stars since 2005, and is currently Head of Poker Operati…

1
273. Irish Poker Open 2023 champion David Docherty 1:16:45

1y ago1:16:45

1:16:45

The guys are back from Dublin, where they worked on the live stream and played at the tables at the Irish Poker Open. Joe entered a couple of small side events, while James fired three bullets (courtesy of PokerStars) in the €1k Main Event, earning nothing more than some time at the #PokerStarsTV table and a trilogy of brutal bust-out stories, one …

1
272. Irish Poker Open preview with Fintan Hand 59:24

1y ago59:24

59:24

Joe has a VERY special surprise for James on this week's podcast. The guys are heading to Dublin for the 2023 #IrishOpen (well, Joe's actually already there) and look ahead to the IPO Main Event with Fintan Hand, who made the final table of the tournament in 2017 and now lives 15 minutes from the venue. They discuss what makes the Irish Poker Open …

1
271. Sunday Million 17th Anniversary recap with Nick Walsh 56:56

1y ago56:56

56:56

The Sunday Million has celebrated its 17th birthday, and James and Joe are celebrating the success stories of a couple of players. They recap their live coverage of the #SundayMillionAnniversary in the company of Nick Walsh, who faded commentary duties by making the final day of the tournament. Nick talks about his rollercoaster ride to the last tw…

1
270. Phil Galfond 1:03:37

1y ago1:03:37

1:03:37

With so much happening in the poker world in the first quarter of the year, James and Joe have had to postpone their annual pop culture special. Now, the guys are finally able to take a deep dive into the films and TV shows they've watched in recent months. Joining them as special guest reviewer – following in the footsteps of Niall Farrell and Sam…

1
269. Global Poker Award winner Caitlin Comeskey 1:18:08

1y ago1:18:08

1:18:08

Joe has just returned from ANOTHER trip to Vegas, where he was helping host a group of Red Spade Pass winners from Toronto. He talks about the experience that PokerStars provided, including VIP tickets to a couple of NBA games in LA, and a poker tutorial and tournament at Resorts World. Plus, the guys deal with some unfinished business from last we…

1
268. EPT Paris recap with winner Razvan Belea and runner-up Peter Jorgne 1:09:45

1y ago1:09:45

1:09:45

The guys are just back from Las Vegas, where James was named Best Broadcaster at the #GlobalPokerAwards, so share some stories from their trip, mostly relating to spending/losing a lot of money. They also recap their slightly-less-recent voyage to France for the first European Poker Tour event of 2023: #EPTParis. James and Joe talk to the players w…

1
267. Bahamas recap with PSPC finalist Niclas Thumm 1:27:26

1y ago1:27:26

1:27:26

Lots to get through on this week's show. James and Joe recap an exciting, eventful and exhausting #PCA2023 and #PSPC, in the company of Niclas Thumm, the #PlatinumPass winner from Germany who came sixth in the PokerStars Players No Limit Hold'em Championship for more than $1m. They also talk about this year's #GlobalPokerAwards, where James, this p…

1
266. Platinum Pass giveaway and PCA/PSPC preview with Griffin Benger 52:35

1+ y ago52:35

52:35

Here we go! James and Joe give away the final #PlatinumPass before the Bahamas. Find out who from the #PITE community is going to #PCA2023 to play the $25k PokerStars Players No Limit Hold'em Championship. Before that, the guys are joined by poker pro and commentator Griffin Benger to preview the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and the #PSPC. They t…

1
265. Chase Your Dream: The Reunion, plus Platinum Pass giveaway 51:48

1+ y ago51:48

51:48

An exciting show with an incredible opportunity. In their first podcast of 2023, James and Joe catch up with the 'Platinum Five': the first players to qualify for the forthcoming #PSPC. Clement, Adrian, Christoph, Danielle and Daryl came to Barcelona in August 2019 to take part in the 'Chase Your Dream' promotion. Each of them received a #PlatinumP…

1
264. EPT Prague preview with Steve O'Dwyer 1:14:43

1+ y ago1:14:43

1:14:43

It's the last episode of the year, and there's lots to discuss. With #EPTPrague getting underway, the guys look ahead to the final European Poker Tour stop of 2022 and their five days of live coverage of the Main Event on the PokerStars Twitch and YouTube channels (14th – 18th December). They also speak to EPT legend Steve O'Dwyer: a former champio…

1
263. Poker Face with Jon 'PearlJammer' Turner 1:01:45

1+ y ago1:01:45

1:01:45

This week, James and Joe discuss 'Poker Face'. Not the song by Lady Gaga. Not the upcoming TV series created by Rian Johnson. But the 2022 film, co-written by, directed by and starring Russell Crowe. Yes, it's a Poker Movie Monday (on a Wednesday, released on a Thursday) with special guest reviewer Jon 'PearlJammer' Turner, an online legend and cin…

1
262. Poker in the USA with David Kaye 1:05:07

1+ y ago1:05:07

1:05:07

Joe is back from a live poker series in San Diego. He provides James with a field report and a few hand histories, including an accidental angle shoot which led to a controversial ruling (let us know your thoughts: psta.rs/Discord). The guys also talk about online poker in the USA, as they're joined by the newest member of Team PokerStars Pro, Mich…

1
261. Daniel 'Jungleman' Cates 1:06:24

1+ y ago1:06:24

1:06:24

Welcome to the Jungle! The legendary Daniel 'Jungleman' Cates is the guest on this week's podcast, discussing how he's changed as a person since the days of the nosebleeds on Stars and Tilt, his interest in music and charity, the importance of integrity in poker, and the things he'd like to change about the game (he's not a fan of players who feel …

1
260. WCOOP 2022 recap 47:09

1+ y ago47:09

47:09

A few weeks later than originally planned, James and Joe are able to draw a line under #WCOOP, and provide a full recap of the 2022 World Championship of Online Poker. Having spent three consecutive nights covering the $10k Main Event, the guys deliver a slightly shorter podcast than usual, but summarise the key stats and stories (just how many tro…

1
259. EPT London recap with Main Event finalist Dan Chisu 1:09:59

1+ y ago1:09:59

1:09:59

Following their week of live streams from the UK capital, Joe is back in LA and James is in Malta "on PokerStars business.” They look back at #EPTLondon 2022, summarising the key winners and recapping the Main Event, a tournament filled with many accomplished players and interesting characters. One of those characters was the Romanian film-maker (a…

1
258. EPT London preview with former champ Robin Ylitalo 56:39

1+ y ago56:39

56:39

It's the #EPTLondon preview show. James and Joe look ahead to the European Poker Tour festival at the Hilton Park Lane, summarising their streaming schedule (on the PokerStars Twitch and YouTube channels) and providing the headline details of the accompanying Mini EPT online series. Plus, they take a trip down memory lane, re-living moments from Lo…

1
257. Analysing Joe Stapleton with Maria Ho 1:15:45

1+ y ago1:15:45

1:15:45

In the wake of new revelations and dramatic developments, James and Joe revisit the controversy surrounding the hand between Robbi Jade Lew and Garrett Adelstein on Hustler Casino Live. They also get the thoughts of this week's guest, Maria Ho. But her primary responsibility is to analyse Joe Stapleton. Specifically, to break down his play in a rec…

1
256. Sam Grafton on Robbi Jade Lew cheating allegations and winning $5.5m 1:17:22

1+ y ago1:17:22

1:17:22

In the wake of the most controversial "hero call” of all time – a hand on Hustler Casino Live that has provoked allegations of cheating – James and Joe enlist the help of high stakes pro Sam Grafton to analyse the confrontation between Garrett Adelstein and Robbi Jade Lew (8c7c vs Jc4h), and provide his thoughts on what REALLY happened. Sam also di…

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Ben Strivens Podcasts

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