"HIGH STAKES POKER" PREMIERES ON GSN TELEVISION'S FIRST CASH GAME

Mondays, at 9 PM ET/PT, 8 PM CT

BY: Dennis Johnson

GSN premieres the first “cash game” of poker on television. Players such as Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss, legends Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan are joined by professionals and businessmen for a high stakes game where the players are bringing $100,000 or more of their own money to play.

This is the big game that is played in private rooms of casinos. For the first time viewers will see bets of $100,000 and more of cash, not chips, on the HIGH STAKES POKER.

The premiere episode featured a hand where 2004 poker player of the year, Daniel Negreanu, goes “all-in” with a $1,000,000 bet. Former “Welcome Back Kotter” star and poker expert, Gabe Kaplan, calls the action with host AJ Benza on the one-hour show.

This is the first “cash game” where the chips on the table represent actual money. Unlike tournament formats where the chips aren’t the actual value of the dollars they represent, in cash games a bet of $200,000 equals real money.

For the first time, viewers will be able to see behind the doors of the private high stakes poker room and will learn how the big money players play when the stakes are hundreds of thousands of dollars. There will also be behind-the-scenes features of the life of a high stakes player away from the table.

SERIES DESCRIPTION

GSN is teaming with Henry Orenstein, inventor of the in-table poker camera, to bring to television for the first time ever the truest form of poker, a "cash game." Poker began with cash games and HIGH STAKES POKER features players who can afford the $100,000 minimum buy-in to win or lose big money.

The 13-episode series, HIGH STAKES POKER, is by no means an ordinary cash game, but one played by some of the best and wealthiest players. This series promises to give viewers a behind the scenes look at this game which is generally off limits to the public and usually played in private rooms at the world's most luxurious casinos.

Legends putting their bankroll and pride at stake are Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Sam Farha and Barry Greenstein. They are joined at the table by poker superstars Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Todd Brunson, Jennifer Harman, Daniel Alaei and Antonio Esfandiari. Also playing are successful elite poker playing businessmen including Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss, Sean Sheikhan, Dr. Amir Nasseri, Fred Chamanara and Bob Stupak. Rounding out the line up are high stakes cash game experts including Freddy Deeb, Eli Elezra, Ted Forrest and Mimi Tran.

These players all bring their own bankrolls of up to and over a million dollars. The pots reach several hundred thousand dollars and players who lose their initial buy-in can re-buy as often as they wish with $50,000, $100,000 or more each time.

Unlike the tournament style game, in cash games the real value of the money on the table is at stake in each hand. Participants can play as long as they have cash or chips and can add more money or decide to walk away with their winnings at any time. There are no chip leaders here. HIGH STAKES POKER provides a fresh look at the purest sense of poker and will give poker enthusiasts a truer sense as how to improve their skills at their own cash games.

In addition to showcasing the drama and gut-wrenching decisions played out on this groundbreaking poker show, HIGH STAKES POKER will feature behind the scenes player profiles of these participants who are risking hundreds of thousands and up to a million dollars.

The show features Orenstein's in-table cameras that helped pave the way for the explosion of poker's popularity on television. With the use of these cameras, viewers will be able to play along and make their own decisions if the players should bet, bluff or fold. In the cash game there will be much more actual game playing with more bluffing because the blinds stay the same as the pros use their skill to try to outplay the others of their large bank rolls.

Gabe Kaplan serves as the expert analyst. Kaplan, best known for his role starring role on the hit television show "Welcome Back Kotter", is also a world class poker player who has won multiple tournaments. Kaplan has also served as a poker analyst on the "World Series of Poker" and the "National Heads-Up Poker Challenge."

Former New York gossip columnist turned author and television personality A.J. Benza hosts HIGH STAKES POKER. Benza has been on multiple television shows and appeared in movies including "Ransom" and "Conspiracy Theory." He is also going to be in the upcoming "Rocky 6."

HIGH STAKES POKER was taped at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Henry Orenstein serves as the Executive Producer of HIGH STAKES POKER with the HSOR production company. In addition to HIGH STAKES POKER on GSN, HSOR production also produces "Poker Superstars" and the "National Heads-Up Poker Challenge."

HIGH STAKES POKER PLAYERS IN EACH EPISODE

Episode 1001: Jerry Buss, Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Jennifer Harman, Barry Greenstein, Amir Nasseri, Ted Forrest, Daniel Alaei

Episode 1002: Jerry Buss, Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Jennifer Harman, Barry Greenstein, Amir Nasseri, Ted Forrest, Daniel Alaei

Episode 1003: Jerry Buss, Daniel Negreanu, Jennifer Harman, Barry Greenstein, Todd Brunson, Ted Forrest, Eli Elezra, Sean Sheikhan

Episode 1004: Jerry Buss, Daniel Negreanu, Jennifer Harman, Barry Greenstein, Todd Brunson, Ted Forrest, Eli Elezra, Sean Sheikhan

Episode 1005: Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negraanu, Johnny Chan, Fred Chamanara, Eli Elezra, Freddy Deeb, Sean Sheikhan, Sam Farha

Episode 1006: Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Johnny Chan, Fred Chamanara, Eli Elezra, Freddy Deeb, Sean Sheikhan, Sam Farha

Episode 1007: Johnny Chan, Daniel Negreanu, Mimi Tran, Amir Nasseri, Sam Farha, Todd Brunson, Bob Stupak, Freddy Deeb

Episode 1008: Johnny Chan, Daniel Negreanu, Mimi Tran, Amir Nasseri, Sam Farha, Todd Brunson, Bob Stupak, Freddy Deeb

FACT SHEET

PREMIERE DATE:

Monday, January 16, 2006 (9:00 - 10:00 PM, ET/PT)

REGULAR TIME PERIOD: Mondays, 9:00 - 10:00 PM, ET/PT 13 episodes

CONCEPT:

The first ever no limit Texas hold 'em cash game on television. This show features top poker professionals and elite poker playing business executives who are putting up a minimum of $100,000 of their own money. The episodes include eight players at the table betting at times over $100,000 on a single hand as well as behind the scenes features of the players. There are pots of several hundreds of thousands of dollars that are going to be won and lost.

PLAYERS: (In alphabetical order)

Daniel Alaei, Doyle Brunson, Todd Brunson, Dr. Jerry Buss, Fred Chamanara, Johnny Chan, Freddy Deeb, Eli Elezra, Antonio Esfandiari, Sam Farha, Ted Forrest, Barry Greenstein, Jennifer Harman, Phil Hellmuth, Dr. Amir Nasseri, Daniel Negreanu, Mimi Tran, Sean Sheikhan, Bob Stupak

ANNOUNCERS:

A.J.Benza (host) Gabe Kaplan (analyst)

LOCATION:

Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

Henry Orenstein of HSOR, L.L.C.

MEDIA WEBSITE: http://corp.GSN.com. Site includes photos and information on GSN programming and corporate communications.

PRESS CONTACT:

Dennis Johnson, 310-255-6935 djohnson@gsn.com