Top 5 Players We Want To See VLOG In 2017

We probably all have our favorites in the poker world whose Twitter feed, FB post and basically every move we follow, but we don’t always get to choose the ones who produce the everyday content we are used to seeing with the new breed of vlogger.

Doug Polk, Daniel Negreanu, Andrew Neeme, Jeff Boski – I happen to like them all and subscribe to their YouTube channels. But what if I (or should I say we) could choose who produced a weekly vlog, or podcast? Who would we want to see and hear about on a weekly basis? Let’s take a look at what our top 5 might be…

1. Tom Dwan

Too obvious? Not a good role model according to the likes of Doug Polk? Nothing of interest to share with us? Ha, well the first two might be true, but can you imagine what Dwan vlogging his daily life might look like? It would be dynamite!

Wake up in Manila, attempt to escape from the Triad enforcers holding him captive, play some high-stakes cash games after they catch him for the umpteenth time? Well, not all the rumors are true – and it seems that his grasp on reality might be a little loose – but who wouldn’t look forward to ‘Dwan’s Hour’ every Monday evening on YouTube?

2. Vanessa Selbst

Unless I’m much mistaken (and as my uncle used to say, ‘It’s not often I’m wrong, but I’m right again') there are no female poker vloggers out there – which is a) perhaps a missed opportunity for someone and b) understandable for anyone who has seen the comments on the vlogs of females in other sports and games.

Anyway, if I could choose one female player who I would love to see on a regular basis, it would have to be Vanessa Selbst. Social Justice warrior? Grumpy-faced whinger? I don’t care! She’s the best female player ever in my opinion and it would be interesting to see her take on the game, as well as how she manages to juggle poker, charity work and all else that her life entails.

3. Will Kassouf

I like a bit of humor with my poker vlogging, hence 3 of the 4 names I gave in the intro, so who would bring a smile to our faces every time we hear his dulcet tones describing their latest tournament or poker expedition? Half of you will hate me for this (and the other half too perhaps) but how about William ‘9 high like a boss’ Kassouf?!

Kassouf would certainly get views given his notoriously divisive approach to the game, which last summer saw several penalties and heated exchanges at the WSOP, and it would be intriguing to see if he is hamming it up for the cameras and fellow players – or if he really says things like ‘top banana’ when he does the shopping!

4. Nathan ‘BlackRain79’ Williams

OK, so far it’s been big names (and big egos perhaps) and we already have that in the vlogging world with Negreanu and Polk. What about an interesting but down to earth online grinder who can share his approach to the average player’s game – but add a bit extra? There are many of them around, but I’d really like Blackrain79 to still be producing content – sharing his Thailand lifestyle and hand analyses on a weekly basis.

Williams is the author of best-selling books such as ‘Crushing the Microstakes’ and still updates his normal written blog, but the YouTube content stopped about 8 months ago – about the same time as I realized vlogging was about to hit the poker world hard! Bring back BlackRain79!

5. A. Scammer

Let’s go out on a limb here and suggest something really horrible – a vlog by a low-life poker scammer, revealing the mindset of someone determined to rob their friends and foes alike of every last cent or penny, and detailing it all in glorious YouTube technicolor!

OK, it wouldn’t last long perhaps (although you never know with poker players, who seem to be easily led and easily fleeced in equal measure) but we certainly wouldn’t be short of candidates for such a ‘scamvlogger’.

A quick peek at the NVG forum over on 2+2 and I already have about half-a-dozen names, none of who I can mention here… except for Chino Rheem, Paul Dlugozima, Jose ‘girah’ Macedo, Shakeed ‘najaguar’ Kazemipur, Brandon Barnes (I’m still on page 1 here folks, and have missed out 3 names already!!)

So, that’s my top 5 poker vloggers I’d love to see appear on YouTube on 2017. Agree or disagree? Other names you’d like to see included? That’s what the comments section is for, so don’t be shy!