Poker Tournament Tracks Heartrate

Filed in archive Poker on July 9, 2006

Poker has become one of the most watchable 'sports' on television in the last few years - and no doubt this has a lot to do with the hole-card camera which allows the audience to see the 2 cards for each player.

However, what goes on behind the heavy sweaters and dark sunglasses?

Fox SportsNet's Poker Dome Challenge are adding another cute gimmick into their latest offering - monitoring the heartrate of each player. This way, the viewer can take get a better insight into how a poker player thinks and behaves behind their calm - or not so calm - exterior

In taping for week two of the series, which began Memorial Day weekend, amateur Andrew Rogers displayed the most uncanny composure.

The 34-year-old poker league manager from Montgomery, Minn., had a heart rate of 160 beats per minute while sipping water during breaks - no doubt thanks to the two pots of coffee and six Red Bulls he said he drank before taping, and a pack-a-day cigarette habit.

In one hand, Rogers looked down at an unsuited jack-two, while his opponent, World Series of Poker bracelet winner Perry Friedman, held an unsuited three-two.

Despite constant betting by Friedman, Rogers called every time, while his heart rate dropped to about 140. He won the hand after two kings, a queen, an eight and a six were turned over as community cards - allowing him to win with just a high card.

"I knew he was trying to buy it," Rogers said afterward. "I knew he was betting small."

He eventually won the six-player round for $25,000 US and the right to move on toward the series-ending $1 million prize

Article: Heart rate monitors let poker audience separate holders from folders