LAPC Ironman Final Table Broadcasting Live Via UStream

Has Brian Rast lost his mind? Can he see or is he blind?

The LA Poker Classic’s “Ironman” tournament bears a surface resemblance to the other poker tournaments you’ve played in and seen on television. There are card and chips, blinds and antes, a dealer, a bunch of players sitting at a table, and of course the ever-present bad beats. 

But aside from those basics, Ironman is very different from other poker tournaments. Entry into the event isn’t for the faint of heart – there are no scheduled breaks, meaning players have to step away form the action to use the restroom, smoke a cigarette, or anything else they might normally do between levels. Tournament Director Matt Savage’s one-of-a-kind tournament is innovative at best, downright sadistic at worst, and certainly tough on the players who make it deep into the event. “I just want to take a nap for 20 minutes,” one player said at about the 10.5-hour mark. An hour later one of the final tablists was suggesting that everyone do shots to liven things up. 

Anyone who wants to get a glimpse into the crazy world if the Ironman is in luck – the final table of the tournament is actually being broadcast live over the web right now on a service called UStream. Compared to TV poker the webcam at Commerce Casino is a breath of fresh air for in terms of realism, at least from the perspective of anyone who’s ever spent a few hours in a casino poker room. Online cash game pro Brian Rast, also known as “tsarrast,” is the best-known of the remaining players in this unique LA Poker Classic event.

For starters, the game moves a lot slower than any televised tournament. Petty arguments break out between players and resolve just as spontaneously. Opponents critique each other’s play and even occasionally the dealer’s actions. And the language, while not always over the top in its vulgarity, is salty enough that it has to be considered an overall NSFW.

Check out the LA Poker Classic UStream feed to see the rest of the Ironman final table and other events, and get news on the full Commerce schedule at the official LAPC blog.