Ante Up Poker Magazine – Chapter 4, Ep. 11b "It’s Finally Back"

Date: March 29, 2026
Host: Joe Scales
Co-hosts: Elle, Elliot Schecter, Patrick

Episode Overview

In this episode of Ante Up Poker Magazine, Joe Scales returns from the Arizona tour stop to bring listeners a blend of humor, heartfelt updates, commentary, and deep poker strategy. The show revisits classic listener scenarios, features a "Call the Floor" rules debate, celebrates community achievements, and presents a compelling Hand of the Week breakdown—while also sharing personal stories about life on the poker road and what the return of the WSOP to ESPN means for the game.

Key Discussion Points

Arizona Poker Tour Recap & Personal Updates

[03:01–05:32]

• Joe and Elle share stories from a whirlwind 10-day Arizona tour stop, including their exhaustion from travel and an unexpected family medical emergency.
  • Elle: “We are human, just like you all listening. And sometimes your life doesn’t always… it’s full of surprises.” (03:45)
• They mention caring for a family dog, dealing with hospital visits, and being late with the episode.

Table Talk: WSOP Returns to ESPN

[05:45–08:57]

• Heartfelt celebration and nostalgia as the World Series of Poker (WSOP) returns to ESPN.
  • Elle: "Poker is going home." (05:49)
  • Joe recalls watching the WSOP late nights in the ‘80s–2000s and how pivotal that coverage was:
    • “We grew up watching ESPN air the World Series… that’s what gave us the itch to go, hey, let's play some cards…” (06:17)
  • Elle expresses hope for broader exposure and new faces in commentary.
• ESPN's plans include 100+ hours of coverage, three simultaneous feature tables, and live broadcasting of the Main Event’s final table (July 2 – Aug 5).

The Lodge Poker Room Raid and Texas Uncertainty

[08:57–13:50]

• The Lodge, a prominent Texas poker room, remains indefinitely closed after a high-profile raid.
  • Elle: “Closed, indefinite indefinitely. Which is like devastating to the 200 plus employees…” (09:06)
• Joe and Elle discuss speculation: money laundering, illegal gambling, and paperwork issues related to large cash transactions.
  • Joe: “According to the search warrant, they were investigating allegations of money laundering, illegal gambling…” (09:30)
  • Emphasis on community support: listeners are encouraged to help affected employees.
• They reflect on the impact across the Texas poker scene, the messiness for players with chips at the Lodge, and the possibility it may be part of a wider story for Texas poker.

Table Talk: Arizona Poker Action & Community

[13:51–18:58]

• High praise for Lone Butte poker room and tournament director Tia, including cleanliness, efficiency, structure, and player experience.
  • Elle: "I was just very impressed with how everybody works together. The whole ecosystem of the room, the acoustics… tables, the way things are cleaned up. It was just fantastic." (14:55)
• Celebration of Deepa Shah, a female player who satellited into the main event and won—all while being short-stacked against tough competition.
  • Elle: "Massive shout out to Deepa Shah… you played your game and you stayed strong and you stayed confident." (15:58)
• Mention of runner-ups and notable players: Dominic Brazier, Sammy Matt, Stephen Jones (who also made a Netflix appearance).
• Arizona’s player community is described as charming and deeply committed, especially to the annual Arizona Poker Championship.

Swag, Social Side, and the Patreon Game

[18:58–24:32]

• Elle talks about hands-on engagement at tour stops, making custom Ante Up hats and shirts for players.
  • “I pressed, I think, close to 90 custom shirts and hats while we were there… expect more of that because it was super fun.” (20:11)
• Humor over being a spectacle in the poker room with her hat press.
• Both report on the “8-game mix” Patreon game:
  • What's Up Doc wins (again), with Joe in third and Bob (Chopper) in second. Goddard takes the bounty.
  • "The Discord chat... so much quiet. We all have to concentrate way more than we normally would when we just play no limit." - Elle (22:25)

Community Reflections & Poker Culture

[24:45–27:33]

• Joe and Elle reflect on the uniqueness of Arizona’s poker culture, the ambition to visit different global poker scenes, and the foundational work of TDA founders (Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson, Matt Savage, David Lamb) in establishing poker standards worldwide.
  • Elle: "The effort that those four that laid the foundation for now is just phenomenal." (25:43)
• Shared appreciation for internationalization of poker rules and the education provided by organizations like the TDA and the World Poker Federation.

Casino News: Player Appreciation Month

[27:40–28:21]

• Rivers Casino Schenectady, NY, is offering free drinks for poker player appreciation month.

Poker Rulings Deep Dive: "Call the Floor"

[28:51–50:52]

The Controversial Hand

[29:42–35:22]

• Listener David Musclewhite submits a complex "Call the Floor" scenario:
  • A 1/3 NLHE hand where, after unclear verbal action due to earbuds, a player believed to have called is ruled as folded by the dealer and loses the pot (despite tabling the nut flush).
  • Confusion leads to multiple floor staff being called. Surveillance is checked; eventually, they rule to split/chop the pot—leaving both players upset.
  • Notable moment: “Blaine, it's not 100% his fault, right? Not even close.” – Elliot (35:22)

Elliot Schecter’s Ruling and Insights

[35:27–50:52]

• Key takeaways from Elliot’s analysis:
  • "Protect your hand and pay attention and don't do stupid stuff while you're in the hand. So seat 8 is guilty of a number of these things." (35:59)
  • Floors should make a definitive ruling, not just chop by default:
    • "We have to make a definitive decision. We can't just punt all the time." (36:29)
  • Even if technicalities (e.g., ambiguous verbal action, dealer error) arise, award the pot to the best hand at showdown unless overwhelming evidence justifies otherwise:
    • "I like the best hand at the showdown to get the money." (38:11)
  • Critique of management: three different floor managers, indecision, and chopped pot as a "cop out."
    • "By trying to appease everyone, you appeased no one... You lost 25% of your seated players because of this decision." (48:51–49:00)
  • Player error (wearing earbuds, unclear actions) and dealer/floor error both contributed; all parties share the blame ("Oprah-level distribution of blame"). (50:29)
  • Quote: "We did have an Oprah level distribution of blame. You get some blame and you get some blame and you get some blame." – Elliot (50:29)

Hand of the Week: Ace-Queen Button Dilemma

[51:05–72:48]

Setup

[54:07]

• Listener Jerry Taylor sends in a 1/3 NLHE hand:
  • Effective stack: $465
  • Button with A♦Q♦
  • UTG (a tight, aggressive reg) opens to $15.
  • Jerry flats on the button.

Pre-flop & Flop

[57:03–61:16]

• Debate: 3-bet vs flat call on the button; Patrick prefers calling, Joe likes raising.
• Flop: Q♠ 9♣ 4♣
  • UTG $25 c-bet; Jerry raises to $80 (aggressive approach to protect against clubs).
  • Joe analyzes risk: “If they have the club draw, they're not folding... we're not chasing them away from the flush.”

Turn & River

[62:08–67:00]

• Turn: 2♦; Jerry bets $125 after a check, keeping up pressure.
  • Both hosts see the pros and cons—bet for value/protection versus the danger of running into a set or monsters.
• River: Q♥; giving Jerry trips.
  • Discussion: Is this a river to value-shove or check back with such a strong but potentially risky board?
  • Patrick advocates checking: “If he's been just sitting on his monster off the flop and then just paired the board. Yeah, then I'm okay. I lose. And I'm okay.”

Showdown

[69:03–71:19]

• Jerry shoves, villain snap-calls with K♣Q♣ (also trips, missed flush), Jerry’s A♦Q♦ holds to win a huge pot.
  • "For a moment I thought I was cooked… but my ace queen was good and I scooped a big one." – Jerry (69:10)
• Both hosts discuss the eternal struggle between missing value and overextending for thin value:
  • Joe: "Sometimes even when you get it right, there's that voice in your head, did I push too hard? And that's why hands like this stick with you long after the cards are gone." (71:04)

Joe’s One Outer: Poker, Slumps, and Resilience

[73:24–78:04]

• Joe draws parallels between baseball and poker, reflecting on slumps, bad sessions, and the importance of discipline and mindset:
  • “Anyone can play well when they’re in that first part. That’s easy. That’s fun. But the players who last… are the ones who don’t let a bad session turn into a meltdown. They stay disciplined even when it doesn’t feel like it matters.” (76:13)
  • “Accept where you are, control your attitude, control your effort, and compete with whatever the cards have in store for you.” (77:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Elle (on WSOP to ESPN): "Poker is going home." (05:49)
• Joe (on TV poker’s impact): “You would go out to the bar and it would be on the TV… that’s where poker became poker for a lot of us.” (06:36)
• Elliot Schecter (on ruling): “We did have an Oprah level distribution of blame. You get some blame and you get some blame and you get some blame.” (50:29)
• Elle (on Arizona): "Arizona poker is a... charming community." (25:10)
• Patrick (on river action): "We have a lot of thoughts at night." (63:49)
• Joe (on poker & baseball): “That is how you break out of a slump. And more importantly, that's how you win in poker over the long term.” (77:21)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:01] – Arizona trip recap and family/life update
• [05:45] – WSOP returns to ESPN, mainstream poker nostalgia
• [08:57] – The Lodge raid and Texas poker room trouble
• [13:51] – Table Talk: Arizona poker room experiences
• [18:58] – Swag, Patreon mixed game, fun at the tables
• [24:45] – Reflections on poker culture and community worldwide
• [28:51] – Call the Floor: controversial ruling debate begins
• [35:27] – Elliot’s in-depth ruling and player/floor analysis
• [51:05] – Hand of the Week: Button with AQ, deep dive
• [69:03] – Hand showdown and analysis reflection
• [73:24] – One Outer: Mindset and overcoming poker slumps

Episode Tone & Closing Thoughts

Classic Ante Up: a blend of light-hearted banter, warmth, and community. The hosts balance deep-dive analysis with empathy for the real-life ups and downs of poker, travel, and personal life. The episode delivers laughs, sharp strategic insight, and heartfelt advice—encapsulating why Ante Up remains beloved among everyday players.

Contact & Community

• Send your Hands of the Week or Call the Floor scenarios to podcast@anteupmagazine.com
• Want some custom Ante Up gear? Visit the shop at anteupmagazine.com

Next Episode: Dustin joins to discuss upcoming changes/news.