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This week in poker featured the return Poker After Dark, a fan-favorite show that developed a cult following, with the show appearing only on PokerGO. Next week’s lineup for PAD was announced, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino wrapped up their SHRPO Series that featured “The Big 4” and the terrorist attacks in Barcelona shook the poker community there for the PokerStars Championship Barcelona.

The Return of Tom Dwan

Poker fans were treated to a double dose of good news when Poker After Dark returned with brand-new episodes and Tom Dwan returned to Las Vegas for nosebleed high stakes action. Dwan faced off against Andrew Robl, Antonio Esfandiari and Daniel Negreanu.

Dwan had a string of great moments over three days, highlighted by his cooler on Esfandiari.

Aussie Matt Slows Down Dwan and Robl

Matthew Kirk, aka “Aussie Matt”, inflated his reputation as big action high stakes player and put on a show of aggression that even Dwan and Robl backed down from.  Though he was felted early, Kirk rebounded to the high six-figures by some estimates.

Poker After Dark Reveals “Voices Carry” Lineup

The first new episodes of Poker After Dark were an uncapped cash game and “Voices Carry” beginning on Tuesday, August 22 only on PokerGO returns the classic winner-take-all Sit & Go format. Jason Koon, Nick Schulman, Ben Lamb and Scott Seiver are all confirmed to play.

Bruce Buffer and Hollywood producer Randall Emmett join the action, read here to check out the full lineups and schedule.

The Big 4 at SHRPO

The Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open carved out a spot on the poker calendar that traditionally was pretty bare with most poker players and industry types checking out on vacation after a long WSOP. But the SHRPO is a can’t miss stop for players with “The Big 4” finale – where four final tables play down at once.

Australian Martin Kozlov won the $5,250 Main Event Championship for $754,083, John Andress took down the $25,500 High Roller for $801,450, Brain Altman won the $1,100 Re-entry event for $204,600 and Alex Foxed added to his growing resume with a win in the $2,650 Freeze Out for $204,600.

Drea Renee Has the Best Seat in the House for Poker After Dark
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Drea Renee was nervous and excited to host Poker After Dark when the show returned exclusively on PokerGO. The poker industry veteran thought she had seen it all, but then saw over $8 million passed around the table over three days.

“It’s really exciting to be that close to the action and watching these players play with that amount of money,” Renee said. “I’ve been around it for years and it still blows my mind that people can gamble that kind of money, possibly lose, and then just have a glass of wine and go to the next hand.”

Renee takes on the tough job of interviewing players that may have lost six-figures with a smile but the first week of PAD gave her a couple surprises.

Barcelona Grieving

“On terror, fear, and perseverance in Barcelona” – written by Brad Willis and published on the PokerStars blog.