A heart warming poker documentary hit our screens over the weekend featuring one of the great characters of the game.
If you are unfamiliar with him, Scottish Pro Niall Farrell is one of the most entertaining players in the game and an argument for being one of the best too. He is incredibly funny on and off the table, and boasts a Triple Crown on his resume.
This was recognised by the BBC, who broadcast a documentary about his journey as a poker pro after the birth of his son. The Four Rules of the Poker Kings followed Farrell around the live circuit including Dublin, Vegas, Prague and Monte Carlo, to showcase the highs and lows of tournament poker. It also touched on modern aspects of the game like solver technology.
Fellow Scottish Pro David Docherty, who won the Irish Open after the documentary was filmed, also features in the show.
Farrell has a reputation for being one of the liveliest players at the table and one of the most fun players to have a drink with. What really comes across, however, is the focus and determination his young son gave him as he returned to the table. It was refreshing to see a documentary not feel compelled to make a ‘both sides’ case which also featured problem gambling, and instead treat poker in the way other documentaries would treat a sport.
Our friends at the Chip Race Podcast interviewed Farrell about the documentary just before it was released:
If you want to see it for yourself you can watch it now on the BBC IPlayer.
Did you enjoy the documentary? Let us know in the comments: