Chip Race Podcast celebrates 200 episodes with special Bounty Builder this Sunday
David Lappin reflects on 200 episodes of the Chip Race Podcast and looks ahead to a special celebratory $11 Bounty event this Sunday. Eliminate a PokerStars Ambassador or Chip Race host and you’ll be playing the Sunday Million Anniversary!
The multi-award-winning Chip Race Podcast, hosted by PokerStars Ambassador David Lappin and PaddyPower pro Dara O’Kearney, is about to drop its 200th episode, and to help celebrate, PokerStars is throwing a special Bounty Builder party.
The beloved $11 Bounty Builder, a staple of most low-to-mid-stakes grinders’ online sessions, will become a special Chip Race edition this coming Sunday (July 26), and there are a few opponents you should look out for.
Players who knock out a Chip Race member or PokerStars Ambassador (even if they’re on their second or third bullet) will not only collect their bounty, but they’ll also receive a $109 Sunday Million Anniversary ticket.
The following players will have $109 SMA tickets as bounties on them:
- David Lappin – “PHISHINBOY”
- Dara O’Kearney – “slowdoke”
- Barry Carter – “DaveShoelace”
- Sebastin Huber – “peace&loove”
- Marle Spragg – “Marlztv”
- Ben Spragg – “Spraggy”
Added value excluded licenses: DE, SE, BE & DK.
Chip Race Special Bounty Builder $11
Date: Sunday, July 26, 16:30 WET (11:30 ET)
Gtd: $20,000
We caught up with Lappin as he reflects on 200 episodes, the best guests, his favourite episodes, and more.
Lappin picked his favourite conversations from 200 episodes of the Chip Race Podcast
DAVID LAPPIN INTERVIEW
PokerStars Blog: Congratulations, David. 200 is a lot of episodes! What were the initial goals when you and Dara started the pod, and how does it feel to be this deep into it?
David Lappin: 200 is insane, especially when you consider there are three or four guests on every episode! Our original goal was twofold: to appeal to a couple of thousand Irish players by covering the local scene and to get sponsored by PaddyPower Poker. We achieved the first goal in seven episodes, but it took us over 190 shows to lock up the latter.
What have been some of the biggest challenges and biggest highs over the years?
The first substantial challenge came after [our initial sponsor] asked us to switch from being Ireland/UK-centric to a world-focused show. Dara and I were somewhat well-connected, but not like we are now, so booking guests was tough in those days.
David Lappin and Dara O’Kearney at the PokerStars Players Party at UKIPT London 2023
It would be easy to point to our five Global Poker Award nominations and three wins as the biggest highs, but, genuinely, it has just been the privilege of getting to make a show that has pretty much always grown year on year. We never spent any money on advertising or promotion, so I get a high from the satisfaction that we built an audience of 25,000+ listeners from 76 countries, and it has come from word of mouth.
‘KOON’S INSIGHTS WERE EXCEPTIONAL’
Can you think of any conversations with guests that completely changed your perspective on something poker-related, be it poker strategy or life as a pro?
Too many to count. We booked Phil Hellmuth about nine years ago, and we weren’t sure how it would go. I don’t mind admitting that it didn’t start well as Phil wasn’t really in the mood, but we thought on our feet, Dara especially, and it ended up being a fantastic interview with Phil talking about his childhood, his hopes, his fears and his psychology. He even sang.
We interviewed Mike Sexton, and he was incredible, of course. The first time we had Jason Koon on the show, it was a really personal interview. His insights were exceptional. Our good friend and former colleague Kat Arnsby became a regular guest (maybe 10 visits) because she’s always got fiery and controversial takes, usually backed up by sound reasoning. She’s always entertaining.
Lappin lists his fellow PokerStars Ambassador Jason Koon among his favourite guests after 200 episodes of the Chip Race Podcast
Three other regulars down the years have been Tom Hall, [and PokerStars Ambassadors] Maria Konnikova and Jen Shahade. They’re always amazing.
That’s just a few of the people that sprang to mind, but there are so many others: Shaun Deeb, Barny Boatman, Ike Haxton, Dominik Nitsche, Nick Schulman, Scott Seiver, Girafganger, Andy Black, Steve O’Dwyer, Vicky Coren, Neil Channing… they have all been amazing. I really loved Mat Frankland’s interview with us from just a few weeks ago! The strategy segments, too – loads of them have opened my eyes.
If you had to pick three episodes to introduce someone to the podcast, which would you pick and why?
Jennifer Tilly has been on three times. She’s always amazing, but our first interview with her (Season 3, Episode 5), which we did in person, will always be a highlight.
Our 100th episode Special featured Doug Polk and Apestyles (Jonathan Van Fleet), but the star of that episode was Irish legend Annette O’Carroll, who gave us one of our best interviews ever.
Stephen Chidwick stopped by last year (Season 26, Episode 7), and it was amazing to talk to someone like him who is so under-exposed and not really known. That felt special.
The $11 Bounty Builder is becoming an Ambassador-hunting tourney on Sunday to celebrate, awarding tickets to the Sunday Million Anniversary for every Ambassador KO’d. Any words for people gunning for you?
You can pry those virtual chips out of my avatar’s cold, dead, pixelated hands.
READ: PokerStars unveils David Lappin as new Ambassador
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