Poker Cheat DQ’ed, Dwan Update & Hawk Tuah Returns | PokerNews Podcast #890
In the 890th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Kyna England talk about admitted poker cheat Ali Imsirovic being DQ'ed mid-tournament from an event in Florida. Was it the right thing to do?
It was a highly debated development, and the crew dove headfirst into the drama by discussing a poker black list, what bestbet Jacksonville could've done differently, and if poker pariahs could even be welcomed back to the game.
They then give an update on Tom Dwan, whose recent social media posts really concerned the poker community, and then Connor Richards headed to PokerGO Studio to chat with the controversial Haliey “Hawk Tuah Girl” Welch and others at the Celebrity Poker Tour (CPT) Game Night VI.

From there, it's highlights from the Hustler Casino Live (HCL) Million Dollar Game III, such as old-school player Erick Lindgren satelliting his way in, Texas Mike's wild ride, and an interview with Steve! Oh, and we'd be remiss if we didn't talk about that epic hand between Alan Keating and Peter.
Mike then talks about making a final table at the Venetian and playing with Batman at a recent Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) event, Brad Gafford and John Juanda both win tournaments, and poker media veteran Paul Oresteen talks about his new Substack, which you can subscribe to here.
Finally, PokerStars North America has introduced a dozen new "Throwables" and the PokerNews Podcast crew not only shares their favorites, but they also offer fans of the show an opportunity to win some just by either listening to or watching the podcast.

The podcast is sponsored by the #1 free-to-play WSOP app. Remember to use the bonus code "POKERNEWS" if you download and play for an extra 1,000,000 in chips!
A new PokerNews Podcast will drop weekly every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!
Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show — tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway on X.
Time Stamps
Time | Topic |
---|---|
00:00 | Welcome Kyna England & Mike Holtz |
01:01 | Admitted poker cheat Ali Imisorvic DQ’ed from poker tournament |
02:47 | Second time this has happened |
03:28 | Should poker have a black list? |
09:11 | Is there a gray area when it comes to cheating in poker? |
14:01 | Is Ali Imsirovic being made an example of? |
15:56 | Update on Tom Dwan |
19:10 | Haliey “Hawk Tuah Girl” Welch plays Celebrity Poker Tour event |
20:38 | Highlights from CPT Game Night VI |
22:31 | Sponsor: WSOP Free-to-Play App |
23:00 | Hustler Casino Live (HCL) Million Dollar Game III |
23:15 | Erick Lindgren wins satellite into MDG |
25:40 | Texas Mike’s up-and-down ride |
27:00 | Steve & Tom Goldstein |
27:21 | Interview w/ Steve at HCL |
29:57 | Alan Keating & Peter battle it out |
30:33 | Peter picks off Keating’s bluff |
32:27 | Alan Keating big winner with $1.9 million |
33:41 | Biggest winners from all three Million Dollar Games |
34:08 | Sponsor – WPT Global |
34:40 | Mike makes final table at Venetian |
36:15 | Mike & Batman play CSOP event supporting Critical Care Comics |
37:20 | Matt Savage wins CSOP title |
37:34 | George Wolfe wins RunGood Jacksonville Main Event for $92,817 |
37:45 | Brad Gafford Wins MSPT Season 16 Sycuan Main Event |
39:20 | Graham Keith takes down PokerNews Championship at Malta Poker Festival |
39:40 | John Juanda Wins Second Tournament of 2025 at APT Taipei |
41:11 | New Substacks on the Block – Paul Oresteen |
42:26 | PokerStars introduces new Throwables |
43:57 | Win a PokerStars Throwable by listening to the PokerNews Podcast |
Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here! You can also find us on Spotify as well as our new page on SoundCloud!