The Stone Nuts

If it’s superlative, incredibly detailed poker analysis you seek, The Breakdown delivers. Hand choices are consistently excellent, often featuring game-theory intricacies on every street. (Even when that’s not the case, a “thought experiment” will sometimes grapple with intricacies that might have presented themselves had one or more players taken a different line at some point.) And with anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour devoted to each hand, even seasoned semi-pros will hear ideas and theories worth grappling with. If you’re into deep hand analysis, this is the podcast for you.

That said, the main reason I listen to The Breakdown is to enjoy the relaxed, highly entertaining chemistry of hosts Grant Denison and Jonathan Levy, who are close friends and enjoy lightly needling each other. Their poker chops are solid, but I’d actually listen to them argue about movies or politics or some other random topic*—this is the rare, cherishable podcast that’s both informative and just a pleasure-of-their-company good time. Whether it’s Jonathan ranting about the misuse of the term(s) “the stone/stone cold/mortal/immortal nuts” or Grant repeatedly referring to players who innocently fold their rags as “garbage humans,” there’s always something to keep comprehensive discussions of ranges and combos from getting overly dry. Try one episode and see what you think.

* I originally wrote this review almost a year ago, in March 2016. (I’m just moving it from their old feed to their new one.) Since then, Grant and Jonathan have started another podcast, about sports—originally called Drunk Sports, now retitled Sportnado! With Grant and Jonathan. And I do indeed listen to that podcast religiously as well, despite having zero interest in either football or basketball, which is 95% of what they discuss.