PokerListings Meets up With The River Department’s Associate BigLi Poker!
PokerListings
Table of Contents
Poker content is at the centre of discussion lately, with or without reason. Some say it’s losing its edge. Others argue it’s become too negative, too cynical, too self-aware. The bigger question, though, is whether it still adds value to the game we love so much.
The truth is simple: content matters. Without it, there is no visibility. No stories from live events. No reason for new players to care, or existing ones to stay connected. Content is how poker breathes beyond the table, how moments are remembered, personalities are built, and the game continues to evolve in public view. Every so often, a new voice cuts through that noise. Not by shouting louder, but by looking at the game from a slightly different angle.
BigLi Poker does exactly that. He and his companion are creating content that you hardly see passing by, which is extremely funny, and connects poker with social media as it is today.
Who is BigLi Poker?
BigLi Poker, aka Liam Hind, is a one kind of character, hailing from the United Kingdom. Being active in the poker industry for several years now, he is absolutely hooked on the game, the people, and everything that comes with it. Outside his work for a company called ‘GamePlan’, which often follows influencers throughout an entire live event, for example, Liam is building his own reputation on social media alongside his companion Grant, with whom he collaborates, and making BigLi Poker a superstar in the poker world.
Our Interview With BigLi Poker
PokerListings: The purpose of this interview is to gain insight into who this River Department specialist truly is. And with the first question of them all, the tone was set right away: Be honest — when someone sees your videos for the first time, what’s the most common wrong assumption they make about you?
BigLi Poker: That I’m funny.
PokerListings: Was there ever a moment when you thought: “This poker comedy thing has gone way further than I expected”?
Interesting question, but I haven’t had that thought yet, maybe if I end up heads up against Phil Ivey for my life savings, it may pop into my head.
PokerListings: Before poker entered your life, what were you actually doing — and have you always been the “funny guy” or were you the opposite perhaps? Tell us everything!
BigLi Poker: Before poker entered my life full-time, I was actually working at the BBC as a video editor for some of their social channels, and before that, I was a producer/director creating corporate doc-style films. I have always had an interest in comedy films, sketches and stand-up, but being funny is always a perspective thing; what is funny to one person may not be funny to others, but with that said, if I see an opportunity for a joke, I will give it a go.
PokerListings: Do you remember your very first real experience with poker? Was it love at first sight or immediate regret?
BigLi Poker: My first real experience with poker was a weird one, I was on a rugby tour in South Africa with my high school and a few of the older lads organised a game every couple of days for 50rand I think it was and I decided that I would play, the first time I played I did horribly but the next couple of times I actually won some money so it did grab me for a while but sadly my interest fell away before I turned 18.
So only ever really played home games or anything until after Covid when I rekindled my interest and began to play a lot more, watch more content and then get a job in the industry!
PokerListings: What was it about poker that pulled you in — the game itself, or the strange but mostly relaxed characters that come with it?
BigLi Poker: The first time it was something to do on the rugby tour and looked fun, but the second time I found it very interesting in terms of how much the strategies had advanced and that it had really been built into a game that was so intricate. The characters around the game are also very interesting, from rich business people to math wizkids and everyone in between.
PokerListings: Why poker? Your sketches are all epic. Don’t you think you can apply them in day-to-day things and build an extraordinary audience?
BigLi Poker: It just happened as an extension of my job, I guess, and starting with a niche is a good way to see if I enjoyed being on the other side of the camera for once.
PokerListings: You didn’t enter poker as a traditional player — you were behind the camera first. How did that happen?
BigLi Poker: I’ve worked in video production full time for over 10 years now, but falling into the job in poker was as simple as responding to an editor search Spraggy put out. I sent my CV via carrier pigeon and the rest is history.
PokerListings: How did you end up working at Gameplan, and did you know at the time how big that opportunity was?
BigLi Poker: When I got a response to the editor search, it was Mack at Gameplan that reached out to me, and I started off editing a few reels, but then ended up going to EPT Paris in 2024, and that was when I was first exposed to how big of an industry it is and also the opportunities that could come with that.
PokerListings: What did working at Gameplan teach you about poker players, content creation, and egos?
Poker players are the same as everyone else in the world, unique people that live interesting lives in their own way. I really have learned a different side to creating content working with Gameplan, as I had previously only really created more traditional content that isn’t fully optimised for social media. I don’t notice other people’s egos.
PokerListings: You’ve worked closely with some respectable poker personalities. Was there a moment where you thought, “Okay, this job is definitely not normal”?
BigLi Poker: I am a people person, so normally on the trips I end up speaking with various people and coming from a world where vast sums of money aren’t really a thing, hearing and seeing people lose or win hundreds of thousands and still be able talk about it as if it is just another Tuesday.’
PokerListings: You have done some sketches with other people as well. One of them is Caitlin Comeskey, and another one is Roland Boothby. With whom in the world would you like to make sketches as well? Which poker player? And which sports person? Or actor?
I am willing to work with anyone really, in poker I think working with some of the super high stakes guys would be hilarious, and if I could sketch with an actor/comedian Shane Gillis and a sports person, it would be Joe Marler.
PokerListings: What’s it actually like working with Ben Spragg and such? Are they the same off-camera?
BigLi Poker: All of the people in the industry I have worked with have been great to be honest, although Spraggy’s time-keeping skills could do with some work.
PokerListings: Do you remember the first time you posted a sketch as BigLiPoker? What were your expectations?
BigLi Poker: I do remember it as it was at the Irish Open last year, and there weren’t any expectations, but to see it getting received well like it did was nice.
PokerListings: Where do the ideas actually come from of making such content as the River Department?
So BigLiPoker is 2 people, and we both come up with ideas all the time by taking heroic doses of magic mushrooms, tapping into the collective consciousness and speaking to the elves, they tell us what to do.
PokerListings: How much of BigLiPoker is just you? Writing, filming, editing. And where does collaboration still play a role?
BigLi Poker: As above, there are 2 people involved in BigLi, myself, who does most of the camera work, editing, and obviously acting, and then Grant is the real brains, he does most of the writing, producing and directing. We obviously have some crossover throughout, but I think having 2 of us is great, we both have complementary skill sets and a similar sense of humour.
PokerListings: Was there a specific video or moment where things really started to take off? Of course, we all know the River Department, one, if not the best reel of the past years.
BigLi Poker: I think just before River Dept we did a collab piece with Caitlin that outperformed everything we had done to that point and got a bit more attention on us, but obviously River Department was the one that got us noticed.
PokerListings: How did the poker world react when they realised you were poking fun at it — but in a positive way?
The poker world has actually responded very positively, and hopefully that continues. The past few times I have been at a poker stop, I often get asked if I am the River Man. Yes, I am the River Man.
PokerListings: Poker players aren’t always known for laughing at themselves — has that ever caused friction?
BigLi Poker: We are still waiting to piss someone off, but it hasn’t happened yet, we’ll keep trying though.
PokerListings: What has been your personal “moment suprême” so far? The moment you stopped and thought, “This is actually going to the moon and back”?
I prefer to think of it as the Icarus story, flying to the sun and burning up in a blaze of glory, but the moment supreme is just having some of the top names in poker enjoy our content, also getting a shoutout on a Triton final table from Henry Kilbane was pretty surreal.
PokerListings: If you could show your first poker video to yourself back then, what would you say?
BigLi Poker: This could be better, work harder, do more, be more, stay hard.
PokerListings: What excites you more right now — growing BigLiPoker, pushing poker content further, or doing something completely unexpected?
Right now pushing BigLiPoker as far as we can, as the Spice Girls once said “you ain’t seen nothing yet.
PokerListings: Finally, what’s the most “poker player” thing you’ve ever seen someone do away from the table?
BigLi Poker: Sitting down for 8 hours straight to end up right where you were before.
PokerListings: Lemon Poker wanted to know what’s up with the “subscribe” button on socials:
BigLi Poker: To subscribe or not to subscribe, that is the real question. Why do you not do this, Lemon? How will people subscribe if you don’t tell them to?
PokerListings: What are your goals for now? Where can we see you at live events? Tell us what is about to come!
We have some goals in mind, but I will keep those private. All I can say is follow us on Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Myspace, Bereal, Strava and find my friends. You don’t want to miss what’s coming, or maybe you do. I don’t know, have a good day!
A Few Closing Remarks from Us
One thing is for certain: This is just the beginning of BigLiPoker, the character brought to life by Liam and Grant. Poker content might not always be as interesting, but in this case, we are certain that everyone in the poker community would want to follow the story that they are creating here. It was also one of the main reasons why we asked Liam for an interview, to make sure that they are also being highlighted by another media brand.
Because after all, there are so many poker media platforms around the world, in different setups. Some cover events, some focus mainly on the online world of poker, and others try to combine comedy with poker. We believe that everyone should help each other out every now and then. Because why remain competitive with each other, if the goal of it all is to grow the poker community even more as a whole?
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