Online Poker

The Amazing Race has kicked off in fine fashion, and the two-hour premiere hosted a couple of familiar faces to the poker community.

Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle are competing in the new season of the show, and have already made quite a splash after episode one. The girls' claim to fame is being the last women
remaining in the World Series of Poker Main Event.

The pair have gained their fair share of both fans and critics due to some outspoken comments made throughout the program. At one point they were in first position, but somehow managed to slip right back to last place, only narrowly escaping elimination at the finish line.

There have been plenty of journalists and commentators willing to put their two cents into the Michelle and Ho opinion poll.

Poker journalist Jon Wein stated that he "had to turn it off after [Tiffany Michelle] and Maria Ho implied they were rich for like the eighteenth time."

"It literally makes me sick that Tiffany Michelle gets this much coverage and publicity for one Main Event run. She's done nothing else."

However, not everyone was opposed to the ladies. Poker tournament reporter B.J. Nemeth knew both women well before their primetime spotlight, and he believes that their appearance on the show won’t have an effect on the poker scene.

"If [Michelle and Ho] perform well or win, it won't be because they are poker players. If they embarrass themselves and lose, it won't be because they are poker players. And I don't think mainstream fans will judge the poker industry by how they finish... The impact on poker is very different from Annie Duke's presence on 'Celebrity Apprentice', where she was only on the show because she was a famous poker player, and it was brought up repeatedly from a strategy standpoint and in the boardroom with Donald Trump."

Have your say about the appearance of Michelle and Ho on the Amazing Race by commenting below. And be sure to keep us updated on your opinions as the season progresses.