Frank 'Frankie C' Cucchiara is the most recent player/vlogger in Poker Twitter’s chaotic crosshairs after a post queried the content creator's use of a camera at the table in the filming of a vlog. The majority of the feedback from the post bore Frankie no harm, no foul, and no cheating is deemed at play. Yet, most opinions agreed that the issue should be addressed, and it was a bad look for poker.
The post sparked a rabid conversation regarding poker vloggers possibly cheating using high-tech cameras. The discussion would heat up and ignite a fury of responses as the thread picked up steam.
The clip comes from Cucchiara's most recent vlog about his experience in Las Vegas at the WSOP. Many players and fans expressed that cheating is possible with the various standard equipment setups vloggers employ. In contrast, others believe glimpsing the undersides of a professional dealer’s card sailing pitch is highly improbable.
The issue has been a heated topic amongst casinos and game runners as of late; new rules have been put in place at various casino properties, and cheating rings have been exposed and vilified.
The community responds
The original poster tagged a handful of poker’s notable figures, such as WPT Executive Director Matt Savage and high-stakes players and business owners Matt Berkey and Doug Polk.
The responses were fast, if rarely furious, from many well-known players in the community, including Patrick Curran, Ryan Depaulo, Cody Daniels, Lex O Poker, Todd Witteles, and vlogger Cucchiara's girlfriend, poker professional player Kitty Kuo.
Here's the finished video from which the clip was taken.
PokerOrg sat down with Frankie C in Las Vegas to discuss the allegations and opinions addressed in the post, as mentioned above.
Were you shocked by the post and its insinuations about possible cheating at the table with a low-set camera?
I understand the guy's point of view. I believe that he does want to protect the integrity of the game. I can relate to trying to preserve the game that we all love. So, no hard feelings about anything people were saying.
Most of the responses were favorable toward you regarding any cheating.
I appreciate the people who responded and confirmed what I hope is abundantly clear - I have absolutely nothing to do with cheating at the tables.
But some of the responses to that post from @politicsinsane were insane.
I know. Someone had a theory that my two friends from the Next Gen boys were outside in a van relaying me information. That one I genuinely laughed at.
Have you ever been able to see under the cards and able to delineate their value while shooting content?
I can confidently say that I have never seen a card in my four years of vlogging. Nor have I ever seen a card through my phone in real-time.
I understand that if you don't do what I do, that would probably be hard to believe. But in that photo on X, I was adjusting the f-stop on my camera to increase the brightness.
When I'm not vlogging, I can see the cards way more often because I'm paying more attention to how the dealer's high pitch goes. If I see a card because of a dealer’s high pitch, I always try to say something to the dealer if that happens.
You’ve built your following on social media from day one by posting about your adventures on the felt.
I know. My entire career at this point revolves around my reputation; I could never risk cheating in any capacity. It’s not a part of my character in any way. I don’t need to reiterate that too much because I felt most people had my back, from what I have gathered.
Do you feel this post will change any rules the WSOP may implement in 2025?
I hope this didn't spark a change in the ruling of WSOP for vloggers. They put the time in to build a reputable brand to get approval for the media passes. They spend a lot of time on their content and what essentially becomes their source of income for most of them. I would hate to see that get removed.
WPT Executive Director Matt Savage responded and said the same great content would be achieved using the camera at a different angle.
I agree. I have actually taken the next step in that regard. I have a camera that sits higher than the phone on the rail. It sits near chest level and looks down. So, there will be no issue.
People will quite literally see from an eye-level POV as everyone else. It will make it more comfortable for everyone else to ensure no malintent or cheating is going on in the future.
And, of course, I would like to see all the proper rules implemented to ensure no cheating is involved.
How did the other players react at the table as you were recording content with a low-set camera?
This video was shot at an $800 tournament on June 15th during the WSOP from my video – My Greatest WSOP Run. My table mates were enjoying it. But I can see another perspective. Now and then, I run across someone who doesn't like being filmed, and I just put my camera away. I always try to be respectful.
I’ve read you have dreams of pursuing a career in film and television behind the camera.
I do. I’ve taken suitable film classes and feel inspired to make the best possible videos. I have the aspiration to work on some big projects.
I think my YouTube channel is a catalog for future directors, producers, and writers to see that I have the talent to hire me for that role. That’s my plan.
You can follow Frankie on YouTube. For more on developments around poker, technology and rules, check out our recent interview with the Poker Tournament Directors Association's Matt Savage.
