TOURNAMENT 2
EPISODE 11 - SEMI-FINAL # 2
NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR

What follows is a televised-hand-by-televised-hand account.  Obviously, since it's only a one-hour show, some hands may not be televised so you may see a little of jumping of the dealer button.

It started with 40 celebs playing blackjack for their share of a million-dollar prize pool for charities. Through 10 weeks of grueling single-table games, they have whittled it down to 10. They'll need to knock it down to 4 before they can crown a champion of CELEBRITY BLACKJACK!

This year, a full 13-week season will be contested. There were ten four-player single-table matches with the winners getting $25,000 and advancing to these semi-finals. The top two from each of these two five-person semis will get more money for their charities ($75,000 for first, $25,000 for second) and go to the Final Table for a crack at the $100,000 first prize.

For a brief explanation about the game of blackjack and how this tournament will be contested, check the first episode recap. But know that this match is played until a set amount of hands are played (in this case, the amount is 21).  If a player runs out of the $100,000 worth of chips s/he starts with (or has less than the minimum bet), s/he's out of the game.  The bets for each of the first ten hands must be between $1000 and $25,000. The final 11 hands will have a minimum bet of $5000, but NO maximum; a player can go all-in if so desired. After the set amount of hands are played, whoever has the most money will advance to the semi-finals.

And ALSO know that, for this special tournament, six JOKERS have been added to the eight decks they play with.  A Joker can be substituted for any card on the table still in play (meaning, once a hand is stood on, it's no longer in-play). There were four last season but, since there are only four players, they upped that number. Also this season is the addition of FIVE-CARD CHARLIE, the kid's rule that says that, if you get dealt five cards without busting, you automatically win.

Lets meet the five celebs competing tonight (and their charities) in the second semi-final and how they got here:

Caroline Rhea
(The Dream Foundation & Cherokee Child Advocacy Council)
The defending CBJ Champion beat out THREE Baldwin Brothers (Stephen, Billy and Daniel) en route here

Warren G
(American Breast Cancer Society & City of Hope)
He "Regulate"d Less Than Perfect's Sara Rue, signer Carnie Wilson and Last Comic Standing's Raplphie May

Kelli Williams
(CARE & The Young Storytellers)
The Medical Investigations star beat Chynna Phillips, Eric Roberts and "force"d out Carrie Fisher

John Henson
(Gilda's Club)
He "project"ed his way through Steve Harris, "Stuttering" John Melendez and David Higgins

Jeff Probst
(Animal Avengers)
He didn't win his prelim, but he's subbing for Shannon Elizabeth and playing for HER charity.

We have Matt Vasgersian doing the play-by-play and the "bad boy of Blackjack" Dave Stann back to deal the cards...so let's get going!  Caroline will always be "first base", where the dealer starts dealing the cards.  But the order shown, left to right, will be the betting and playing order starting with the "button".

You have a "soft 18" (A-7) against a Dealer 3. Do you hit, stand or double-down? "Da book"'s answer later. Meanwhile, Hand 4 was played during the break with everyone FINALLY beating Dave via a bust.

When having an A-7 and faced with a Dealer 3, "da book" says to double-down (or stand if DDing is not an option). No one had any luck in Hand 7...

Heading into the halfway point, the stakes are raised to no-limit.  The minimum bet is $5000...but there is NO maximum!

It all comes down to this one hand.  The winner gets $75,000 for his/her charity and a spot in the Semi-Final Table.  Second place gets $25,000 and a spot. The others get the $25,000 they won in the prelims for their respective charities.  For the final hand, the players all make blind bets, so nobody knows what the others have bet until it's revealed.

So Shannon Elizabeth's Animal Avengers gets $100,000 total thanks to Jeff Probst's testicular fortitude, and CARE and the Young Storytellers split $50,000 total thanks to Kelli. They BOTH head for the Final Table to join two more Finalists for a shot at $100,000!