TOURNAMENT 6 - THE THEMED TOURNAMENT
EPISODE 2 - BOYS' NIGHT OUT

Hey, kids! What time is it? No, it's NOT time for a lame marionette show. It's time for CELEBRITY POKER SHOWDOWN, the serious cash-money tournament that plays like Beverly Hills home games! The Beck's Premier Light(TM) $250,000 Prize Pool awaits five more celebs as they play No-Limit Hold 'Em in the name of their charities.

This season is different from previous tournaments because each and every preliminary table has a theme. Tonight, the testosterone is gonna flow like beer because we have not one, not two, not three, not four, not six but FIVE male celebs this time around. And they are:

CELEBRITY BIO

Stephen Collins
playing for the MUM Foundation		 Stephen is entering his tenth season as Reverend Eric Camden, the minister/father of seven on the WB's 7th Heaven. He ALSO starred in the short-lived NBC series Tales of the Gold Monkey. Will he go for the gold chip or will he learn why greed is a sin?

Bryan Cranston
playing for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children		 Bryan is best known as Hal, the working father on FOX's Malcolm In the Middle but he ALSO played "Buzz" Aldrin in the acclaimed HBO mini-series From the Earth to the Moon. Will he stuck in the middle of the Losers' Lounge or will his stack reach sky high?

Peter Dinklage
playing for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society		 The vertically-challenged Peter's biggest was as Miles Finch in the movie "Elf", though he has guest starred in shows like Third Watch and Entourage. Will he do better than Charla did or will he be...tossed to the Lounge? (Sorry...couldn't resist.)

Meat Loaf
playing for the Painted Turtle (summer camp for terminally ill children) 		This rocker came out like a Bat Out Of Hell in the 70s and made a comeback in the late 80s. He's also been in films like Rocky Horror Picture Show, Fight Club and Spice World. Will he see "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" or will he take a "jump to the left"...STAGE left, that is?

Howie Mandel
playing for the Smile Train (provides surgery for third-world countries)

The glove-blowing, Bobby-talking comedian was also Dr. Wayne Fiscus on St. Elsewhere and, coincidentally (wink-wink), has a new show on Bravo called Hidden Howie. Will he "Do The Watusi" in celebration or be rushed to the Lounge stat?

Each celebrity will start with $10,000 worth of chips and the game will continue until one celebrity has all $50K in his/her possession, thus winning the "coveted" silver chip and making him/her eligible for the Final Table later in the year.  At the announcers' position beside the Losers' Lounge are host Dave Foley and poker expert Phil Gordon.  They'll be calling the action emanating from the main room.

All right, enough of this.  As Tournament Director Robert Thompson says. let's SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL!

Blinds start at $100 (SB) and $200 (BB). The Dealer Button (D) starts on Peter, meaning Howie posts the Small Blind, Meat posts the Big Blind and Stephen is first to act.

As for the hosts' Picks O' Doom, Dave picks Peter since they had just shot a pilot together...while Phil goes for Bryan since he's seen him as a good player among the Malcolm cast.
Before the cards are dealt, Howie puts on rubber gloves. He claims it's because he thought it was Celebrity PROSTATE Showdown. In actuality, Howie has OCD and is a SEVERE germaphobe.
Stephen Bryan Peter (D) Howie (SB) Meat (BB)
K♦ J♦ 8♠ 7♥ 10♣ 8♥ J♣ J♠ K♥ 8♣
Raises to $500 FOLD FOLD Raises to $1000 FOLD
Calls $500
33% 66%
Howie: "My first Flop is about to happen!"
Bryan: "I remember MY first 'flop'."
(Bryan's referring to a TV series that bombed, not to the first three community cards.)
FLOP: 2♦ 3♦ 7♠
48% 52%
Howie looks towards Meat Loaf beside him for advice. Normally, this is not encouraged in a tournament since everyone at the table wants you to lose. But, since this IS Howie's first real time playing Hold 'Em, I guess it could HURT.
Bets $3000
Calls $3000
TURN: 5♦
NUTS! DEAD!
Stephen now has a flush and will win the hand as long as he stays in it.
Bets $1500
Calls $1500
Meat wonders if Howie's TRYING to lose. Howie replies, "If I'm alone in the Losers' Lounge with the girls (the waitresses) and you're all out here, YOU'RE the losers!"
RIVER: 2♣
COMMUNITY: 2♦ 2♣ 7♠ 5♦ 3♦
Bets $2500
Calls $2500
K♦ J♦ 5♦ 3♦ 2♦ J♣ J♠ 2♦ 2♣ 7♠
WIN $16,200
Stephen takes one of the biggest chip leads on a first hand of CPS EVER!



Bryan Peter Howie (D) Meat (SB) Stephen (BB)
J♠ 6♣ 7♦ 2♣ 8♥ 8♣ 5♥ 4♥ K♥ 6♥
FOLD FOLD Calls $200 Calls $100 CHECK
Stephen was about to toss in his cards as a fold...but the dealer tells him he can just check.
55% 15% 29%
FLOP: 10♦ 4♣ A♦
63% 22% 15%
CHECK CHECK
CHECK
TURN: 8♦
NUTS! DEAD! DEAD!
CHECK CHECK
ALL-IN
$1800		 FOLD FOLD
Howie may have overplayed that hand a tad...but he was probably excited about having three "snowmen".
WIN $2400


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Stephen Collins $18,000
Bryan Cranston $10,000
Peter Dinklage $10,000
Meat Loaf $9600
Howie Mandel $2400



Stephen Bryan Peter (D) Howie (SB) Meat (BB)
J♣ J♦ 10♣ 5♥ 8♣ 8♦ 6♦ 2♥ K♣ 7♦
Raises to $600 FOLD Raises to $1200 FOLD FOLD
Calls $600
19% 80%
FLOP: Q♣ 5♦ Q♦
91% 9%
CHECK Bets $1000
Peter to Stephen as he contemplates: "You in 7th Heaven NOW, boy? (waits for applauase to end) I've been WAITING to use that...and now I got nothing." (Little does Peter know that only an 8 can save him.)
Calls $1000
TURN: A♣
95% 5%
CHECK CHECK
RIVER: 9♠
COMMUNITY: Q♣ Q♦ A♣ 9♠ 5♦
NUTS! DEAD!
CHECK CHECK
Q♣ Q♦ J♣ J♦ A♣ Q♣ Q♦ 8♣ 8♦ A♣
WIN $4700

Blinds are now $200 (SB) and $400 (BB).

Howie now brings out a whole BOX of rubber gloves for EVERYONE. Everyone but Peter puts them on for a hand. Bryan puts them on wrong and acts "retarded" while Meat trying to blow one up with his nose like Howie usually does. Howie says, "Everyone's laughing...but I'M much more comfortable now!"
Peter Howie Meat (D) Stephen (SB) Bryan (BB)
6♣ 4♦ 6♥ 2♦ J♣ 5♥ Q♣ 9♥ Q♦ 3♦
FOLD FOLD FOLD Calls $200 Raises to $1500
Stephen: "Not with Howie's money"...
FOLD
WIN $1900



CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Stephen Collins $20,300
Bryan Cranston $10,700
Meat Loaf $10,200
Peter Dinklage $7100
Howie Mandel $1700

Even Tourney Director Robert Thompson is wearing gloves!
Meat Stephen Bryan (D) Peter (SB) Howie (BB)
K♠ J♦ A♣ 6♣ 5♣ 4♣ 10♠ 10♥ A♦ J♣
Calls $400 FOLD Calls $400 Raises to $900 FOLD
Calls $500 FOLD
41% 59%
FLOP: 10♣ 5♠ Q♠
26% 74%
Peter flopped "30 miles of bad road"...BUT, Meat has an open-ended straight draw, needing an Ace or a 9 to pull it off.
Bets $2000
Calls $2000
TURN: 4♦
16% 84%
Bets $1000
Calls $1000
RIVER: 7♠
COMMUNITY: Q♠ 10♣ 7♠ 5♠ 4♦
DEAD! NUTS!
CHECK
Bets $3000 ALL-IN
$3200
FOLD
WIN $14,800
Why not CALL the extra $200? Sheesh! He had the draw, he bet big, but he didn't call?! Well, I guess that "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad"! :)



Bryan Peter Howie (D) Meat (SB) Stephen (BB)
5♥ 3♠ 5♦ 4♦ ????? J♥ 5♠ K♥ 2♣
FOLD Calls $400 FOLD FOLD CHECK
Peter put $400 in...then pulled it back and put in $500 more. That's illegal in tournaments. You must either put your whole raise into the pot at once or say you're going to raise for that to be legal. Meat tells Pete he "(bleep)ed up!" Bryan thinks Meat is getting a bit testy...and Meat yells, "YOU AIN'T SEEN NUTHIN' YET!"
42% 57%
FLOP: 10♣ K♦ Q♦
39% 59%
Bets $1000
FOLD
WIN $2000



Howie Meat Stephen (D) Bryan (SB) Peter (BB)
K♣ 3♦ 10♠ 8♠ A♠ J♦ 4♠ 2♦ Q♦ 10♣
FOLD FOLD Raises to $1000 FOLD Calls $600
62% 38%
FLOP: 9♣ 2♠ 7♣
72% 28%
CHECK
Bets $1000 FOLD
WIN $3200


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Stephen Collins $19,500
Peter Dinklage $15,800
Bryan Cranston $11,300
Meat Loaf $2300
Howie Mandel $1100



Meat Stephen Bryan (D) Peter (SB) Howie (BB)
Q♦ 8♣ 7♣ 5♠ 10♥ 6♥ A♦ 7♥ 8♦ 2♠
FOLD FOLD Calls $400 Calls $200 CHECK
40% 40% 20%
FLOP: 5♦ J♣ 2♣
24% 22% 54%
CHECK CHECK
Bets $3000 FOLD FOLD
WIN $4200

Blinds have gone up to $300 (SB) and $600 (BB).

During a hand, Meat takes a cell phone call and says, "Come as the nurse; I already have the gloves!"

Peter Howie Meat (D) Stephen (SB) Bryan (BB)
J♣ J♦ 5♠ 3♠ K♥ 6♣ 10♦ 9♣ A♣ Q♦
Calls $600 FOLD FOLD Calls $300 Raises to $3600
Peter had put in $1000 in chips...but he didn't say "raise" again. As such, this counts as a call, not a raise.
Calls $3000 FOLD
54% 46%
FLOP: 4♠ 3♣ 9♥
71% 29%
Bets $2500
Calls $2500
TURN: A♠
5% 95%
Peter does NOT like the Turn...and he gives off signs that Phil recognized. He glares at Bryan to be confrontational... then plays with his chips as if contemplating a bet. If a player acts strong, he's usually not.
Bets $4000
Calls $2500
RIVER: 4♦
COMMUNITY: 4♠ 4♦ 3♣ 9♥ A♠
DEAD! NUTS!
ALL-IN
$2900
Calls $2900  
J♣ J♦ 4♠ 4♦ A♠ A♣ A♠ 4♠ 4♦ Q♦
WIN $26,600
And, with that, Bryan takes the chip lead! Observe...


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Bryan Cranston $26,600
Stephen Collins $18,300
Peter Dinklage $2400
Meat Loaf $2200
Howie Mandel $500



Howie Meat Stephen (D) Bryan (SB) Peter (BB)
6♦ 4♣ 3♠ 2♠ 10♣ 8♦ Q♣ 9♣ 10♠ 9♦
ALL-IN
$500		 FOLD FOLD Calls $300 CHECK
Since Howie couldn't call the Big Blind of $600 completely with his all-in, Bryan and Peter put $500 each into the Main Pot and the remaining $100 each in a Side Pot that only they can bet into and/or win. When a Side Pot is made, the percentages will be the chances of winning the Main Pot, followed by a slash and the chance of winning the SIDE Pot. Since Howie only has a shot at the Main Pot, he has only one percentage.
30% 46%/74% 20%/22%
FLOP: K♣ 6♣ 6♥
72% 25%/80% 2%/9%
Oooh, Howie has "Nicolae Carpathia" (6-6-6)! BUT, Bryan has a flush draw.
Bets $1800 (Side) FOLD
Since Peter folded, Bryan automatically gets the Side Pot of $2000. Now the cards are flipped over and Howie faces Bryan for the Main Pot...and Howie's continuance in this tournament.
75% 25%
TURN: J♠
79% 21%
RIVER: J♦
6♦ 6♣ 6♥ J♠ J♦ J♠ J♦ 6♣ 6♥ K♣
WIN $1500 (Main) WIN $2000 (Side)



Stephen Bryan Peter (D) Howie (SB) Meat (BB)
6♣ 2♠ 10♦ 7♠ 4♥ 2♥ J♦ 4♦ Q♦ 3♦
FOLD FOLD FOLD Calls $300 CHECK
36% 63%
FLOP: 6♥ 7♣ 4♠
67% 29%
ALL-IN
$1200		 FOLD
WIN $2400



Bryan Peter Howie (D) Meat (SB) Stephen (BB)
10♥ 3♣ K♦ 8♣ 9♣ 9♦ A♥ 9♥ K♥ Q♥
FOLD FOLD ALL-IN
$2400		 ALL-IN
$1600		 Calls $1800
Stephen had to call the higher all-in bet to stay in. As such, the Main Pot is made up of $1600 from each of three guys and a Side Pot is made of the rest of Howie and Stephen's bets ($1600). If Stephen beats BOTH players, he'll ELIMINATE both. If Howie or Stephen beats Meat, Meat's gone but Howie will stay IF he beats Stephen. If Meat beats both, he stays...and, again, Howie stays IF he beats Stephen.
36%/52% 28% 34%/47%
FLOP: 3♥ 8♦ 3♦
63%/75% 16% 21%/25%
Howie has two pair...but Stephen still has many outs.
TURN: 10♦
84%/89% 5% 11%/11%
RIVER: Q♠
DEAD! DEAD! NUTS!
Ohhh! Drowned at the River!!
9♣ 9♦ 3♥ 3♦ Q♠ 3♥ 3♦ A♥  Q♠ 10♦ Q♥ Q♠ 3♥ 3♦ K♥
OUT - 4th Place OUT - 5th Place WIN $4800 (Main)
WIN $1600 (Side)
And, for the first time in CPS history, TWO players were knocked out in ONE HAND! (Meat is, techincally, in 5th place because he had less money than Howie going into this hand. If they didn't get the same amount of money [which they do], Howie would've won more.)

After thanking everyone in the main arena, Meat and Howie enter the Lounge at the same time (actually taking a step INTO the Lounge simultaniously) and join Dave on the Couch O' Doom. Howie admits he got the hang of it in the last hands...but he stuck to his strategy. Meat asks, "You HAD a strategy?!" Howie replies, "Yes...but not for THIS table." At least Painted Turtle and the Smile Train EACH get $5000 for their participation. Meat plays with the little orange "bendy" dolls on the table...which, for some reason, reminds Dave of the animated fungus in the Lavisil(TM) commercials. While Dave scrambles to save a sponcer, we return to the table...


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Bryan Cranston $26,200
Stephen Collins $22,300
Peter Dinklage $1500



Peter (D) Stephen (SB) Bryan (BB)
J♥ 6♣ J♦ 7♠ K♥ 2♥
ALL-IN
$1500		 FOLD Calls $900
35% 64%
FLOP: 2♠ 10♥ 3♥
13% 87%
CHECK
TURN: 4♥
DEAD! NUTS!
Peter is out! Even if another heart appears on the River to give Peter a flush as well, Stephen's is a King-high while Peter's would be only a Jack-high.
RIVER: 9♥
J♥ 10♥ 9♥ 4♥ 3♥ K♥ 10♥ 9♥ 4♥ 3♥
OUT - 3rd Place WIN $3300
Three people gone in two hands...that's the nature of No Limit Hold 'Em.

Peter hugs the two "big guys" and makes his way to the Lounge to join Howie, Meat and Dave. He slumps on the couch when Dave tells him it was a "foregone conclusion" that he'd lose because Dave PICKED him. Five grand will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society...and the BETTER news is that they can start drinking. The waitress takes the orders...and Howie DEPARTS with her.


But, now, we're HEADS-UP between the two "second-tier network TV dads"! Will the calm and centered "pastor" win...or will it be the dsyfunctional nutcase? It's FOX vs. the WB for the Silver Chip and the Final Table seat...so let's SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL!

CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Bryan Cranston $28,800
Stephen Collins $21,200

Blinds are now $400 (SB) and $800 (BB).
Stephen (D) (SB) Bryan (BB)
7♦ 6♦ 9♣ 6♥
Calls $400 CHECK
31% 60%
FLOP: 2♥ 7♣ 8♥
55% 43%
Bets $5000
FOLD
WIN $6600
Stephen has folded the best hand for the THIRD TIME tonight thanks to an aggresive bet by Bryan.



Bryan (D) (SB) Stephen (BB)
K♥ 9♦ 9♣ 9♠
Raises to $3500 Raises to $7000
Calls $3500
30% 68%
FLOP: 10♠ 3♠ 5♥
13% 87%
CHECK
CHECK
TURN: 8♣
7% 93%
CHECK
Bets $4000 Calls $4000
RIVER: 7♦
COMMUNITY: 10♠ 3♠ 5♥ 8♣ 7♦
DEAD! NUTS!
CHECK
ALL-IN
$18,600		 FOLD
WIN $40,600
Make that FOUR times! And, now, Bryan has more than a 4-to-1 chip lead!


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Bryan Cranston $40,600
Stephen Collins $9400



Stephen (D) (SB) Bryan (BB)
A♦ 3♥ 5♣ 5♥
ALL-IN
$9400		 Calls $8600
29% 70%
FLOP: 10♣ 7♦ 4♦
19% 81%
TURN: 2♠
11% 89%
Stephen DOES have a straight draw now. He can win with an Ace to make a better pair or one of the two remaining 5s to make a straight.
RIVER: 5♠
BAM! And both guys FREAK that Stephen made the straight, beating out Bryan's "15 miles".
 5♠ 4♦ 3♥ 2♠ A♦ 5♣ 5♥ 5♠ 10♣ 7♦
WIN $18,800

Real men don't eat quiche (or so the saying goes). But real men ALSO know what rocks and what sucks at the poker table. So, for this hand, only Bryan's hand will be visible and we'll ask you HOW WOULD YOU PLAY IT? Furthermore, we'll answer that by showing you how you SHOULD play it.

Bryan (D) (SB) Stephen (BB)
9♥ 8♥ ?????
"You" (Bryan) are "on the button", meaning you'll act last in the other rounds of betting. Suited connectors are a decent hand to have heads-up...so
Raises to $3500 Calls $2700
? ?
FLOP: 7♣ 7♥ Q♥
CHECK
Bets $6000 ALL-IN
$15900
Calls $9900
And Stephen shows: A♦ 7♠. He DOES have three sevens. But all "you" need is a heart to beat him.
28% 72%
TURN: 10♠
30% 70%
Even better. A 6 or a Jack will make "you" a straight...but a 10 of hearts will give Stephen a full house...
RIVER: 10♣
...or ANY 10 for that matter. However, if you played this hand the same way Bryan did, you played it right. You were just unlucky.
10♠ 10♣ 7♣ 7♥ Q♥ 7♠ 7♣ 7♥ 10♠ 10♣
WIN $39,600

A hand or two later...
CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Stephen Collins $38,600
Bryan Cranston $11,400



Bryan (D) (SB) Stephen (BB)
J♣ 7♣ Q♣ J♥
Raises to $2500 Calls $1700
While Stephen contemplates the call, Robert announces that there are two minutes left in this round. Stephen thinks it's a subtle way of asking to speed things up...but the blinds won't go up to $500 and $1000 until the last hand dealt before the end of the round is finished.
26% 70%
FLOP: 6♠ K♠ 8♠
14% 79%
CHECK
ALL-IN
$8900		 FOLD
WIN $13,900
FIVE times! But, to his credit, Bryan WAS faking a flush...so Stephen wasn't ENTIRELY in the wrong.



Stephen (D) (SB) Bryan (BB)
A♦ 2♣ J♣ 7♥
Calls $400 CHECK
57% 42%
FLOP: 10♦ 7♦ 8♦
45% 54%
Bets $3000
Here, Stephen asks how much he has to bet to put Bryan all-in. This is legal to do.
Raises to $13,900 ALL-IN
$13,900
Stephen has a flush draw. He needs a diamond or an Ace to win this tournament (and end the Curse of Phil's Pick).
TURN: Q♥
27% 73%
RIVER: A♥
BAM! Another drowning at the River! (Hmmm...must be the Hudson... or the Mersey...)
A♦ A♥ Q♥ 10♦ 8♦ 7♥ 7♦ A♥ Q♥ J♣
TOURNAMENT WINNER! OUT - 2nd Place

Bryan's charity, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, gets $5000 to exploit missing children (or so Dave thinks)... but PRAISE DA LORD and PASS the SILVER CHIP! Stephen Collins goes on to the Final Table where he has the shot to win $100,000 for the MUM Foundation (which brings in mediators to stop and prevent war and terrorism), courtesy of the Beck's Premier Light(TM) Prize Pool!