TOURNAMENT 2
CHAMPIONSHIP

After five weeks of single-table madness, CELEBRITY POKER SHOWDOWN comes down to the Final Table!  Five celebs will be battling out for the $100,000 piece of the $250,000 Cingular Wireless(TM) Prize Pool for his/her charity!

Here are the five silver chip winners vying for the GOLD chip that signifies the CPS Champion and how they got here:

CELEBRITY HOW THEY GOT HERE

Michael Ian Black
playing for Endeavor House 		This Ed actor avenged his Season 1 loss by defeated Star Jones, Adam Rodriguez and Jeremy Sisto before pulling ahead of Norm McDonald in the longest heads-up match EVER on CPS!

Rosario Dawson
playing for Scenarios USA 		The heroine of "Men In Black II" stomped Wanda Sykes, "American Beauty" Mena Suvari, Travis Tritt and even Jerome "The Bus" Bettis.

Lauren Graham
playing for Revlon/UCLA Women's Cancer Research Program 		The elder of the Gilmore Girls took out "Samwise" Sean Astin, Friend Matthew Perry, the Less Than Perfect Sara Rue and Malcolm In the Middle's Chris Masterson.

Dule Hill
playing for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 		One of the stars of The West Wing impeached fellow Winger Timothy Busfield, comedienne Mo Gaffney, Danny Masterson and legendary actor James Woods.

Maura Tierney
playing for Children's Aid Society/
Teen Pregnancy Prevention 		This ER doc sliced open cast-mate Tom Everett Scott, side-kicked Andy Richter, got Jon Favreau the "Elf" out and served up James Blake.

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.  That person will win $100,000 for his/her charity.  But not one of the charities will go away with less than $7500; the longer someone stays in the game, the more money that someone's charity will receive.  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!  It's time to crown a champ!  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 Lauren.

(But, first...drinks are handed out...including Michael's gallon of chocolate milk.)

RosarioMichaelLauren (D)Maura (SB)Dule (BB)
J♥ 3♠ 6♦ 5♦ Q♥ 10♠ Q♣ 4♣ Q♦ 8♦
FOLD Calls $200 Raises to $500 FOLD Calls $300
Calls $300
FLOP: A♦ 9♠ 5♥
Michael flopped the "speed limit" (5-5).
CHECK
Bets $800 FOLD FOLD
WIN $2400


MichaelLaurenMaura (D)Dule (SB)Rosario (BB)
A♥ Q♦ 9♠ 2♦ 10♣ 6♣ 5♣ 5♥ J♣ 8♥
Raises to $600 FOLD FOLD Calls $500 FOLD
The only reason you would call with a moderate pair like 5s is to, hopefully, flop a "set" (three of a kind).
FLOP: 5♠ 7♦ A♦
Well,...whadaya know about that?  Michael DOES have Aces, though...
CHECK
Bets $1000 Raises to $3000
Calls $2000
TURN: 5♦
Best...CPS hand...EVER!  Dule has FOUR FIVES!!
ALL-IN
$5900
FOLD
WIN $13,300
Most pros wouldn't have gone all-in with four of a kind.  Even though Michael had a flush draw, he recognized that Dule had a monster hand and folded.


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Dule Hill$13,600
Rosario Dawson$10,000
Maura Tierney$9700
Lauren Graham$9400
Michael Ian Black$7300


MauraDuleRosario (D)Michael (SB)Lauren (BB)
A♠ 8♥ A♥ 5♥ 9♦ 7♠ K♥ J♠ A♦ Q♣
Raises to $600 FOLD FOLD Calls $500 Calls $400
FLOP: 2♦ K♦ 3♣
Bets $800 Raises to $1600
FOLD FOLD
WIN $4200
Lauren's aggressive betting scared Michael out of the best hand.


DuleRosarioMichael (D)Lauren (SB)Maura (BB)
J♦ 4♠ 8♠ 7♥ Q♥ J♥ K♠ 9♦ A♠ 2♣
FOLD FOLD Raises to $600 FOLD Calls $400
FLOP: Q♦ 6♦ 8♣
CHECK
Bets $1000 FOLD
Dule (to Maura): "Raise 'im."
Maura: "I can't.  I got nothing." (folds)
WIN $2300


DuleRosarioMichael (D)Lauren (SB)Maura (BB)
K♥ 5♦ 6♠ 3♠ 9♦ 2♣ 8♥ 2♦ J♦ 8♠
FOLD Raises to $1200 FOLD FOLD FOLD
Michael to Rosario: "I have two Kings...but I think you have two Aces, so..." (folds)
WIN $1500
You don't always need the best hand to win at poker, just the guts to bet big.


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Dule Hill$13,300
Lauren Graham$10,300
Maura Tierney$10,100
Rosario Dawson$10,000
Michael Ian Black$6300

Blinds have gone up to $200 (SB) and $400 (BB).

(A shirtless beefcake serves the drinks this time...and Michael asks, "Now, if I wanted a lap dance,...how much?")

MichaelLaurenMaura (D)Dule (SB)Rosario (BB)
A♦ 4♦ 9♦ 5♦ Q♦ 10♥ 6♦ 6♣ J♣ 2♠
FOLD FOLD Raises to $1600 FOLD FOLD
Crowd member to Dule: "Fold 'em!"
Dule: "Only because you said so."
(The audience has NO idea what ANYBODY has...so to listen to them is ridiculous)
WIN $2200


MauraDuleRosario (D)Michael (SB)Lauren (BB)
10♦ 4♣ 5♠ 5♦ 9♣ 7♠ K♥ 5♣ K♠ 7♣
FOLD Raises to $1000 FOLD FOLD Raises to $1600
Calls $600
FLOP: A♥ 9♦ 8♣
Bets $2500
FOLD
WIN $5900


DuleRosarioMichael (D)Lauren (SB)Maura (BB)
4♠ 3♥ K♦ Q♠ Q♥ 2♣ 8♥ 4♥ 10♣ 8♣
FOLD Raises to $1200 FOLD FOLD Calls $800
Rosario is just a little freaked out at all the staring done at this table.  She flashes back to her prelim table and the humor of Wanda Sykes.  Lauren then asks if Rosario would rather Wanda be where she is...and Rosario said no.
FLOP: 6♥ A♥ 2♦
Bets $1500
Calls $1500
TURN: A♦
Bets $3000
FOLD
WIN $8600


RosarioMichaelLauren (D)Maura (SB)Dule (BB)
K♦ 2♦ 5♥ 2♣ 4♦ 2♥ 8♥ 7♥ Q♦ 5♦
FOLD FOLD FOLD Calls $200 CHECK
FLOP: A♥ 9♥ Q♣
Bets $500 Raises to $2000
Calls $1500
TURN: J♦
Dule to Maura: "I'm gonna raise ya...just so you know..."
CHECK Bets $2000
FOLD
WIN $6800
(Memo to Dule: don't advertise how good your hand is...you'll just get less money)


MauraDuleRosario (D)Michael (SB)Lauren (BB)
K♦ 6♦ K♣ K♥ A♥ 5♥ K♠ 5♠ A♦ J♥
Raises to $1600 Raises to $3000 FOLD FOLD Calls $2600
Calls $1400
FLOP: A♣ 9♥ 9♣
Lauren flopped two pair...and immediately looks at her chips.  This is a tell, saying that Lauren got a good hand.  Dule flopped two pair as well...but Aces and 9s beats his Kings and 9s.
Bets $4000
FOLD Raises to $8000 ALL-IN
$8900
Calls $900
Apparently, Dule didn't pick up on the tell.  And he's in trouble.  The other two Kings were folded already, so Dule's only hope is for two running clubs to make a flush.
TURN: Q♣
There's one...
RIVER: 4♦
..but not the other.
K♣ K♥ 9♥ 9♣ A♣ A♦ A♣ 9♥ 9♣ Q♣
WIN $27,000


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Lauren Graham$26,700
Maura Tierney$8200
Rosario Dawson$7600
Michael Ian Black$5700
Dule Hill$1800
Ouch...from first to worst in one segment...


MichaelLaurenMaura (D)Dule (SB)Rosario (BB)
8♦ 5♣ K♥ 7♠ 9♠ 6♥ K♣ 6♠ Q♠ J♠
FOLD FOLD FOLD Raises to $1600 ALL-IN
$1800
Calls $200
Rosario, with her high suited connectors, is about a 60% favorite. 
FLOP: 4♣ 4♦ 9♣
TURN: 8♠
Dule needs a King or a 6 or...
RIVER: Q♥
Rosario doubles-up!
4♣ 4♦ K♣ Q♥ 9♣ Q♠ Q♥ 4♣ 4♦ J♠
WIN $3600

Some time later, Rosario gathers a lot more chips...and the blinds have gone up to $300 (SB) and $600 (BB).
RosarioMichaelLauren (D)Maura (SB)Dule (BB)
A♣ K♠ 8♣ 6♦ A♦ 6♠ Q♥ 3♥ 4♣ 4♠
Raises to $1800 FOLD Calls $1800 FOLD ALL-IN
$5100
Calls $3300 FOLD
Dule may have the "Darth Vader" hand (dark "fours"), but he's only a SLIGHT fave over Big Slick.
FLOP: 8♦ Q♣ 3♦
TURN: 4♥
Scratch that.  Dule has three "sailboats"...and Rosario's drawing dead.
RIVER: 7♥
Tit for tat.  Dule doubled-up Rosario...and Rosario returned the favor.
A♣ K♠ Q♣ 8♦ 7♥ 4♣ 4♦ Q♣ 8♦ 7♥
WIN $12,300


MichaelLaurenMaura (D)Dule (SB)Rosario (BB)
10♣ 2♦ A♣ K♥ J♥ 9♣ 6♦ 2♣ 8♥ 8♦
FOLD Raises to $1800 FOLD FOLD FOLD
WIN $2700
Rosario suddenly became conservative.  Any self-respecting pro would've called or even RAISED with the "snowmen".


DuleRosarioMichael (D)Lauren (SB)Maura (BB)
K♦ 9♣ J♥ 10♥ 10♦ 6♣ 9♠ 8♦ Q♠ Q♣
FOLD ALL-IN
$700		 FOLD FOLD Calls $100
Rosario's in dire straights now.  The "Seigfreid & Roy" hand is a moderate favorite over her suited connectors.
FLOP: 5♠ 7♦ 10♣
That helps.  A 10 will give Rosario "trips".
TURN: 5♦
Even better, a 10 will give her a full house...
RIVER: 3♦
No boat...no "trips"...just a trip to the Loser's lounge.
10♥ 10♣ 5♠ 5♦ J♥   Q♠ Q♣ 5♠ 5♦ 10♣
OUT - 5th Place WIN $1700

So Rosario becomes the first victim to come close...but no Cingular.  She sulks towards the Lounge, claiming to the camera that the others cheated.  Dave greets her...and they talk about re-arranging the furniture.  At least Scenarios USA gets $7500 thanks to her.  She didn't feel she played her best...but she had a great time anyway.

CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Lauren Graham$26,400
Dule Hill$12,000
Maura Tierney$8300
Michael Ian Black$3300

Blinds are now $400 (SB) and $800 (BB).
MichaelLauren (D)Maura (SB)Dule (BB)
8♠ 5♥ A♥ Q♦ 7♦ 6♣ 8♦ 8♥
FOLD Raises to $1800 FOLD Calls $1000
Who says it never snows in Vegas?  There are certainly a lot of "snowmen" to prove otherwise.
FLOP: 2♦ J♦ 4♠
Bets $3000
Calls $3000
TURN: K♥
Bets $1500
Calls $1500
RIVER: Q♥
COMMUNITY: K♥ Q♥ 2♦ J♦ 4♠
CHECK
CHECK
Q♥ Q♦ A♥ K♥ J♦ 8♦ 8♥ K♥ Q♥ J♦
WIN $13,000
Had Dule bet a little more aggressive, he could've won more.  Either that, or he could've prevented Lauren from seeing the River and, possibly, out-drawing him.

Before the next hand begins, first CPS Tournament Champion Nicole Sullivan comes out to serve the drinks.  She tells everyone that "pick up the funny".
LaurenMaura (D)Dule (SB)Michael (BB)
J♥ 4♣ 8♣ 8♦ A♥ Q♥ J♣ 5♦
FOLD Raises to $3200 ALL-IN
$5700		 FOLD
Calls $2500
FLOP: 2♥ Q♣ 6♦
Dule out-flopped Maura; he has a pair of Queens.
TURN: 8♥
But, wait!  Maura turned THREE 8s!  BUT...Dule has a flush draw...so a Queen or any heart will keep him alive.
RIVER: 5♠
8♣ 8♦ 8♥ Q♣ 6♦ Q♥ Q♣ A♥ 8♥ 6♦
WIN $12,200 OUT - 4th Place

After high-fiving the crowd and the rest of the players, Dule heads for the Lounge to join Dave, Phil and Rosario.  "I guess the Dark Horse broke his legs," he says as he sits down.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will gladly take the $10,000 check, though.  Dule hadn't planned on drinking...but, now that he got "sucked-out" on the Turn, he NEEDS one.  Rosario and Phil get into an argument about Phil "talking @#$%" about her and Dule's play.  She claims, "I'll find out where you live!"  WIth a smile, Phil replies, "I'll TELL you where I live!"

CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Lauren Graham$33,100
Maura Tierney$14,400
Michael Ian Black$2500


Maura (D)Michael (SB)Lauren (BB)
A♠ 7♠ 6♦ 5♣ 7♣ 5♦
Raises to $3200 ALL-IN
$2500		 FOLD
It's not JUST an all-in.  Michael brings out his "juju", the one thing that helped him in his prelim: the autographed photo of David Copperfield!  Maura's bet is lowered to match Michael's all in.  Maura's about a 65% fave at this point...but maybe "Copperfield" still has some magic for Michael.
FLOP: 2♠ 2♥ J♠
The flush draw cuts Michael's chances in half...
TURN: J♣
...the lack of a decent Turn card sticks him with swords...
RIVER: 3♣
...and, with that, Micahel has to disappear!
J♠ J♣ 2♠ 2♥ A♠ J♠ J♣ 2♠ 2♥ 6♦
WIN $5800 OUT - 3rd Place

Michael collapses on the floor.  When Lauren hands him the Copperfield picture, he SPITS on it, tosses it to the ground and tells him to "go to hell"!  He sops back to the Lounge, muttering, "This is the worst moment of my life...worse than when my parents got divorced...worse than when my mom said she was gay...worse than when I flunked out of high school!"  Into the Lounge he comes, and Dave is shocked at how he "lost faith" so quickly...and Michael says it "may drive (him) to suicide."  But the GOOD news is that Endeavor House is getting $12,500!  Michael and Phil then talk about the lay-down Michael did against Dule's four 5s...and Michael is SHOCKED to find out Dule HAD four 5s.

So...we're down to two ladies Dave Foley has worked with on News Radio...though Lauren was only on in a guest role.  The winner gets the WAY-not-collectable gold chip and the $100,000 for her charity!  The runner-up DOES get $20,000...but that's a 500% difference.  So let's crown us another queen of Celebrity Poker Showdown!  Let's SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL!!


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Lauren Graham$33,500
Maura Tierney$16,500


Lauren (D) (SB)Maura (BB)
5♦ 5♣ Q♠ 7♠
Raises to $2000 Calls $1200
FLOP: A♣ Q♥ Q♦
WHOA!  Maura flips "trip Queens"...or "six t**s" in the vulgar terminology.
Bets $2000
Raises to $8000 ALL-IN
$14,500
Maura leans way back in her chair after the all-in.  That's a tell that essentially says, "I want you to call me!"
Calls $6500
...and Lauren does.
TURN: 4♥
Lauren is drawing dead.
RIVER: 3♣
CHECK
Q♥ Q♦ 5♦ 5♣ A♣ Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ A♣ 7♠
WIN $33,000


Lauren (D) (SB)Maura (BB)
K♣ 10♥ Q♦ 6♦
Raises to "that" ($2200) Calls $1400
FLOP: K♥ 2♦ 5♣
Bets $2000
Calls $2000
TURN: 4♠
CHECK
CHECK
RIVER: 7♣
COMMUNITY: K♥ 7♣ 5♣ 4♠ 2♦
CHECK
CHECK
K♣ K♥ 10♥ 7♣ 5♣ K♥ Q♦ 7♣ 6♦ 5♣
WIN $8400

The price of poker has gone up; blinds are now $500 (SB) and $1000 (BB).
Lauren (D) (SB)Maura (BB)
Here, Lauren talks about her cat, Frank, who couldn't take Lauren's TV schedule and ran away from home.
5♣ 5♦ 7♣ 5♥
Raises to $2500 FOLD
WIN $3500


Lauren (D) (SB)Maura (BB)
Maura counters by talking about her dog Spiffy who was run over by her mother.
K♦ 9♦ J♥ 7♦
Raises to $2500 Calls $1500
FLOP: Q♠ 4♣ A♦
Bets $3500
Calls $3500
TURN: J♠
Bets $4500
Calls $4500
RIVER: J♣
COMMUNITY: J♠ J♣ Q♠ 4♣ A♦
Bets $8000
FOLD
WIN $29,000


Lauren (D) (SB)Maura (BB)
Q♦ 10♦ Q♣ 10♥
Raises to $2500 Raises to $7000
Calls $4500
Lauren has a slight advantage, since her Queen-10 is suited.
FLOP: K♦ 9♠ 3♦
Lauren now has a flush draw.
Bets $4500
ALL-IN
$6600		 Calls $2100
TURN: A♠
The only thing that will prevent a split pot is a diamond.
RIVER: 6♥
Right color...wrong suit.
A♠ K♦ Q♦ 10♦ 9♠ A♠ K♦ Q♣ 10♥ 9♠
WIN $13,600 WIN $13,600
Maura: "We're, like, the same player.  This game will NEVER end."


Lauren (D) (SB)Maura (BB)
8♠ 4♣ Q♥ J♠
Raises to $4000 Raises to $10,000
FOLD
WIN $14,000


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Maura Tierney$38,400
Lauren Graham$11,600
Yup...it's almost an exact opposite of just a little while ago.

Blinds are up again; they are now $1000 (SB) and $2000 (BB).
Lauren (D) (SB)Maura (BB)
Q♦ 5♦ K♥ Q♠
Raises to $4000 Raises to $10,000
FOLD
WIN $14,000


Lauren (D) (SB)Maura (BB)
A♠ 7♥ A♦ 6♣
ALL-IN
$8600		 Calls $6600
Lauren's a SLIGHT fave.
FLOP: J♠ 8♣ 3♣
TURN: 7♦
Maura is now drawing dead.
RIVER: A♥
Thought the Ace give Maura a pair, it gives Lauren TWO pair.
A♠ A♥ 7♥ 7♦ J♠ A♠ A♥ J♠ 8♣ 7♦
WIN $17200


Lauren (D) (SB)Maura (BB)
8♥ 7♥ J♦ 2♦
Raises to $4000 Calls $2000
FLOP: 6♠ 4♠ 9♥
Lauren has an open-ended straight draw.
Bets $4000
Calls $4000
TURN: K♠
Bets $8000
Calls $8000
RIVER: Q♣
COMMUNITY: K♠ Q♣ 9♥ 6♠ 4♠
CHECK
CHECK
K♠ Q♣ 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ K♠ Q♣ J♦ 9♥ 6♠
WIN $32,000
Yup,...sometimes a hand can be won even WITHOUT a pair.


Maura (D) (SB)Lauren (BB)
K♠ 9♥ Q♦ 7♥
Raises to $2200 ALL-IN
$2200
Maura's "dog" is a slight fave over Lauren's "computer hand".
FLOP: K♥ 8♦ 4♣
Ut oh...Maura has top pair!  Lauren needs two Queens, two 7s or Queen-7 to stay alive!
TURN: J♥
It's over!  Lauren's drawing dead!  Maura's our champion!!
RIVER: A♠
K♠ K♥ A♠ J♥ 9♥ A♠ K♥ Q♦ J♥ 8♦
CPS CHAMPION!! OUT - 2nd Place

And, so, Lauren Graham takes $20,000 home for Revlon/UCLA Women's Cancer Research Program.  But Maura Tierney, the one who use to work with Dave and was Dave's pick to win, has done just that!  She takes home the gold chip signifying her as Celebrity Poker Showdown Champion...and Children's Aid Society/Teen Pregnancy Prevention gets $100,000!

Ah, but there's no time to relax!  The THIRD CPS Tournament starts next week!  Until then, this is Chris Wolvie saying, like Dave does, "Whoever said 'It's not whether you win or lose' was obviously NOT talking about poker!"