TOURNAMENT 4
EPISODE 3

Where can you see lions? Only in Kenya. Go to Kenya; they got lions. Where can you see card sharks? Forget Norway and go to Vegas. Where can you see celebrities play no-limit poker for charity. Only on CELEBRITY POKER SHOWDOWN from the Palms Casino. Kenya believe it?

All five of these are celebrity POKER newbies...but ONE has had experience with ANOTHER celeb casino game:

CELEBRITY BIO

Macaulay Culkin
playing for Autism Coalition		 AHHHHHHH! The much-troubled child star of "Home Alone" and "The Good Son" was recently in a indie flick called "Saved". Will he be saved from going into the Loser's Lounge or will he be going... ah, the joke's TOO obvious, isn't it?!

Neil Flynn
playing for the Historic Genesee Theater 		After playing minor cops in major films, Neil landed a role as "The Janitor" on the hit NBC comedy Scrubs. Will he scrub the floor with the others or will he be arrested for impersonating a poker player?

Sara Gilbert
playing for Susun G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation 		She was one of Rosanne's kids before having a recurring role on FOX's 24 (AND she's Melissa Gilbert's sister!). Can she knock the others out in real-time or will she go to the Lounge and order a "half-pint"?

Ricki Lake
playing for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy 		Go, Ricki! Go, Ricki! After debuting in Hairspray, Ricki went on to be a successful talk show host and was last seen losing on Celebrity Blackjack. Will she have better luck with THESE cards or will she be talked out of it?

Kevin Nealon
playing for Fund For Animals 		After his ten-year stint on Saturday Night Live, Kevin's been in almost every Adam Sandler movie known and, most recently, has been a voice on Crank Yankers . Will he be a "Good Boy" or is he just not ready for prime-time cable gambling shows?

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 that.  As Tournament Director Robert Thompson says. let's SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL!

Initial blinds are $100 (SB) and $200 (BB).  The Dealer Button (D) starts on Macaulay (who will be called "Mac" to save my fingers).

(Phil picks Sara to win and Dave picks Neil)

Neil Ricki Macaulay (D) Sara (SB) Kevin (BB)
4♥ 3♦ 6♠ 2♠ 10♣ 8♦ 7♦ 6♣ J♣ 9♣
FOLD FOLD FOLD Raises to $700 FOLD
WIN $900
Many hands are determined this way; with the winner being the first to have the gumption to raise. Kevin says, "This is the last time I'm folding."



Macaulay Sara Kevin (D) Neil (SB) Ricki (BB)
J♠ 10♦ 8♥ 2♥ A♠ 7♠ K♠ 4♣ A♠ J♥
FOLD FOLD FOLD Calls $100 Raises to $700
FOLD
WIN $900



CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Sara Gilbert $12,700
Ricki Lake $10,100
Neil Flynn $9600
Macaulay Culkin $8800
Kevin Nealon $8800



Kevin Neil Ricki (D) Macaulay (SB) Sara (BB)
A♦ 9♦ 3♥ 2♥ 10♦ 2♣ Q♦ 3♦ A♣ Q♣
Raises to $600 FOLD FOLD FOLD Calls $400
Kevin brags about the other day when he couldn't believe that, at the Blackjack table, he won 125... dollars.
31% 69%
FLOP: 9♠ J♦ 8♦
76% 24%
Bets $800
Calls $800
TURN: 6♥
87% 13%
CHECK
Bets $600 FOLD
WIN $3500



Macaulay Sara Kevin (D) Neil (SB) Ricki (BB)
A♠ 6♦ 6♥ 2♦ Q♣ 8♥ J♠ 8♣ J♥ J♦
Raises to $600 FOLD FOLD FOLD Calls $400
Before the hand starts, Kevin wants to switch places with director Robert Thompson... and this gets Dave and Phil discussing the possibility of a "designated bettor" rule in tournaments.
32% 68%
FLOP: 5♣ 9♦ 3♣
20% 80%
Bets $600
FOLD
WIN $1900



Sara Kevin Neil (D) Ricki (SB) Macaulay (BB)
8♣ 2♠ A♥ 3♥ A♣ K♠ 9♦ 7♥ Q♦ J♥
FOLD Raises to $600 Raises to $1200 FOLD FOLD
Calls $600
68% 32%
FLOP: 6♣ 9♣ J♦
14% 86%
FOLD
WIN $2700
Kevin goofed; he could have just checked. Instead, he showed Neil just how weak he was and that he'll fold the INSTANT he feels he's sunk. Kevin thinks he screwed up in a DIFFERENT fashion, saying, "I had two Aces." There's no rule against bluffing AFTER the hand ends.



Hand 6

Kevin Neil Ricki (D) Macaulay (SB) Sara (BB)
A♠ A♥ Q♠ 5♥ Q♦ 3♥ 10♠ 4♥ K♦ Q♥
Well, NOW, Kevin has two Aces! What will he DO with them
Raises to $1200 FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD
WIN $1500
Kevin overplayed his hand. He bet moderate when he had Ace and something and stepped it up when he had the "bullets". You must bet and raise consistantly as to not give out any tells.



Ricki Macaulay Sara (D) Kevin (SB) Neil (BB)
A♣ 2♥ 10♠ 7♥ Q♦ 9♣ A♦ K♣ Q♣ 5♦
Raises to $600 FOLD FOLD Raises to $1200 FOLD
Calls $600
28% 72%
FLOP: Q♥ 5♠ 8♠
17% 83%
Bets $600
Raises to $1200 FOLD
WIN $4400
Three band plays in a ROW for Kevin. If you have "Big Slick", hold your ground!



CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Ricki Lake $13,300
Sara Gilbert $10,900
Neil Flynn $10,600
Macaulay Culkin $7800
Kevin Nealon $7400



Macaulay Sara Kevin (D) Neil (SB) Ricki (BB)
A♦ 3♥ A♠ J♣ 4♦ 2♠ 7♥ 6♠ 4♠ 4♥
FOLD Raises to $600 FOLD FOLD Calls $400
51% 49%
Any time two players are within a few percentage points of each other in the chance to win (like Sara's "Ajax" vs. Ricki's "sailboats", it's called a "coin-flip situation". The cards of the Flop can make it swing one way or the other.
FLOP: Q♦ 8♥ 3♦
29% 71%
In this case, it swings towards Ricki. Though neither has paired anything, Ricki still has the best chance of evading an Ace or a Jack.
Bets $500
FOLD
WIN $1800

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

Kevin Neil Ricki (D) Macaulay (SB) Sara (BB)
8♣ 2♦ J♠ 2♣ 10♦ 8♦ 6♥ 3♥ A♠ 4♠
FOLD FOLD FOLD Calls $200 CHECK
43% 57%
This is NOT a very good hand for Mac to bet with...but the fans cheer for him anyway. Considering that it's suited, though, makes it that much better...
FLOP: 2♠ Q♦ 7♠
13% 87%
...until the Flop, anyway.
CHECK Bets $1200
FOLD
WIN $2000

It's time once again for HOW WOULD YOU PLAY IT? We'll only see Kevin's hand and tell you what you SHOULD do in a similar situation.
Neil Ricki Macaulay (D) Sara (SB) Kevin (BB)
????? ????? ????? ????? 7♥ 7♣
"You" (Kevin) are in the Big Blind. That means you'll be last to act before the Flop and either first or second AFTER the Flop. "Your" "mullets" are an excellent starting hand.
FOLD Raises to $1200 Calls $1200 FOLD Calls $800
"You" have a raiser and a caller. Wither Ricki has a better pair... or is a GREAT bluffer. Still, it only costs a little more so calling is the right choice.
FLOP: 3♦ 7♦ Q♦
Uh-oh. Watch out for the flush. But, wait..."YOU" hit the Jackpot with 7-7-7! That is EXCELLENT! Bet the pot and see if either of them are scared out!
Bets $1200
Raises to $2400 FOLD Calls $1200
Hmm...Mac is out, but Ricki is fronting a flush. But how can "you" lay down three-of-a-kind? Give it a go and call.
TURN: 5♣
"You" are pretty sure that didn't help Ricki. But, in case she DOES have a flush, best to go all-in and try to scare her into thinking "you" have a BIGGER flush.
Bets $1200
Raises to $2400 ALL-IN
$3800
Calls $1400
9♠ 8♠
<--- Ricki's cards
She was BLUFFING! And "you" caught her doing it! She STILL has a chance to beat you, though. Only a 9% chance, but any 6 will give her a straight and beat "your" 7s.
RIVER: 9♣
So much for THAT.
9♠ 9♣ Q♦ 8♠ 7♦ 7♥ 7♣ 7♦ Q♦ 9♣
WIN $16,200
Kevin played that hand almost perfectly...and that was good enough to make him the new chip leader!



Ricki Macaulay Sara (D) Kevin (SB) Neil (BB)
K♦ 6♦ 7♥ 5♥ Q♣ 2♠ A♥ 10♦ 5♠ 3♦
FOLD FOLD FOLD Raises to $800 Calls $400
67% 33%
FLOP: 8♠ 4♣ 4♦
77% 23%
CHECK CHECK
TURN: Q♥
87% 13%
CHECK Bets $1200
FOLD
WIN $2800
Kevin's yet to realize that, though he has no pair, an Ace-10 is a good hand to keep. He's playing tight... and, ususally, he who bets first when a pair comes on the Flop wins the pot.




CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Kevin Nealon $15,400
Neil Flynn $11,300
Sara Gilbert $10,500
Ricki Lake $7000
Macaulay Culkin $5800



Macaulay Sara Kevin (D) Neil (SB) Ricki (BB)
10♥ 4♠ K♣ Q♦ J♠ 9♠ A♦ 2♦ Q♠ 7♦
FOLD Raises to $800 Calls $800 Raises to $1600 FOLD
Calls $800 Calls $800
30% 30% 40%
FLOP: 4♦ 10♠ 8♥
12% 45% 43%
Kevin has an open-ended straight draw...but Neil still has the best hand. Sara needs a King to pull ahead.
Bets $800
Raises to $1600 Calls $1600 Calls $800
Kevin called rather quickly, and that's a "tell" of a strong hand.
TURN: 8♦
5% 24% 71%
CHECK
CHECK CHECK
RIVER: Q♥
COMMUNITY:  8♥ 8♦ Q♥ 10♠ 4♦
DEAD! NUTS! DEAD!
BAM! Kevun got his straight! Even BETTER, Sarah has two pair!
CHECK
Bets $3000 Raises to $6000 FOLD
Calls $3000
Q♦ Q♥ 8♥ 8♦  K♣ Q♥ J♠ 10♠ 9♠ 8♥
WIN $21,400



Hand 13

Sara Kevin Neil (D) Ricki (SB) Macaulay (BB)
4♦ 2♦ A♥ 9♠ 10♠ 9♥ A♣ A♦ 8♣ 4♣
FOLD FOLD FOLD Calls $200 CHECK
80% 20%
Ricki played the Aces fine. A small raise wouldn't've hurt much (since, if Mac had folded, she'd get the blinds either way) but...
FLOP: 6♥ 9♦ 6♠
96% 4%
Bets $800 FOLD
WIN $1600



Kevin Neil Ricki (D) Macaulay (SB) Sara (BB)
10♣ 4♣ 8♦ 2♣ Q♠ 8♣ 10♦ 3♦ Q♣ 4♦
FOLD FOLD FOLD Calls $200 ALL-IN
$1500
FOLD
WIN $1900



Neil Ricki Macaulay (D) Sara (SB) Kevin (BB)
7♣ 5♥ 9♦ 3♦ 5♣ 3♠ Q♥ 10♥ J♣ 2♣
FOLD FOLD FOLD ALL-IN
$1900		 FOLD
WIN $2300
Sara has doubled her meager chip count in two hands.



Macaulay Sara Kevin (D) Neil (SB) Ricki (BB)
K♣ 9♦ 10♦ 9♠ 4♣ 3♦ 10♣ 3♥ 6♥ 3♠
Raises to $1000 FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD
WIN $1600
And THAT, ladies and gents, was Mac's FIRST WIN OF THE NIGHT!!



CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Kevin Nealon $27,200
Neil Flynn $8300
Ricki Lake $6600
Macaulay Culkin $5600
Sara Gilbert $2300



Hand 18

Sara Kevin Neil (D) Ricki (SB) Macaulay (BB)
10♥ 10♠ 5♦ 4♥ 6♥ 3♠ Q♠ Q♦ 8♠ 8♦
ALL-IN
$2300		 FOLD FOLD Calls $2100 Calls $1900
19% 65% 16%
"Tension" is a GREAT hand to go all-in with. It's just too bad Ricki has the "ladies". Mac is in trouble, too. Since Sara's all-in, we will have a side pot between Ricki and Mac that only THEY can bet into and win.
FLOP: K♦ 9♠ J♦
11% 81% 8%
Bets $1000 (Side) FOLD
Since Mac (wisely) folded, Ricki gets her side pot bet back. Now it's between Sara and Ricki for the main pot... and Sara's survival in the game.
11% 89%
TURN: 5♣
CHECK
The only thing Sara can hope for is a Queen. Though it would give Ricki three Queens, it would give SARA a King-high straight and double her up.
RIVER: J♣
J♦ J♣ 10♥ 10♠ K♦ Q♠ Q♦ J♦  J♣ K♦ 9♠ 5♣
OUT - 5th Place WIN $6900 (Main)
WIN $1000 (Side)

Sara thinks she was set up to lose from the start as she trudges to the Loser's Lounge and the arms of Dave Foley. They talk about Kevin's straight and Ricki busting her out. When Dave tells her that she was Phil's pick to win, she says, "That's awesome!"
She thinks she did rather well and, because of that, the Susun G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation gets $5000 from her. OK, back to the table.

Blinds are now $300 (SB) and $600 (BB).

Macaulay Kevin (D) Neil (SB) Ricki (BB)
J♠ 5♠ 8♣ 7♠ A♣ 10♠ A♦ 9♠
FOLD FOLD Raises to $1800 Calls $1200
71% 29%
As the Small Blind against the Big Blind only, you should try to raise before the Flop. You might scare your opponent out and pick up the blinds.
FLOP: 3♠ Q♣ 4♥
81% 19%
Bets $1200 FOLD
WIN $4800



Kevin Neil (D) Ricki (SB) Macaulay (BB)
6♦ 3♥ Q♦ J♣ A♣ 4♣ Q♣ 7♠
FOLD Raises to $1200 Calls $900 ALL-IN
$3000
Calls $1800 Calls $1800
35% 47% 18%
Again, should any bet be made by Neil and/or Ricki, it'll go into a side pot only between those two.
FLOP: A♥ 9♦ Q♠
19% 71% 10%
Bets $2000 (Side)
Calls $2000 (Side)
TURN: 8♠
20% 73% 7%
Bets $2000 (Side)
ALL-IN
$5400 (Side)		 ALL-IN
$5300 (Side)
OK, here's the situation. Neil's bet is lowered by $100 to match Ricki's. If Neil can (somehow) beat BOTH players' hands, he knocks both Ricki AND Mac out. If Neil, Ricki or BOTH can beat Mac, HE's out. Mac needs a 7. Neil needs a 10, King (for a straight) or a Queen (for three of a kind). Anything else and Ricki wins.
RIVER: 7♥
Q♦ Q♠ A♥ J♣ 9♦ A♣ A♥ Q♠  9♦ 8♠ Q♣ Q♠ 7♠ 7♥ A♥
WIN $14,600 (Side) WIN $9000 (Main)
Since Ricki beat Neil, she gets the side pot. However, since Mac beat BOTH of them, HE gets the MAIN pot. And Neil...is literally left with "a chip and a chair" (which they say is all you need to stay alive in a tournament).



CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Kevin Nealon $26,300
Ricki Lake $14,600
Macaulay Culkin $9000
Neil Flynn $100



Neil Ricki (D) Macaulay (SB) Kevin (BB)
Neil: "Time to tighten up!"
10♥ 8♣ 10♣ 7♥ K♣ 6♣ K♦ J♣
ALL-IN
$100		 FOLD Raises to $1200 Raises to $2400
Calls $1800
31% 21% 48%
Since they're playing "table stakes", Neil cannot win from any one player any more than what HE puts in. Therefore, $100 from Mac and Kevin will join Neil's in the main pot, while the rest ($4600) goes to a side pot.
FLOP: A♣ 9♠ 3♦
23% 17% 60%
CHECK Bets $2400 (Side)
FOLD
Again, since Mac folded, Kevin gets the side pot. Now it's between him and Neil for the MASSIVE main pot. :)
23% 77%
TURN: 7♠
27% 73%
An 8, a 10 or a Jack will keep Neil alive...for another hand, anyway.
RIVER: 9♥
9♠ 9♥ A♣ 10♥ 8♣ 9♠ 9♥ A♣ K♦ J♣
OUT - 4th Place WIN $300 (Main)
WIN $7000 (Side)

As Neil marches into the Lounge, he mutters, "Oh, dear." As he sits with Sara and Dave, he says that he KNEW he was walking into in that hand with Ricki before he tanked. "Ricki wasn't playing that many good hands," he says. He's happy that his hometown Historic Genesee Theater gets $5000, saying, "That'll put up ONE production." WE still have a "production" to put on...let's get back to the action:

Macaulay (D) Kevin (SB) Ricki (BB)
J♥ J♠ K♣ J♦ Q♣ 2♥
Raises to $2000 Calls $1700 FOLD
68% 32%
Kevin is truly worried that Mac will make a comeback.
FLOP: K♦ 8♦ 7♥
5% 95%
Not if Flops like THAT keep showing up. Kevin has a better pair and only the final Jack will help him.
Bets $5400
FOLD
WIN $10,000



CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Kevin Nealon $31,400
Ricki Lake $14,000
Macaulay Culkin $4600



Kevin (D) Ricki (SB) Macaulay (BB)
A♠ 5♠ 7♥ 2♦ J♥ 6♦
Raises to "2 purple and 2 red." ($1200) FOLD FOLD
WIN $2100
Purple chips are worth $500 and red (actually orange) chips $100 each. There's been at LEAST one of these kind of people in each CPS tournament.



Ricki (D) Macaulay (SB) Kevin (BB)
7♣ 4♣ Q♠ 6♣ 9♥ 4♦
FOLD Calls $300 CHECK
66% 34%
FLOP: 6♥ 8♠ 7♠
60% 40%
Mac has middle pair...but Kevin has a straight draw.
Bets $800 Raises to $2400
FOLD
WIN $4400
A massive chip lead means you can push around the others at the table just by making massive bets and scaring them out.

Blinds are now $400 (SB) and $800 (BB).
Hand 28

Kevin (D) Ricki (SB) Macaulay (BB)
J♥ 7♦ 6♦ 2♦ K♦ 6♣
FOLD Raises to $2000 ALL-IN
$2600
Calls $600
28% 72%
FLOP: 3♦ 2♣ 8♠
84% 16%
ACK! With a lousy pair of deuces, Ricki has pulled ahead. But a King can still keep him around...
TURN: A♥
93% 7%
RIVER: 8♣
8♠ 8♣ 2♦ 2♣ A♥ 8♠ 8♣ A♥ K♦ 6♣ 
WIN $5200 OUT - 3rd Place

To much applause, Mac doesn't go home OR to where he's alone. He shleps to the Lounge. He doesn't feel TOO badly for losing. It's not just because the Autism Coalition gets $5000 for his hard work...but because he was the fan favorite throughout the match.

OK, it's time for HEADS-UP action. Who will get more money for neutering and spaying: Kevin's cats and dogs or Ricki's adolescents? Time to find a winner! Let's SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL!


CURRENT CHIP COUNT
Kevin Nealon $33,300
Ricki Lake $16,700

Most of hands broadcast has one of them betting big and the other folding. Phil says (correctly) that it'll take two great hands to make them go to a flop. And, sure enough...
Kevin (D) (SB) Ricki (BB)
K♣ 8♣ A♦ K♥
Raises to $4000 Raises to $8000
Calls $4000
29% 71%
FLOP: 3♣ K♠ 5♥
17% 83%
ALL-IN
$9900
Kevin says, "I know she doesn't have anything." Little does he know...
Calls $9900
TURN: 7♦
7% 93%
Kevin's in danger of giving Ricki a MASSIVE chip lead. The only card that can end this tournament is...
RIVER: 8♥
...an EIGHT!! COLLOSAL SUCK-OUT!
K♣ K♠ 8♣ 8♥ 7♦ K♥ K♠ A♦ 8♥ 7♦
TOURNAMENT WINNER! OUT - 2nd Place

Ah, well. Ricki is unlucky at cards...and, since she's filing for divorce, she must be unlucky at love, too. Her charity, The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, gets $5000... but Kevin Nealon led big-time for most of the game and he gets the "illustrious" silver chip that signifies a Final Table participant. Fund For Animals might just win $100,000 if Kevin can dominate like that again!