Tournament Details

Some poker players can’t act. Some actors can’t play poker. The people who can do both are the ones who make it to the World Poker Tour’s Hollywood Home Game. Though they are playing for charity, the stakes aren’t small and pride is on the line. The winner gets a $25,000 seat into the WPT World Championship and $10,000 for their favorite charity.

The players and their charities:

Tom Everett Scott (Caring for Children and Families with AIDS)

Jeremy Sisto (Holly Grove Orphanage)

Carlos Bernard (P.S. Arts)

Kathy Griffin (Face to Face)

Ron Livingston (Accion International)

Billy Burke (VH1 Save the Music)

Kathy Griffin is a talker. On the first hand of the match, Griffin raised it up with AQ offsuit. Billy Burke called with a pair of tens. On a 9-5-2 flop, Griffin bet out and Burke smooth called. When another nine fell on the turn, Griffin exploded with her typical comedic flair, “That is not good for you." Of course, it wasn’t good for her either. She checked and Burke checked behind her. The river paired Griffin’s hand and she bet into Burke. She goaded him into a call. “Come on, aren’t you curious?" Burke was. He called and watched the pot get pushed to Griffin.

Griffin’s win set the stage for the first half of the tournament. Her bets hit the table even faster than she talked. She turned a flush against a flopped set. She bullied the table and moved out to an early lead.

In the meantime, Burke decided to take on Scott. In late position, Scott put in a substantial raise with JT suited in clubs. From the big blind, Burke decided to push back with K4 suited in clubs. Scott pushed right back, moving all in. Burke called for the rest of his chips. The board put out three sevens and a four to give Burke a full house and cripple Scott.

On the next hand, Livingston came in for a raise under the gun with a pair of tens. Crippled, Scott moved all-in with A4 suited in diamonds. Griffin, holding a puny K4 offsuit, called. She said, “I happen to love my hand. If I could have sex with this hand, I would later." Livingston, too, called and three players saw a flop of J72. Livingston and Griffin checked through to the nine of clubs on the turn. Livingston put out a bet and Griffin called with nothing more than a weak flush draw. On the river, an ace, Griffin, with nothing in her hand, bet out at the pot. Livingston’s pair of tens didn’t look good to him anymore. So, he folded the best hand. Griffin picked up the side pot and Scott tripled up. Griffin said, “I thought I had an ace and a king."

Griffin’s good fortune continued. On the short stack, Sisto came in for a raise with QJ suited in spades. Griffin called with A5 suited in hearts. Two hearts on the flop drew a bet from Griffin and Sisto pushed all in. The turn gave Griffin a straight and the river gave her a flush. Sisto was the first to leave the table in sixth place and earned $1,500 for his charity, Holly Grove Children and Family Services.

Eventually, Griffin’s luck would turn against her. With two callers in front of her (both holding A6), Griffin came in for a raise with KT offsuit. Scott, apparently thinking Griffin was making a move, moved all in. Griffin, getting almost 3-1 on her money, made the call. Scott, against the odds, caught the remaining two sixes in the deck and doubled up at Griffin’s expense. On the next hand, Griffin lost a huge pot to Burke when she flopped top pair to Burke’s overpair.

Perhaps the losses set Griffin back on her heels. With two black tens, Griffin smooth called in an unraised pot. Livingston bet out with 24 offsuit on a J23 flop. Griffin simply called once again. A six on the turn moved Livingston to move all in. This time Griffin laid down the best hand.

Griffin’s run would be over in just another two hands. After having her big slick cracked by KT when two tens came on board, Griffin found herself on the short stack. She ultimately moved in with K8 versus two players holding a pair of tens on the next hand. This time, Griffin couldn’t find her king and left in fifth place, winning $2,000 for her charity, Face to Face.

With Griffin gone, the remaining four players loosened up and went to work. From the button, Scott moved all-in with A9. Bernard called from the big blind with K8. The board paired Scott’s ace and doubled his stack.

Scott, buoyed by his double-up, came into the next pot with K9 suited. Bernard, sensing an ace was good, moved all in with A8. The board improved neither hand and Scott left in fourth place with $2,500 for his charity, Caring for Children and Families with AIDS.

On the short stack, Burke decided to move all-in with K6. Bernard liked his A6. The board didn’t improve either hand and Bernard’s ace-high was good. Burke bounced over to the rail in third place, giving $4,000 to VH1 Save the Music.

Bernard and Livingston began heads-up play nearly even in chips. From the small blind, Bernard limped in with Q4 suited in diamonds. Livingston checked his option with 35 offsuit. The flop came down AT2. Both players checked to the turn, a seven. The river, an eight, improved neither hand. Livingston took a stab at the pot and Bernard decided to call with only queen-high, which was good for the pot.

Finally, two hands later, Livingston moved all-in on a steal attempt with T3 of diamonds. Bernard called with K7 offsuit. The flop came down AK7, giving Bernard two pair, and ultimately the win. Livingston won $5,000 for Accion International and left a seat at the Championship and $10,000 for Bernard and his charity P.S. Arts respectively.