WINNER: Hollywood Dave Stann
As if he needed another ego boost.
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PLAYERS:
The players are Johnny Chan, Joe Pane, Anthony Curtis, Jennifer Tilly, Fred David, Annie Duke, and "Hollywood" Dave Stann.
This is the first of the UBT Superstars series, which matches poker and blackjack stars in three blackjack tournaments to qualify for a final table of six players competing in no-limit hold 'em. The top two from each of the three blackjack tables advance. This qualifier may have the strongest blackjack-tournament talent of the three, with Joe, Anthony, Fred, and Hollywood all being world-class players. Annie Duke is generally considered the best player of the pure poker converts, and Johnny and Jennifer have improved to a competitive level. Note that this was an invitational, so there was no Internet qualifier in the field.
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ELIMINATION:
Hand 5: Fred David loses hands 1, 2, 3, and 4 and goes all in on hand 5. When he loses that hand too, he makes a quick exit from the Superstars.
Hand 6: Anthony Curtis loses hands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and is also out before the first EH.
Hand 7: After winning hand 1, Joe Pane loses hands 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and now 7 to complete the early hand demolition of three of the world's best blackjack-tournament players.
Hand 8: And now it has to be four in a row, as someone must go on hand 8. Jennifer Tilly is the one. Despite making a 20 with a big bet out, she pushes the dealer and falls victim to a well-conceived bet by Johnny Chan (see "Strategy Notes").
Hand 16: In one of the most memorable eliminations in UBT history, the dealer pops a 21 to stun (and eliminate) Johnny Chan. It was the only way he could lose and sent Annie and Hollywood into a celebratory frenzy.
Last Hand
Equally memorable as hand 16 was the final hand between Annie Duke and Hollywood Dave Stann. Although both players have already qualified for the poker final, each still wants the win. Hollywood has last bet, but Annie has the lead and her Secret Bet. Annie makes the most out of a tenuous hard-doubling situation by baiting Hollywood into hitting rather than surrendering (see “Strategy Notes”). Her brilliant move goes for naught, however, as she draws a ten and busts, making Hollywood the winner.
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SEASON ONE RECAP:
Episode 1: The final table is a powerhouse, featuring great play, a classic good-versus-evil scenario...
Episode 2: This is an emotion-packed contest, with tempers flaring (between Matthews and Pine) in later rounds...
Episode 3: If anything, this episode demonstrates that you're not out till you're out. Tyrone Jackson is down to just $15,000 on hand 9...
Episode 4: This is a strategy-packed match that provides plenty of fodder, as you'll see, for Strategy Notes...
Episode 5: The match is a roller-coaster ride of ups and downs, featuring a couple of excellent strategic plays and the first playoff of the UBT series...
Episode 6: It's a shootout. At hand 25, the three remaining players—Monica, Jennifer, and Angie—have nearly $1 million among them...
Episode 7: As has been the case earlier in this season, the repeat players, Gary Debernardi and John Cernuto, fair much better the second time around...
Episode 8: Dave gets battered mid-match and has to climb back from a significant deficit to get to heads-up play with Erica Schoenberg...
Episode 9: All of the players obviously have tournament chops. Ken Smith is the consensus favorite, but David Matthews, Adriana Jade, and Hollywood Dave are all considered prominent...
Episode 10: With huge bragging rights on the line (not to mention the prize money), the players are dialed in for this one and there are loads of high-end...
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SEASON TWO RECAP:
Episode 1: This wasn't a timid table, but the eliminations came slowly and there were three players all the way to the 30th hand...
Episode 2: As it often does, it came down to cards in the end—but rather than it being about who got them, it was more about who didn't...
Episode 3: With two seasoned blackjack-tournament pros (Anthony and Blair) and one poker-tournament superstar...
Episode 4: This match will go down as one of the strangest and best in UBT history...
Episode 5: The blackjack players excelled on this day, with Ken Einiger and Adriana Jade steadily pulling away from the field..
Episode 6: Chips flew early in this match and three players, including Ken Smith, were already gone by the end of hand 8...
Episode 7: The final table of the UBT's first Poker vs. Blackjack Superstar Showdown features an interesting mix of poker and blackjack luminaries...
Episode 8: The three "favorites" mentioned above go out before the third Elimination Hand and the All-Stars contest comes down to the unlikely trio... |