It was a rough week to be a contestant on the PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge, which flanks NFL coverage on FOX. On Sunday, both contestants failed to reach the third round of the show, which pits qualifiers against celebrity defenders and PokerStars pros for a chance at $1 million. Chris Rose serves as its host.
Comedian Mark Britten was the episode’s first contestant and faced off against Sara Jean Underwood, a Victory Poker pro, in the first round. Underwood came out donning a PokerStars patch in lieu of advertising her home site and proceeded to make mincemeat of the amateur. Each player began with 20,000 in chips in the turbo format, ensuring fast-paced action.
Underwood kept the pressure on throughout the match, at one point leading out for 2,400 with J-9 of clubs on a flop of Q-Q-A with two hearts. Britten called time to consult with PokerStars pro and show front man Daniel Negreanu, who told him to call with a flush draw. Consequently, Britten came along to an offsuit king on the turn. Underwood immediately shoved all-in despite holding air and Britten released his cards into the muck.
In the final hand of Britten’s match against Underwood, he called all-in before the flop with 7-6 and Underwood tabled Q-J. Britten was drawing dead to the river when the first four cards came A-8-Q-10 and Underwood earned money for charity.
The second challenger of the evening was Joe Sticco, a 26-year-old financial planner who wanted to fund his mother’s breast cancer treatments. Sticco squared off against “Dancing with the Stars” host Brooke Burke in the first round. Burke doubled up after leading out for 4,000 with the nut flush draw on a flop of 5-3-10, all clubs. Sticco, who held the queen of clubs, called time to consult with Negreanu and “Kid Poker” told him to shove all-in.
Sticco did exactly that and Burke called all-in for her Million Dollar Challenge life. The turn was a red 10 and the river brought in Burke’s ace-high flush for the double up. The stacks were about even as a result.
Then, Sticco flopped a wheel with A-5 on a board of 2-3-4. Burke bet 4,000 with K-2 for a pair of deuces and Sticco put in a check-raise to 8,000. Burke called and the turn was a jack. Sticco moved all-in and Burke called drawing dead. Sticco earned a $5,000 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure prize package after disposing of his celebrity defender.
In the second round, PokerStars pro Vanessa Rousso was Sticco’s opponent. This time, Negreanu moved to an isolation booth, where he could see Sticco’s hole cards and communicate with him via an earpiece. To counter, Rousso could shut off all chatter between Sticco and Negreanu by invoking the “Dome of Silence” twice during the match. On the line was $25,000 in cash and a chance to play Negreanu heads-up for $100,000.
In a devastating hand for Sticco, he raised to 4,000 pre-flop with A-9 and Rousso shoved over the top with A-6. Sticco called and was ahead, but a board of Q-K-Q-2 gave Rousso plenty of outs to a chop on the river. Sure enough, an ace hit, giving both players aces-up with a king kicker and the pot was divvied up.
On the final hand of the evening, Rousso peeked down at K-4, asked Sticco if he had already looked at his hand, and invoked the “Dome of Silence.” Sticco called all-in with J-9 suited to hearts and was drawing dead by the time the river was dealt.
The next new episode of the PokerStars-backed Million Dollar Challenge will air on October 24th. The series airs before or after the NFL on FOX, so check your local listings for full details.
