The poker professional defeated the newbie in a showdown within the 2024 Movie star Poker Tour Championship between Maria Ho and Impractical Jokers star Brian Quinn because the acclaimed poker comentator received $50,000, the championship belt and her second CPT title.
Greater than 60 celebrities — starting from retired skilled athletes Mike Bibby, Mario Chalmers and Adrian Peterson to influencers Bryce Corridor, Tana Mongeau and Vegas Matt and content material creators Ninja, Ethan Klein and Sketch — competed in Wednesday night time’s championship occasion inside PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.
Ho, a Ladies in Poker Corridor of Famer who received a CPT Recreation Night time in March, was a favourite heading into the celebrity-packed occasion and bought loads of help from the deck. She delivered “one of many worst beats you will ever see” to third-place finisher Sofie Dossi as she made a runner-runner full home towards the contortionist’s flopped Broadway.
“I undoubtedly bought a number of large arms as you can see on the ultimate desk,” Ho instructed PokerGO’s Natalie Bode and CPT’s Blake Wynn after the victory. “However all people performed very well. Like a number of the ladies particularly. We hung in there, we have been attempting to get an all-women ultimate desk as we speak. It did not fairly occur, however I am tremendous happy with all people’s exhibiting tonight.”
Athletes & Influencers Pack the Studio
The eighth CPT occasion of the yr was the most important of all of them as dozens of celebrities and their entourages mingled within the PokerGo Studio. Whereas most visitors wore designer outfits, chains and bedazzled watches, Sketch confirmed as much as his first CPT occasion dressed as considered one of Santa’s elves only a few weeks too early.
“I used to be feeling it as we speak,” the Texas-based streamer instructed PokerNews earlier than the occasion kicked off. “I can put on it greater than as soon as. I would put on it the total month of December.”
The celebrities have been group by career throughout seven poker tables, with the athletes occupying the west half of the studio, the streamers and poker gamers on the east facet. In the meantime, the primary function desk noticed Klein, Corridor and Ninja battling with Impractical Jokers stars Quinn and Joe Gatto.
Additionally grouped among the many soccer and basketball execs was Houston rapper Maxo Kream, who realized to play poker only a week in the past by taking part in on Twitch.
“I do a lil’ some’some. I play poker extra with finesse. So long as you’ve bought your finesse recreation proper, … there’s time and alternative. You simply get the hand that’s dealt to you. However I’m a’ight,” Kream instructed PokerNews, including that he’s extra of a craps participant and was already up on the weekend in Vegas.
Kream, who rose to prominence in 2018 with the autobiographical single “Roaches” about rising up in Houston, additionally gave some perception into his new album Personification, which was launched on Nov. 15.
“The factor I did new (with this album) was return to all my different initiatives … As a result of I hadn’t dropped in three years, so I simply took all of them and put them in a single factor and delivered them to the parents. That’s why it’s (referred to as) Personification: every persona.”
Ho’s Path to Victory
Kream wasn’t the one poker newcomer within the area. On the subsequent desk over, Bibby’s desk mates needed to clarify that his journey aces would beat the tens stuffed with aces of his opponent. Equally, CJ So Cool did not notice he doubled up with ace-high as his opponent’s pocket threes have been counterfeited by the double-paired board.
However there have been additionally loads of skilled gamers within the area, together with CPT champions like Qiyu “Nemo” Zhou and Princess Love. Love was eradicated on the cash bubble by none apart from Ho, who occurs to be her poker coach (a reality revealed on the Life Outdoors Poker podcast earlier this yr).
After sharing a hug along with her apprentice and a shock look from 17-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, Ho headed to the ultimate desk and went on to steamroll the likes of Corridor, Hila Klein, H3 Recreation Night time champion Lena Ayad and CPT co-founder Hayes Pullard.
Ho’s unhealthy beat on Dossi set her up with a dominant chip lead over Quinn, who doubled as much as lower than ten large blinds as soon as earlier than dropping a second all-in confrontation with the completed poker professional.
“I’ve performed poker like yearly each 5 years,” Quinn instructed CPT. “The truth that I went this far is insane. It is not sensible.”
The victory made Ho the first-ever two-time champion. Forward of the occasion, she instructed PokerNews she was excited to play along with her pals exterior of the direct poker world.
“That is all in regards to the enjoyable,” she mentioned. “If anyone’s watched a CPT stream, they know that everyone right here is attempting to have time. They wish to win, however it’s not going to be the stone-faced sun shades, hoodie scenario.”
Take a look at a full stream of the occasion by heading to YouTube or Twitch.
Editor & Stay Reporter U.S.
