Jennifer Tilly Busts the Competition on Hellmuth’s Home Game

Jennifer Tilly’s strong run on Hellmuth’s Home Game continued as the actress and poker player booked another profitable session while Phil Hellmuth and Erick Lindgren were forced to reach for fresh buy-ins.

Episode 31 of the televised cash game brought together Tilly, Dan “Jungleman” Cates, Xuan Liu, Shaun Deeb, Lindgren and Hellmuth at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada.

The $25/$50 game, which also featured a $50 big blind ante, produced plenty of action despite the relaxed home-game atmosphere. Tilly was again among those who benefited most, finishing $8,875 ahead after winning significant pots against Deeb and Liu.

Cates ultimately finished as the night’s biggest winner, while Hellmuth found himself at the opposite end of the standings.

Jungleman Sends Lindgren Back to His Pocket

One of the first major confrontations developed after Tilly opened to $300 holding 8♦7♥.

Lindgren called on the button with A♠10♣ before Cates found A♣J♣ in the small blind and increased the price to $1,500.

Tilly stepped aside.

Lindgren didn’t.

With $4,975 behind, he moved all-in and received an immediate call from Cates. The $10,450 pot was run twice, giving Lindgren two opportunities to rescue his dominated ace.

Neither worked.

Cates won both boards and scooped the entire pot, leaving Lindgren to reload.

It was an early indication of where the session was heading for Jungleman. He eventually accumulated $49,500, giving him a $19,500 profit and the biggest win at the table.

Shaun Deeb Gets There Against Hellmuth

Hellmuth’s problems arrived during another multiway preflop confrontation.

Holding A♠J♥, Hellmuth raised to $300 before Cates three-bet to $750 with K♣J♣.

Then came Deeb.

The multiple-time WSOP Player of the Year had only 7♦5♦ but four-bet from the straddle to $2,100. Hellmuth committed his remaining $2,025 and Cates also called, creating a $6,325 main pot.

For most of the hand, Hellmuth was in good shape.

The 10♥8♠3♦ flop changed nothing and both remaining active players checked. The 6♣ turn gave Deeb additional possibilities, but there was again no betting.

Then the 9♥ landed on the river.

Deeb had made a straight.

After Cates checked, Deeb bet $2,000 and forced him out of the hand. Hellmuth saw the bad news and was sent back for another buy-in.

It would prove to be an expensive episode for the Poker Brat, who eventually finished $10,350 down.

Jennifer Tilly Takes On Shaun Deeb

Tilly’s biggest contribution began with a hand that initially appeared to belong to Deeb.

Liu opened the button to $250 with 6♥5♦. Deeb called from the small blind with A♣J♣ and Tilly defended the big blind holding K♠9♣.

The flop came J♦9♠3♦.

Deeb had top pair. Tilly had middle pair.

After Deeb checked, Tilly bet $400. Liu folded, but Deeb responded with a check-raise to $1,300.

Tilly called.

A 7♠ on the turn didn’t improve her hand, yet she wasn’t prepared to go anywhere when Deeb fired another $3,000. Tilly quickly made the call.

That decision paid off on the river.

The K♦ gave Tilly two pair and completely reversed the situation.

Deeb checked. Tilly went for $4,000.

He called and was shown K♠9♣, sending the $17,500 pot in Tilly’s direction.

Tilly Chases a Flush Against Two Pocket Pairs

Tilly soon found herself in another unusual pot, this time against two pocket pairs.

Liu raised to $250 with Q♠Q♦ and Tilly called from the big blind with Q♣7♣. Lindgren then found 9♠9♦ in the straddle and three-bet to $1,200, leaving himself only $1,650 behind.

Both opponents called.

The 10♥8♣3♣ flop gave Tilly a flush draw while Liu and Lindgren still held overpairs.

Tilly didn’t wait for someone else to bet.

She led for $2,000.

Lindgren committed the rest of his stack and Liu called, creating a side pot between Liu and Tilly.

The 5♣ on the turn changed everything.

Tilly had made her flush.

She checked, Liu checked behind and the J♦ completed the board.

Tilly then asked for another $2,500.

Liu paid it off, allowing Tilly to collect a $14,325 pot despite beginning the hand against pocket queens and pocket nines with Q♣7♣.

Xuan Liu Gets Some Revenge

Tilly’s night wasn’t flawless.

The final hand of the episode created the biggest pot of the broadcast and gave Liu an opportunity to recover some of the money that had moved across the table.

Liu opened to $250 holding A♣J♣. Tilly called with 10♣8♣ and Cates joined them from the straddle with J♦7♥.

The Q♥6♣4♣ flop gave both women flush draws.

There was one rather significant difference.

Liu was drawing to the nuts.

She bet $350 and Tilly called after Cates folded. The 10♥ turn temporarily put Tilly ahead with a pair, but Liu continued for $1,500.

Again, Tilly called.

The Q♣ river completed both flushes.

Liu checked.

Tilly, now holding a ten-high flush, bet $2,500. Liu responded by check-raising to $8,000.

It was an uncomfortable spot and Tilly knew it.

She eventually called and saw Liu’s ace-high flush take down the $20,575 pot, the largest of Episode 31.

Tilly Still Leaves With Another Profit

Losing the final major pot wasn’t enough to undo Tilly’s work earlier in the session.

She finished with $23,875, representing an $8,875 profit and the second-best result among the players.

Cates topped the standings with a $19,500 gain, while Liu managed to finish marginally ahead despite some difficult hands against Tilly.

Tilly’s latest result follows another strong showing in Episode 30, with her run at the Reno cash game continuing to produce both big pots and memorable hands.

Hellmuth’s Home Game has a deliberately different feel from most modern televised poker. There is no traditional commentary booth guiding viewers through the action. Instead, the conversations and reactions of Hellmuth and the players around the table carry the broadcast.

For Tilly, that environment continues to work.

Episode 31 ended with another profit on the board and another reminder that anyone treating Tilly as merely the celebrity at a table full of poker professionals does so at their own expense.