American reality television series
Poker Royale is a television series on the Game Show
Network (GSN), which featured No Limit Texas ♣ hold 'em Poker. The first series began on
December 7, 2004. The eighth and final series, Poker Royale: Young Bloods ♣ II, began
airing on December 9, 2005. The series host at its conclusion was John Ahlers, with
commentary by Robert ♣ Williamson III and sideline reporting by Lisa Dergan.
The series [
edit ]
Poker Royale: The WPPA Championship [ edit ]
The first ♣ series was based on the
championship of the World Poker Players Association. The show was hosted by Kevin
Nealon, with ♣ commentary by Williamson (Evelyn Ng provided commentary for the first two
episodes). Suzanne Freeman provided sideline reporting. A total of ♣ 72 players
participated and put up theR$5,000 entrance fee.
Unlike later series, this series was
done in a tournament-style format where ♣ players who had zero chips were eliminated.
Also different from other series were that three tables were active during the ♣ early
episodes, and was later lowered to the top ten players at the main table in center
stage.
This was the ♣ only series where there was a contest for viewers. During intervals
of the program, various poker buzzwords would appear on ♣ screen. Viewers would log into
GSN's website and input this word for a chance to win up toR$10,000,000 in a ♣ poker hand
with the winner of the WPPA championship.
In order to win the grand prize, the poker
tournament winner had ♣ to get a full house or better by choosing 5 cards from a deck at
random (each card was sealed ♣ in an envelope). James Van Alstyne won the tournament and
shared an additionalR$30,000 with a member of GSN's website, in ♣ addition to the cash
received, they each won a year's supply of pizza from Pizza Hut.
Results [ edit
]
Position Competitor ♣ Prize Money 1st James Van AlstyneR$125,420 2nd Lee
MarkholtR$65,305 3rd Paul WolfeR$46,505 4th Juan Carlos MortensenR$32,125 5th Bill
CarrollR$22,320 6th ♣ Kathy LiebertR$17,285 7th Johannes MurezR$14,100 8th Vinh
TruongR$12,000 9th Jesse JonesR$10,540
Poker Royale: Battle of the Sexes [ edit ]
Poker
Royale: ♣ Battle of the Sexes was the second series, hosted by radio personality Tom
Leykis and Kennedy. Additional commentary was by ♣ Williamson once again, except for
preliminary match #6, when Matt Vasgersian covered for him. Suzanne Freeman again
returned as sideline ♣ reporter.
As opposed to the previous series, this one relied on
males vs. females, which also incorporated the current scoring format, ♣ where players
would be awarded points for their teams, depending on how they finished in that
particular episode (one point ♣ for finishing sixth place to six points for finishing
first). The six players (three each of men and women) who ♣ had the highest points played
in a grand final with the same rules as above, and the highest team score ♣ won the
tournament and the 6 teammates split aR$30,000 bonus ($5,000 each) each daily winner
also receivedR$20,000, each finalist received ♣ aR$5,000 bonus and the tournament's
overall winner wonR$40,000. Kathy Liebert won the tournament and a total ofR$50,000.
Despite losing all ♣ 6 preliminary games the women scored the most points at the final
table to capture theR$30,000 bonus.
The men were Chris ♣ Moneymaker, Paul Wolfe, Greg
Raymer, Amir Vahedi, Layne Flack and Antonio Esfandiari. The women were Kathy Liebert,
Jennifer Harman, Evelyn ♣ Ng, Karina Jett, Kristy Gazes and Clonie Gowen.
Results [ edit
]
Total Winnings:
Women: Kathy LiebertR$50,000 ($40,000 for the tournament,R$5,000 for
winning ♣ the battle of the sexes,R$5,000 for reaching the final table) Karina
JettR$10,000 ($5,000 for winning the battle of the sexes,R$5,000 ♣ for reaching the final
table) Evelyn NgR$10,000 ($5,000 for winning the battle of the sexes,R$5,000 for
reaching the final table) ♣ Clonie GowenR$5,000 ($5,000 for winning the battle of the
sexes) Kristy GazesR$5,000 ($5,000 for winning the battle of the sexes) ♣ Jennifer
Harman:R$5,000 ($5,000 for winning the battle of the sexes)
Men: Amir Vahedi:R$45,000
(2 Preliminary wins +R$5,000 for reaching the final ♣ table) Layne Flack:R$25,000 (1
Preliminary win +R$5,000 for reaching the final table) Antonio Esfandiari:R$25,000 (1
Preliminary wins +R$5,000 for reaching ♣ the final table) Paul Wolfe:R$20,000 (1
Preliminary win) Greg Raymer:R$20,000 (1 Preliminary win) Chris Moneymaker:R$0
Poker
Royale: Celebrities vs. Poker Pros ♣ [ edit ]
Poker Royale: Celebrities vs. Poker Pros
featured famous poker players playing against celebrities. As before, the scoring
system ♣ was used, but was altered (10 points for finishing first down to 0 points for
finishing last). The six highest ♣ point-scorers would play in the grand final for the
championship.
The celebrities who participated in this tournament were Lance Bass,
Jennifer ♣ Tilly, Mimi Rogers, Morris Chestnut, Patrick Warburton, and Traci Bingham.
They faced poker players Scott Fischman, Kathy Liebert, Cyndy Violette, ♣ Roxanne Rhodes,
Paul Darden, and "Cowboy" Kenna James. John Ahlers became the permanent host with this
series and Lisa Dergen ♣ became permanent sideline reporter. Matt Savage and Bill Bruce
were the Tournament Directors.
Patrick Warburton was the eventual winner and
receivedR$50,000, ♣ Preliminary match winners each receivedR$5,000, finalists won
aR$5,000 bonus.
Poker Royale: Young Bloods [ edit ]
Poker Royale: Young Bloods was a
♣ live special that premiered on May 20, 2005. It initially ran approximately 2 hours 15
minutes. Subsequent airings were edited ♣ for a two-hour timeslot. All the players were
under the age of 30. Players were awarded cash prizes based on ♣ the order of finish. The
winner receivedR$20,000, second placeR$10,000, and third-sixth receivedR$5,000. The
players were Michael Mizrachi, David Williams, Michael ♣ Sandberg, Erin Ness, Erica
Schoenberg, and Scott Fischman. There were two final table events between these
players. In the first ♣ event, Williams defeated Ness heads-up to take the win. Sandberg
took third. In the second event, Williams outlasted Sandberg heads-up. ♣ Mizrachi took
third.
Poker Royale: Comedians vs. Poker Pros [ edit ]
Poker Royale: Comedians vs.
Poker Pros was similar to Celebrities ♣ vs. Poker Pros, but with stand-up comedians in
lieu of celebrities. This series had more preliminary games than in previous ♣ series
(ten instead of the previous six). The comedians were Paul Rodriguez, Robert Wuhl, Mark
Curry, Tammy Pescatelli, Carol Leifer, ♣ and Sue Murphy. They faced off against poker
players Phil Laak, Robert Williamson III, Linda Johnson, David Williams, Connie Kim,
♣ and Kathy Kolberg. Since Williamson was a competitor, "Cowboy" Kenna James took the
commentator spot for this series. In this ♣ tournament the top 2 comedians and top 2 pros
were guaranteed a place in the finale with the next top ♣ 3 of each team having to earn a
spot through the wild card game played for no money. Phil Laak ♣ won the tournament and
theR$50,000 grand prize, Kathy Kolberg finished runner-up and receivedR$10,000.
Results
[ edit ]
Episode Winner Prize Other Finalists ♣ Preliminary Match 1 Phil LaakR$5,000
Kathy Kolberg
Sue Murphy
David Williams
Paul Rodriguez
Robert Wuhl Preliminary Match 2
Phil LaakR$5,000 Robert Wuhl
Carol Leifer
Robert Williamson ♣ III
Connie Kim
Paul
Rodriguez Preliminary Match 3 Carol LeiferR$5,000 Linda Johnson
Tammy Pescatelli
Robert
Williamson III
Mark Curry
David Williams Preliminary Match 4 Kathy KolbergR$5,000 ♣ David
Williams
Tammy Pescatelli
Linda Johnson
Mark Curry
Sue Murphy Preliminary Match 5
Robert Williamson IIIR$5,000 Phil Laak
Kathy Kolberg
Paul Rodriguez
Mark Curry
(tied)
Carol Leifer (tied) ♣ Preliminary Match 6 Tammy PescatelliR$5,000 Robert
Williamson III
Phil Laak
Sue Murphy
David Williams
Carol Leifer Preliminary Match 7
Linda JohnsonR$5,000 Kathy Kolberg
Mark Curry
Paul ♣ Rodriguez
Robert Wuhl
Connie Kim
Preliminary Match 8 Linda JohnsonR$5,000 Connie Kim
Paul Rodriguez
Sue Murphy
Tammy
Pescatelli
Robert Williamson III Preliminary Match 9 David WilliamsR$5,000 ♣ Tammy
Pescatelli
Connie Kim
Robert Wuhl
Carol Leifer
Kathy Kolberg Preliminary Match 10 Mark
CurryR$5,000 Sue Murphy
Phil Laak
Connie Kim
Linda Johnson
Robert Wuhl Wild Card Match
♣ Kathy Kolberg None Sue Murphy
Robert Williamson III
Paul Rodriguez
David Williams
Carol
Leifer Grand Final Phil LaakR$55,000 Kathy Kolberg ($15,000)
Linda Johnson
($5,000)
Tammy Pescatelli ♣ ($5,000)
Sue Murphy ($5,000)
Mark Curry ($5,000)
Poker
Royale: The James Woods Gang vs the Unabombers [ edit ]
James Woods and other poker
♣ players about to begin their Poker game at Pechanga Casino
Poker Royale: The James
Woods Gang vs. the Unabombers featured two ♣ teams featuring celebrities and poker pros.
Once again, the point system was used, but this time points were combined into ♣ a total
score for the whole team as opposed to scores for individual players. In the grande
finale, each team ♣ captain and 2 team members of his choice divided this total
multiplied byR$10,000 in chips (choosing who would get the ♣ extra chips if it could not
be divided evenly), each preliminary winner receivedR$5,000, the winning team
splitR$50,000, while the overall ♣ individual winner wonR$25,000. The James Woods Gang
was led by celebrity and poker player James Woods, and had celebrities Nicole ♣ Sullivan,
and Bob Goen, plus poker players Kathy Liebert, Ted Forrest, and Susie Isaacs. The
Unabombers were led by Phil ♣ Laak. His team had celebrities Jennifer Tilly, Danny
Masterson, and Gail O'Grady, plus poker players Hasan Habib and Cyndy Violette. ♣ Matt
Savage and Bill Bruce returned as the Tournament Directors.
Results [ edit ]
*R$25,000
to Grand Final winner,R$50,000 to winning team. ♣ Team captains pick two team members to
take part in the final.
Poker Royale: Battle of the Ages [ edit ]
Poker ♣ Royale: Battle
of the Ages was the most recent series of Poker Royale. This one featured six poker
players over ♣ the age of 60 playing against six players under the age of 30. The older
players were T. J. Cloutier, ♣ "Action" Dan Harrington, "Miami" John Cernuto, Barbara
Enright, Maureen Feduniak, and Wendeen Eolis. The younger players were Michael Gracz,
Dutch ♣ Boyd, Erin Ness, Evelyn Ng, Jennifer Leigh, and Kasey Thompson. A bounty was
introduced for each episode. At the beginning ♣ of each show each player would be dealt a
card, the one with the ace of spades would be the ♣ "bounty" if he or she lost whoever
eliminated them won aR$1,000 bonus. (splitting the prize if more than one player ♣ was
involved) if he/she went on to win they would receive theR$1,000 bonus. Matt Savage and
Bill Bruce were, once ♣ again, the Tournament Directors.
Results [ edit ]
1R$1,000 bounty
on this player
2 bounty winner
3 joint bounty winners
4R$400 bounty on this
player
Poker ♣ Royale: Young Bloods II [ edit ]
Poker Royale: Young Bloods II was another
special featuring poker players under 30, and ♣ aired on December 9, 2005. This special
featured the same players and format as the first Young Bloods.
Kenna James once ♣ again
did commentary instead of Williamson for this special.
Airings [ edit ]
GSN aired new
episodes of Poker Royale every Friday ♣ evening from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. EST, part
of their Casino Night block (the block has since moved to ♣ Mondays, and does not feature
Poker Royale). Episodes of previous seasons are rerun occasionally on GSN.
As of 2006 ,
GSN ♣ does not intend to do any more Poker Royale shows. A cash game poker show titled
High Stakes Poker premiered ♣ on January 16, 2006 on GSN. This series is unrelated to
Poker Royale. GSN has since returned its focus exclusively ♣ to game shows, and they
reverted their on air branding to Game Show Network, so it is unlikely that reruns ♣ or a
new series of Poker Royale will air on the network in the foreseeable future.
