All Bets Are Off When Celebrities Play Poker

All bets are off when celebrities play poker! The skill displayed on Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown," which came back for a sixth tournament Thursday, can sink to penny-ante levels. ... But entertainment potential runs high as stars from TV, movies, sports and music match wits and liquor capacity in front of a live audience at the Palms in Las Vegas. Says world-class pro Phil Gordon, who provides critiques from the Loser's Lounge, "You can learn from their mistakes while laughing at the same time." Spontaneity is key. As co-host and funnyman Dave Foley observes: "There aren't many opportunities for celebrities to do promotion that doesn't involve five-minute anecdotes about a crazy vacation. You really see them being themselves." Like the competitors who can't help but sing Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler." "It was more of a problem in the earlier shows," Foley says. "Gradually, they realized it was not original or amusing."

"E.R.'s" Maura Tierney and Mekhi Phifer are among champs who have claimed the $100,000 prize for charity. Those struck down include such well-known Texas Hold 'Em aces as Ben Affleck and James Woods. The formula has been a winner for Bravo. "Showdown" is its third-most-popular current series, behind "Queer Eye" and "Being Bobby Brown," with original episodes averaging 867,000 viewers. It's also a vehicle to boost the rest of Bravo's lineup. The latest players are recruited from "Battle of the Network Reality Stars," which premiered Wednesday. Whether one considers trampy Trishelle from MTV's "Real World" a bona fide celeb is a matter of opinion. Even Gordon admits, "I'm no big reality fan. But it does make compelling viewing."

The six two-hour episodes, shot over four days and edited down from as much as five hours, will feature other thematic groupings. Boy's Night Out has Howie Mandel, Meat Loaf, Stephen Collins, Bryan Cranston ("Malcolm in the Middle") and Peter Dinklage ("The Station Agent"). Rosie & Friends brings together Rosie O'Donnell, comedian Mo Gaffney, country singer Travis Tritt, Penny Marshall and Eddie Cibrian ("Third Watch").A sign that the mania might fold soon: Warner Bros. just announced "Lucky You," a poker movie due next year. Gordon predicts the craze will continue at least a couple of years before it jumps the card shark and, with any luck, "Showdown" will return in November. Already invited: the men of "Desperate Housewives.

"Every player on "Celebrity Poker Showdown" receives a copy of co-host Phil Gordon's "20 Short Tips to Better Texas Hold 'Em" (available for a $20 donation to cancer research at philgordonpoker. com).But that doesn't mean players know the difference between a check and a chip. Besides, even the best players can go down in defeat when the "river" -- the final shared card dealt in each hand of Texas Hold 'Em -- is revealed. You can always count on such dramatic moments of unpredictability on "Showdown." Gordon and partner Dave Foley recall highlights and reveal memorable ploys from the five previous tournaments.