It's back.
The PokerStars Big Game on Tour returned to the airwaves on Saturday for its second season. Following its successful revival of one of the poker world's favorite shows, PokerStars put together another lineup of big names to play alongside the chosen Loose Cannon.
If you're unfamiliar with the show's format, here's quick refresher. The Loose Cannon – a staked player in the game – starts proceedings with $50,000 in front of them and has 150 hands of $100/$200/$200 ante action to turn a profit against the professionals. Any money earned is theirs to keep, but if they bust the roll it's curtains.
PokerStars Ambassadors Sam Grafton and Andre Akkari represented the brand at the table, alongside PokerStars Commentator Griffin Benger, with Barcelona footballing legend Gerard Pique and Oscar nominated actress Jennifer Tilly providing the star power. Jordan Handrich, the Loose Cannon to kick off the action in Season 2, impressed judges James Hartigan, Joe Stapleton, and Nadya Magnus during the audition process to earn her seat in the game.
With her service dog Carmen 'Murderfloof' Floofington at her feet, Handrich was ready to take her shot. In a cutaway interview, Handrich told the cameras, "Heck, to me this is a new identity. Now I get to say I'm a Loose Cannon – I mean, who doesn't want that?"
Tilly hits the river
While the opener didn't provide too many big pots, Tilly and Pique tangled in a sizable one on the final hand of the session. Pique kicked off the action with a raise to $700 with 
. When the action folded around to her in the small blind, Tilly came in for a three-bet to $2,500 with 
. Pique matched the raise, and the two players headed to the 
flop. With $5,400 in the middle, Tilly continued for $3,000 with her second pair. Pique, however, sensed his hand best – and it was – and raised to $9,000.
Tilly, not one to be pushed around, made the call to bring in the 
turn card. Facing a check from his opponent, Pique kept his foot on the gas and fired $15,000 into the $23,400 pot. Tilly again wasted no time in counting out her calling chips to match the wager. With $53,400 in the middle, Pique had a 92% chance to win the pot, but the 
river left his hand second-best as Tilly improved to two pair.
Tilly opted to set her own price for showdown and led into Pique for $21,000. With flushes and straights aplenty to worry about, Pique had no choice but to relinquish his holding, and Tilly dragged in the biggest pot of the session.
Images courtesy of Joe Giron/PokerStars/© Rational Intellectual Holdings Ltd.
