'Now or never' – Can the Loose Cannon go home a winner on The Big Game?

Matt Hansen
Matt Hansen
Posted on: August 24, 2024 04:00 PDT

The final episode for Heat 2 of PokerStars' The Big Game on Tour aired on Fox Sports 1 on Friday night before it dropped on YouTube for the rest of the world today. 

Loose Cannon Lily Newhouse got off to a rough start after she suffered two early coolers against Sam Grafton, but she held her own and entered the finale only $5,500 in the hole. Last week's episode saw Grafton run a big bluff against Mario Ho, who started the final chapter with a profit of $48,800 through four episodes, the most among a group that also included Michael Ian Black, Phil Laak, and Las Vegas entrepreneur Dave Krosky

Lily Newhouse with coach and Season 1 Loose Cannon Nadya Magnus. Lily Newhouse with coach and Season 1 Loose Cannon Nadya Magnus.

'Now or never'

With only 25 hands left to play, it was crunch time for the Loose Cannon. 

"It's now or never," Newhouse said at the beginning of the episode. "I am ready to get it in. If I lose, I lose, but I'm going to go down fighting."

The big spot started innocently enough with Krosky calling Newhouse's $300 straddle with from the small blind. Newhouse peeked down at and checked to see a flop. 

"I think I have something, so just tread with caution," Krosky said when the flop fell . "I don't want you to go crazy because I think I have you."

"I feel like you've said that every time," Black interrupted. "And you've lost to her every time."

Dave Krosky found himself in a six-figure pot with Loose Cannon Lily Newhouse. Dave Krosky found himself in a six-figure pot with Loose Cannon Lily Newhouse.

Krosky kept chatting while he tossed out $1,500 before Newhouse called with her flush draw. The turn was and a money card for the Loose Cannon. 

Krosky flicked in $5,000 and Newhouse weathered some table talk before she raised to $12,500. 

"I think that's a bluff and a mistake," Krosky said. "I think I'll go all in."

Newhouse snap-called with her flush and Krosky was at risk for $52,500 while Newhouse had just a few thousand left after covering him. 

Discussion ensued when Krosky proposed running it four times and Newhouse reluctantly agreed, a decision that elicited a profane reaction from her coach, Season 1 Loose Cannon Nadya Magnus

Can the Loose Cannon dodge a or a four times to win the $109,800 pot? Click here to watch the full episode on the PokerStars YouTube channel


The Big Game on Tour airs Friday evenings on Fox Sports 1, followed by a global release on the PokerStars YouTube channel the following morning.