Stephanie Moore /

Note: This is the final presentation of Match 47

This week’s match on NBC’s Poker After Dark has a different theme than in any past week, as three well-known celebrities from outside the world of poker butt heads with three top pros, all of whom have coached the celebrities at one time or another.  In a match being called “Celebrities and Mentors,” Gavin Smith, Phil Gordon, and Barry Greenstein will represent the pros, while Orel Hershiser, Jason Alexander, and Don Cheadle will carry the banner for the celebrity amateurs as each tries to lay claim to the $120,000 winner-take-all first prize.

The celebrities are all making their first appearance on Poker After Dark, but each has participated at one time or another on NBC’s National Heads-Up Poker Championship.  Former MLB pitcher Orel Hershiser received some coaching prior to reaching the quarterfinals in the 2008 NHPC from Gavin Smith; actor/comedian Jason Alexander cites Barry Greenstein with giving him pointers on how to become a better player, and accomplished actor Don Cheadle has received some tutoring from poker professional/author/commentator Phil Gordon.

Of the pros, Gavin Smith had the best record on PAD at 2-2, and will look to join Johnny Chan and Clonie Gowen as the only other players who have won at least three times on Poker After Dark in a 6-handed format.  Phil Gordon also has a victory in his last match and sports a 1-3 record, and along with Smith will be looking for back-to-back wins.  Barry Greenstein is still winless on PAD, and will be looking for his first victory in four attempts.

Viewers are also in for a special treat this week, as the “Director’s Cut” normally seen on Saturday will be moved up to Friday instead, and a “Best of Poker After Dark” show will be seen late night on Saturday, February 13, at 1:00 a.m., right after “Saturday Night Live.”  Be sure to tune in to relive some of your favorite moments from the Poker After Dark archives, because whether they are dramatic and pressure-packed situations or are more light-hearted in nature, this show is sure to have you covered.

Brief profiles of all six players follow.  The match will begin airing on NBC late night Monday at 2:05 a.m., February 8, and will continue for four consecutive nights in the same time slot.  A special program called the “Director’s Cut” will air Friday, February 12 at 2:05 a.m.  This show will feature Leeann Tweeden with a behind-the-scenes look at the week with highlights and insightful player interviews and analyses.  Check your local listings for exact times in your area. Viewers can also watch the match at www.nbcsports/msnbc.com/poker.

With Jason Alexander at the table, expect a lot of laughs, and many anecdotes from his days of portraying George Costanza on the hit series “Seinfeld.”  The players roar out of the gate in this match, with lots of action, and the table conversation includes a couple of rather controversial topics, as well as some interesting jokes about llamas.  Also, look for a PAD record to be tied this week, and for a very entertaining match overall.

Greenstein, Barry:  (Seat 1)
· Dubbed the “Robin Hood of Poker” for donating winnings to charity, his favorite being Children, Incorporated
· Winner of three WSOP bracelets, the latest in the 2008 $1500 Razz event, and two WPT titles
· Career live tournament winnings in excess of $6.98 million, and ranks 25th on the all-time money list
· Had a great 2008 WSOP, cashing 6 times for nearly $800,000, winning a bracelet, and finishing second to Erick Lindgren in the Player of the Year race
· Signs and gives a copy of his book Ace on the River to any player who knocks him out of a tournament

Alexander, Jason:  (Seat 2)
· Television, cinema, and theatre actor perhaps best known for his role as George Costanza on the hit television series Seinfeld
· Began his acting career on the New York stage and is an accomplished singer and dancer
· An avid poker player, he has played in the World Series of Poker Main Event for the last four years, and busted out in 2008 on Day 1 when his pocket aces were cracked
· Playing for the United Way of the greater New Orleans area, he won the final table in the 8th season of Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown and $500,000 for the charity
· Is the national spokesperson for the Scleroderma Foundation, and hosts the Jason Alexander Charity Poker Tournament benefiting the 1736 Family Crisis Center in Los Angeles which helps victims of domestic violence

Gordon, Phil:  (Seat 3)
· Was the lead software engineer and first employee of Netsys Technologies, Inc., a company bought out by Cisco Systems three years later for $95 million
· Owner of one WPT title
· Career live tournament winnings in excess of $2.20 million
· Has raised more than $3 million for the Cancer Research Foundation of America, and his leadership in this regard was recognized by Congress in the fall of 2007
· Has provided expert commentary for several televised poker events, and is the author of several books and instructional CDs on poker

Hershiser, Orel:  (Seat 4)
· Former MLB right-handed pitcher whose career spanned from 1983-2000, mostly with the Los Angeles Dodgers
· Career won/loss record of 204-150, with 2014 strikeouts and a lifetime E.R.A. of 3.48
· In 1988, won the Cy Young Award, the NLCS MVP Award, and the World Series MVP Award for the World Champion Dodgers
· Holds the Major League record for 59 consecutive scoreless innings pitched, a feat he also accomplished in 1988
· Now resides in Las Vegas, and serves as an analyst on Monday Night Baseball, the Little League World Series and the NCAA Men’s College World Series, all on ESPN

Cheadle, Don:  (Seat 5)
· Born in Kansas City, MO in 1964, and is a Hollywood actor
· Academy Award nominee for Best Actor for his role in the movie Hotel Rwanda and one of the stars and producers of Crash, which won the 2006 Academy Award for Best Picture
· Has also appeared in the films Colors, Volcano, Bulworth, Boogie Nights, Traffic, Swordfish, Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean’s Thirteen, Reign Over Me, and many others
· Had two movies come out in 2009, Brooklyn’s Finest and Hotel For Dogs
· Co-founded Ante Up for Africa and hosts a poker tournament bearing that name during the World Series of Poker to raise money for the people of Darfur

Smith, Gavin:  (Seat 6)
· Born in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, and attended the University of Guelph
· Holder of 1 WPT title, and was the WPT’s Player of the Year for season IV
· Career live tournament winnings in excess of $5.05 million, and ranks 47th on the all-time money list
· Talkative at the tables, and a self-proclaimed “wild card” due to his aggressive play
· Known to engage in unusual prop bets during the World Series of Poker, especially with good friend poker professional Joe Sebok

Dennis Oehring serves as the Public Relations Coordinator for the firm POKER PROductions.  Statistics courtesy of The Hendon Mob database.  Photo courtesy of Stephanie Moore.