Hellmuth, Elias, Shak Confirmed for This Weekend's Poker Night in America SugarHouse

PokerNews Staff

Apr 22, 2015 3 min read

Over the next week, Philadelphia's SugarHouse Casino will play host to a bevy of poker action. From April 23-27, the $100,000 guaranteed Poker Showdown, a $280 buy-in tournament featuring six Day 1s, will take place, and from April 26-28 a series of Poker Night in America (PNIA) high-stakes cash games will take place.

PNIA recently announced the player lineup for the cash games, which will be recorded for TV and live streamed April 26-28. Among those scheduled to appear is poker's all-time World Series of Poker gold bracelet leader, Phil Hellmuth.

"I'm looking forward to spending time at SugarHouse in Philadelphia," said Hellmuth, who will be making his third appearance on Poker Night in America. "It will be great to play alongside the local players, as well as mixing it up in the cash games."

Hellmuth will be joined by back-to-back World Poker Tour champ Darren Elias; high roller Dan Shak; former WPT Player of the Year Andy Frankenberger; and PokerNews Managing Editor and WSOP bracelet winner Chad Holloway.

"Not only will I be visiting Philadelphia for the first time, I'll be playing the biggest cash game of my life," said Holloway. "I've reported on most of these players for years, and I hope some of that information comes in handy at the table. I look forward to following in Kristy Arnett's footsteps and representing PokerNews on Poker Night in America."

Also scheduled to appear are Alec Torelli, Tom Schneider, Larry Ormson, Shaun Deeb, and Nancy Levin, a first-time player who was selected via an open casting call. Two others players may also join the action via official program sponsor, 888Poker. Finally, three local legends will be in action. Tony Luke Jr. (Tony Luke's), Frank Olivieri (Pat's Steaks), and Geno Vento (Geno's Steaks) are best known for making the world's best Philly cheesesteaks, but early next week they'll be testing their poker prowess on their home turf.

A press conference will be held at the SugarHouse Casino which will include appearance by the "Cheesesteak Kings," along with Todd Anderson, the creator and executive producer of PNIA. The special press meet and greet will start at 2:45 p.m. local time on April 27.

The cash-game slate will also include Ladies Night II, the wildly popular, ladies-only televised cash game. The list of confirmed women in the invite-only cash session include Philadelphia natives Jennifer Shahade and Beth Shak, along with New Jersey poker pro Jamie Kerstetter. Others who'll be in the game are Christina Lindley, Ebony Kenney, Karina Jett, Caitlin Hall, Samantha Abernathy, Natasha Barbour, and Jessica Dawley, who recently did an interview with PokerNews on women in poker.

Barbour, Dawley, Jett, Kenney, and Kerstetter have each appeared previously on PNIA, while Abernathy, Hall, Lindley, Shahade, and Shak will be making their first appearance.