Famed Rapper 24kGoldn Takes a Seat in Hellmuth’s Home Game

Season 2 of Hellmuth’s Home Game presented by Poker Night in America (PNIA) and sponsored by BetRivers is now airing on CBS Sports on Monday nights.

The nationally televised show, which was filmed at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, is unique in that there is no commentary. Instead, the show is carried by table talk from Phil Hellmuth alongside a cast of fellow pros and friends in an intimate, relaxed cash game setting.

PokerNews watched Episode 1 of Season 2 and compiled a recap of some of the biggest hands and interesting storylines.

Who is 24kGoldn?

While Hellmuth’s Home Game has featured celebrities before, specifically Jennifer Tilly, a big name took a seat in the game for Season 2, and that was singer, songwriter, and rapper 24kGoldn.

According to Wikipedia:

“He initially saw recognition for his 2019 single ‘Valentino’, which marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and led him to sign with Barry Weiss’ Records, an imprint of Columbia Records. His 2020 single, “Mood” (featuring Iann Dior), peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and led his debut studio album El Dorado (2021), which peaked at number 22 on the Billboard 200.”

Here’s how things stacked up at the start of the episode:

The game was played with $25/$50 blinds with a $50 big blind ante. Here’s a look at some of the biggest hands from the episode.

Brought All This Way Just to Get Beat Up

On Hand 10 of the game, 24kGoldn raised to $300 with the A♦K♥ in early position, and Dan “Jungleman” Cates called from the small blind with the 4♣3♣. Hellmuth then looked down at the beautiful A♠A♣ in the straddle and popped it to $900.

24kGoldn responded by four-bet jamming for $4,000, Cates folded, and Hellmuth snap-called. 24kGoldn was in disbelief, and Hellmuth offered to run it three times to perhaps help soften the blow.

Unfortunately for 24kGoldn, he failed to get luck on any of the following runouts:

• 7♠9♠3♠5♦5♣
• 2♠8♠5♠K♣9♥
• 8♣7♣6♦A♥10♣

“You brought me all this way just to beat me up,” 24kGoldn joked before rebuying.

Cates with the River Bluff

On Hand #14, a $200 straddle was on, and Hellmuth just called with the K♦K♣. 24kGoldn called from the button, Squid Game: The Challenge star Steven Jones Jr. came along from the small blind with the Q♦J♣, and DJ Washburn called from the first straddle with the 6♥5♥. Cates checked his option from the second straddle with the 7♥2♥, and it was five-way action to the flop of 7♠5♦A♠.

Three checks saw Hellmuth bet $400, 24kGoldn just called with two pair, and Cates, who had a pair of sevens, was the only other player to call to see the K♠ turn.

Cates checked, and Hellmuth, who took the lead with a set, checked behind to 24kGoldn, who bet $400. Both his opponents called, and the 10♠ river put four spades on the board. None of the players held a spade, but Cates bluffed by betting $3,500.

It worked as both Hellmuth and 24kGoldn quickly folded, prompting Cates to show the bluff.

Two River Aces

Two hands later, Hellmuth limped for $100 with the K♥8♥ in early position and Jones did the same from the cutoff with the A♠J♥. Phillip “P3” Hellmuth III then looked down at the Q♠Q♦ on the button and raised to $400.

Cates called with the J♣8♣ in the big blind, Hellmuth called, and then Jones moved all in for $3,625. P3 quickly called while both Cates and Hellmuth got out of the way. The duo agreed to run it twice for the $8,225 pot, and P3 was looking to hold.

He did on the 2♦6♥8♠ flop and 9♥ turn on the first run, but then disaster struck when the A♣ spiked on the river to give Jones half the pot.

“I thought it was coming at least once, but it might come twice,” said Jones. I apologize in advance.”

The 7♦5♠5♥ flop was safe enough, and so was the 9♦ turn.

“Not on the river again, that would be dirty,” someone at the table said. Well, wouldn’t you know it, the A♦ hit on the river to deliver the double ace-on-the-river bad beat to P3.

Quad Aces!

On Hand #63, action folded around to DJ Washburn in the first straddle, and he looked down at the A♦A♣. He limped, and Cates, who had double-straddled for $200, exercised his option to raise to $600 with the J♠7♠.

Washburn just called and then checked after flopping trip on the 4♣K♠A♠ flop. Surprisingly, Cates checked behind with his spade flush draw. The A♥ turn gave Washburn quad aces, and he checked to Cates, who bet $500.

Washburn just called once again and then checked in the dark headed to the river, which came the K♦. Cates, fortunately for him, missed his flush draw, and he checked behind. It was a small pot of $2,325 for Washburn, but it’s not every day you see quads at Hellmuth’s Home Game.

A Royal Flush

DJ Washburn limped with the A♣K♥ in the hijack, and Cates raised to $400 next to act with the A♠Q♠. Action folded back to Washburn, and he limp-raised to $2,000, which Cates called. Washburn then moved all in for $3,250 in the dark and flopped top pair on the K♠5♦10♠. However, Cates flopped a flush draw.

They agreed to run it twice, and Cates locked up half the pot when the 2♠ peeled off on the first turn, followed by the 10♦ on the river. On the second, the 7♥ turn was of no consequence, but the J♠ river was as Cates made a rare Royal Flush to scoop the $10,725 pot!

Here’s how things looked at the end of the episode.

_{Images courtesy of Poker Night in America.}

PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, host of both the PokerNews Podcast & MPST Podcast Presented By PokerNews, and 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.