Pet Project

poker0110-1 Our stunning February 2009 Pet, Courtney Rose, learns when to hold ’em and fold ’em from our resident poker pro, James ‘Welcome Back’ Potter

I own a business called the Australian Poker School. Admittedly, I don’t do a hell of a lot with it these days, except for teaching a few executives, who I charge plenty for the experience. Between my professional gambling career and media commitments, I really don’t have time for anything else, but when Australian Penthouse pleaded a special case, I was prepared to make an exception.

There was no need for any arm twisting when Australian Penthouse staff writer, Kate Hutchinson, called and asked if I would like to teach her and February 2009 Pet of the Month, Courtney Rose, how to play cards. I immediately called the best pub poker team in the business, the 888PL, and asked if they could set up a table and organise a dealer for me and the girls at Melbourne’s London Tavern. Let’s just say there wasn’t a shortage of volunteers!

The aim was to see how useful one lesson could be for two girls who had never played poker before. I had 30 minutes to teach the ladies the basics, and then I was to let them loose on two 888PL poker league employees and ‘Action’ Dave Morton, a fellow pro and good mate of mine from England who’s been cleaning up in online and tournament poker over the last few years.

Teaching the girls was plenty of fun, and certainly the highlight of my coaching career.

I taught them the mechanics of Texas Hold ’Em, and advised them to throw in their chips whenever they saw a pair or an ace. When the ladies were ready for action, it was time for the big game.

The first casualty was one of the 888PL guys, and I was pleased that my two charges were still in the hunt to win the trophy. Kate was playing tight and sticking to instructions, but she was the first of the girls to get involved in a big hand. Travis from the 888PL raised and Kate jumped all-in with her pocket nines. After a long deliberation, Travis finally called her with his ace/queen combo. Kate was a 55 per cent favourite and she survived the flop and turn, but when a queen popped up on the river, it was all over.

When it got down to Courtney, Travis and Action Dave, things got a little difficult. The sexy Pet was getting low on chips, but she began shoving all-in every second hand and managed to smash her way back into the tournament. The two boys didn’t want to be the next one out, and Courtney was clearly enjoying herself. A large crowd gathered to cheer whenever she won a hand.

Finally, Courtney knocked Travis out with a straight. Now it was Penthouse Pet versus the poker pro. They had a similar chip stack, but Courtney had the momentum. She was playing well and holding her own until Dave smoothly called with a pair of sixes on the small blind.

Courtney saw the flop and announced all-in when she hit a pair. It was the right move, but she couldn’t have known that Dave had picked up three of a kind, and that was the end of that. Courtney is a great sport and one hell of a hot babe, and she certainly has the potential to be a good poker player.

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