Poker players compete on ‘Amazing Race’
Two professional poker players had their bluffs called by fellow contestants on the television reality series "The Amazing Race." But the two women still have several hands to play.
On Sunday night’s opening episode, Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle told the 11 other teams that they worked for an organization for homeless youth in Los Angeles, rather than admit they were two of the top female professional poker players on the circuit.
Michelle, 25, finished in 17th place at the 2008 World Series of Poker’s main event, collecting $334,534, the most money ever won by a woman in the competition.
Ho, 26, is currently ranked 33rd in poker’s Top 100 Women’s All Time Money list She finished 38th in the 2007 World Series of Poker main event.
Their cover was blown in Tokyo when a poker fan said he recognized the players.
In "The Amazing Race," teams of two race around the world, completing various tasks along the way. The winning team collects $1 million.
Ho and Michelle were nearly eliminated when they finished in last place in the race’s first leg in Tokyo. But they were given a second chance and had to complete an additional task on the next leg in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The pair currently are in seventh place.
The appearance marks the third instance that professional poker players have graced a reality television series. Jean-Robert Bellande competed on "Survivor: China" in 2007, while last year Annie Duke was the runner-up to Joan Rivers in "Celebrity Apprentice."