Dan 'Jungleman' Cates crushes his opponents on the Hellmuth’s Home Game show

In the second season of Hellmuth’s Home Game, Dan 'Jungleman' Cates delivers a true poker beatdown at Phil Hellmuth’s table. Discover all the highlights of this thrilling session!

The second season of the popular poker show Hellmuth’s Home Game , organized by Poker Night in America (PNIA) with support from BetRivers , continues to air on CBS Sports on Mondays. Filming takes place at the Grand Sierra Resort (Reno, Nevada), and the show’s format stands out for its lack of traditional commentary: instead, viewers watch live table talk, where Phil Hellmuth and his guests—both professional players and invited friends—play a relaxed cash game. In this article, we take a detailed look at the events of the second episode of the second season, highlighting the most interesting hands and key moments, as well as providing the full leaderboard and analyzing what these events mean for PPPoker club players. Starting Conditions and Lineup At the start of the episode, the following players were at the table: Phil Hellmuth (Phillip “P3” Hellmuth III) — legendary pro, winner of multiple WSOP bracelets Dan "Jungleman" Cates — one of the most famous cash game players of today Ethan “Rampage” Yau — popular poker blogger and streamer 24kGolden — well-known rapper and poker enthusiast Steven Jones Jr. — cash game regular DJ Washburn — another experienced participant The game was played at $25/$50 stakes with a mandatory big blind ante of $50. This is a standard format for televised cash games, where each player takes turns posting blinds as well as an additional ante—this increases the pot size and encourages active play. Biggest Hands of the Episode: Detailed Breakdown Double Upset from 24kGolden and P3 Hellmuth The very first hand of the episode set the tone for the whole session. 24kGolden opened with a raise to $300 holding pocket nines ( 9♠9♦ ) from the cutoff. Steven Jones Jr. called with pocket sevens ( 7♠7♦ ). Then Phillip “P3” Hellmuth III found queens ( Q♥Q♣ ) and 3-bet to $900. The action returned to 24kGolden, who went all-in for $9,400. Jones Jr. folded, and P3 called the all-in, putting in just $3,900, making the pot $5,300. The players agreed to “run it twice”—a common practice in cash games where the remaining deck is split and two boards are dealt to reduce variance. Both boards were unlucky for 24kGolden: the first was J♣7♣A♦6♥6♦ , the second Q♠2♥4♦A♣J♦ . Thus, P3 doubled up at the rapper’s expense. 24kGolden Doubles Up on the Flop In the next big hand, 24kGolden with 10♠9♠ opened to $150 from early position. Jones 3-bet to $450 with A♣K♦ , and DJ Washburn called with 8♥8♦ . 24kGolden also called and hit a strong hand on the K♥9♣9♦ flop—trip nines. 24kGolden bet $300, Jones just called, and Washburn stayed in as well. On the turn 6♥ 24kGolden checked, Jones bet $1,200, Washburn folded. 24kGolden then shoved all-in for $2,400, and Jones called the extra $1,200. The board was run once, and the river 5♦ didn’t help Jones. 24kGolden doubled up to $7,175. Dan "Jungleman" Cates Hits a Straight Flush Against Rampage One of the most spectacular hands of the episode took place between Dan "Jungleman" Cates and Ethan “Rampage” Yau . Cates opened to $200 with 5♣3♣ from the hijack. Rampage 3-bet to $600 with A♥J♠ . The other players folded, and Cates called. The flop came 4♠A♣4♣ . Cates had a straight flush draw (needing one card for a straight flush), while Rampage had two pair (aces and fours). Cates checked, Rampage continued the aggression with a $400 bet. Cates check-raised to $1,600, and Rampage called. On the turn J♥ Rampage improved to two pair (aces and jacks), but Cates kept up the pressure, betting $4,600. Rampage called again, and the pot grew to $13,725. The river 2♣ gave Cates a straight flush—one of the rarest and strongest hands in poker. Cates bet $11,500, Rampage tanked but eventually called. The $36,725 pot went to Jungleman. Note: Straight flush is five consecutive cards of the same suit, in this case 3♣4♣5♣A♣2♣. It’s the second strongest hand in poker after a royal flush. Phil Hellmuth Loses to 24kGolden with Top Pair In another hand, Hellmuth found himself in a tough spot against 24kGolden. After the action reached Hellmuth in the small blind, he limped with A♣J♠ . 24kGolden in the big blind raised to $300 with K♦J♠ , Jones in the straddle called with 9♠8♥ , and Hellmuth stayed in as well. The flop 10♣Q♠A♦ gave Hellmuth top pair (aces), while 24kGolden hit a straight (“broadway”, ten to ace). 24kGolden made a small bet of $200, Jones folded, Hellmuth called. The turn 7♥ was checked by both. On the river 2♦ Hellmuth checked again, 24kGolden bet $200. Hellmuth check-raised to $600, 24kGolden quickly bumped it up to $2,000. After some thought, Hellmuth called, only to see the straight. The $5,350 pot went to 24kGolden. Jones Beats Cates with a Flush In another notable hand, 24kGolden called $200 with 10♣9♣ from the cutoff, Jones joined from the button with J♠10♠ . Cates, in the straddle, raised to $1,200 with A♥6♥ . 24kGolden folded, Jones called. The flop 9♠8♣10♥ —Cates checked, Jones bet $1,100, Cates called with a gutshot and possible flush draw. The turn 5♠ —both players checked. The river 7♠ —Cates made a straight and bet $1,500. Jones, having made a flush on the river, quickly raised to $6,000. Cates thought it over: “I shouldn’t have bet, I realize how stupid that was.” In the end, he called and lost the $17,275 pot. Episode Results: Standings and Winnings At the end of the second episode, the table looked like this: Dan "Jungleman" Cates — biggest win, key hand against Rampage ($36,725) 24kGolden — double-ups against Jones and Hellmuth, won several big pots Steven Jones Jr. — won $17,275 from Cates with a flush Phil Hellmuth (P3) — doubled up in the first hand, but lost to 24kGolden Ethan “Rampage” Yau — lost the biggest pot of the episode DJ Washburn — involved in several hands, no major wins Exact stack sizes and changes are not provided, but the key pots and their sizes are detailed in the hand descriptions. Context: Show Format and Game Features Hellmuth’s Home Game is not a tournament, but a cash game where each player can rebuy at any time, and winnings and losses depend solely on the hands played. The format encourages a friendly atmosphere and lively table talk, setting the show apart from classic tournaments with strict discipline. The absence of commentators allows viewers to immerse themselves in the real dynamics of a cash game, hear players’ thought processes, emotions, and psychological tactics. For viewers interested in strategy and professional behavior, this offers a unique chance to observe the “raw” poker atmosphere. The second season draws attention not only thanks to Phil Hellmuth’s participation, but also by inviting celebrities from show business and poker bloggers—such as 24kGolden and Rampage. Key Quotes and Moments from the Episode After losing a big pot to Jones, Cates remarked: “I shouldn’t have bet, I realize how stupid that was” —highlighting the importance of river decisions and knowing when to stop. In the hand between 24kGolden and Hellmuth, the latter tanked for a long time before calling on the river, but still couldn’t fold top pair against an obvious straight. Rampage spent a long time thinking about calling on the river against Cates, but couldn’t find a fold and lost the biggest pot of the night. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this episode is a great example of how even professionals make mistakes and find themselves in tough spots at the cash tables. It’s important to remember that proper bankroll management and readiness for unexpected outcomes are key to success in any cash game format. Cates’ straight flush hand shows that even rare combinations happen and can completely change the session’s dynamics. Don’t overestimate your hand strength—as Rampage did—and always consider your opponent’s range, especially with deep stacks. The “run it twice” format, often seen in PPPoker clubs, helps reduce variance and makes the game more comfortable for all participants. By analyzing such episodes, players can improve their strategy, learn from the pros’ mistakes, and apply this knowledge in PPPoker club games to achieve better results.