Raw deal for tourney host Wahlberg

By Bernard Lee - The Boston Herald

I was the "celebrity dealer" at the final table of a Texas Hold'em Tournament at Focaccia restaurant in Wilmington last Monday night to benefit the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.
I was still wrapping my mind around the phrase "celebrity dealer," as more than 100 players gathered to help a worthy cause, eat delicious Italian food and, of course, play some poker.
Mark Wahlberg was unable to attend, so brother Donnie substituted as host of the event. To his credit, Donnie played well and eventually made it to the final table. But his night came to an abrupt end when yours truly dealt the host some heartbreaking cards.
With blinds at 8,000 and 16,000, Donnie had about 55,000 chips. Unfortunately, he lost a cruel hand when his opponent's Ad-2d beat his 8h-8c after one of the final three aces (Ac) fell on the river. The loss crippled Donnie, leaving him with only 16,000 chips, just enough to call the big blind.
In the spirit of the season, check out www.markwahlbergyouthfoundation.com, a group that helps service and enrichment programs for inner-city kids.

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