High Stakes Poker Season 15 has delivered non-stop action, and the latest episodes brought Hollywood star Jennifer Tilly to the felt for her season debut. Alongside returning pros like Andrew Robl, Justin Gavri, Sameh Elamawy, Sean Dempsey, and Steve Swedlow, Tilly quickly found herself in high-stakes battles with $200/$400 blinds and $500 big blind antes driving action.
Episode 12: Facing a Nightmare Opponent
Tilly described Robl as her “personal nemesis” in a cutaway interview. “He’s my paralysis sleep demon,” she said, recalling dreams of him check-raising her with nothing. Determined to conquer this fear, Tilly committed to taking him on whenever he appeared at High Stakes Poker. Her first encounter didn’t go her way: Robl flopped pocket aces against her hand, forcing Tilly to watch her stack dwindle.
Episode 13: Sweet Revenge
Tilly bounced back spectacularly in Episode 13. With an open-ended straight draw against Robl’s flush and gutshot combination, she moved all-in for $84,600. Both players agreed to run two rivers. After the first river bricked, hopes were high, but it was the second river that sealed the deal—Tilly scooped the massive $271,000 pot. “Yay! Happy Jen is back, yes!” she celebrated, proving she could overcome her so-called sleep demon.
Episode 14: Tough Beats and Robl Family Debut
Tilly’s luck ran cold in Episode 14 when she flopped middle set only to be outdrawn by Dempsey’s stronger hand. She exited the table, quipping about the “funereal silence” in the room, leaving an open seat. In a twist, Robl introduced his father, Tim Robl, who took the empty seat with $100,000 courtesy of his son. Though his play was brief, the appearance added a family subplot to the high-stakes drama.
Season 15 continues to mix poker skill, high drama, and celebrity flair, with Jennifer Tilly proving she can both suffer and savor the swings of the game while facing her self-proclaimed “paralysis sleep demon.”
