NBC has assembled a group of poker players to compete in its
National Heads-Up Poker Championship who have more than $184 million in tournament winnings between them, but the poker pedigree is only one reason that so many people tune in to watch this event.
It's Daniel Negreanu calling out hands with uncanny accuracy. It's the chance that Mike Matusow and Sean Sheikhan could end up facing each other, mano a mano, in a single-elimination match, with an audience in the bleachers to egg them both on (not that they need it).
All of the players (except the Caesars qualifier and the online qualifier) put up $20,000 to try to win the third installment of the
NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship and its $500,000 grand prize. It's the premier heads-up event in the world, and one of the most entertaining events to watch. And, really, it's because of the people.
This year, the list of players includes
World Series of Poker champs,
World Poker Tour and
Card Player Player of the Year winners, and an
Oscar-nominated actress (who also happened to win a
WSOP bracelet). All will face off on the felt at Caesars Las Vegas, March 1-4.
Also returning are two-time runner-up Chris Ferguson, and last year's defending champion Ted Forrest.
Notably absent are 2005
NHPC crown-holder Phil Hellmuth, who was out of the country at the time of the event, and Doyle Brunson. The 64 select players will be divided into four brackets - clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades. The matches are modeled after the college basketball tournament, whereby the winner of each match advances to the next round, until a champion is crowned. A best-of-three match determines the winner in the championship round.
The last men standing in 2006 were Ted Forrest and Chris Ferguson. Ferguson won the first match, and then Forrest swept the next two to become the champion and $500,000 richer. Ferguson earned $250,000 for his second-place finish, and set a record for the most
NHPC matches ever won.
Card Player is proud to present the players chosen for the 2007
National Heads-Up Poker Championship. Click here to view
Card Player's coverage of the 2007 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship.
