2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship

The NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship brings together all of the elements that make televised poker exciting. A stacked lineup of pros and hefty cash prizes - a total of $1.5 million and $500,000 awarded to the winner - make this unique heads-up bracket-style competition poker's premier invitational event.

Like college basketball's March Madness, 64 competitors will go head-to-head in single-elimination matches until the finals, where it becomes a best-of-three match.

In the inaugural event, 11-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth beat Chris Ferguson in the final match to win the title. Ferguson was once again within striking distance of the title the next year when he made it to the finals again, but this time he lost to Ted Forrest. Last year, 2006 WSOP main-event runner-up Paul Wasicka got a chance to feel what it was like in the winner's circle when he eliminated Chad Brown in the finals.

Whose turn is it this year to claim the title? Well, here are the 60 invited competitors. The remaining four seats will be filled via live and online satellites.

Jason Alexander
This actor turned poker fanatic is probably best known for his role as George Costanza on the show Seinfeld. Although this is Jason Alexander's first attempt at the NHPC, he is no newcomer to televised poker events. He won the eighth season of Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown and was awarded $500,000 to donate to the charities of his choice.

Patrik Antonius
Don't let this former model's looks fool you. Antonius is one of the most feared and merciless poker players in the world. He competes in the highest-stakes cash games around and has more than $2 million in tournament winnings. His biggest cash was for more than $1 million when he finished second in the $15,000 buy-in World Poker Tour Five-Diamond World Poker Classic.

Jean-Robert Bellande
This Long Island, New York, native was first noticed by the poker community when he made the televised final table of the 2005 World Series of Poker Circuit championship event at the Rio in Las Vegas. After finishing third in that event, Bellande scored two consecutive six-digit cashes. He has earned more than $762,000 in major tournaments. He is known for his playful and often aggressive table talk. Bellande was also a contestant on the 15th season of Survivor.

David Benyamine
David Benyamine is originally from France, and honed his game at the legendary Aviation Club. He continues to play in the biggest cash games in the world and has appeared on GSN's High Stakes Poker. After taking on tournaments, Benyamine came full circle and won the World Poker Tour Grand Prix de Paris at the same Aviation Club in Paris where he got his start. Then in 2004, he made the final table of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic, bringing his lifetime tournament earnings to nearly $1 million.

Chad Brown
"Downtown" Chad Brown is a Hollywood actor turned poker pro. He is tied for the record of most WSOP cashes in one year with eight, and has accumulated nearly $2.2 million in tournament winnings. Last year, Brown lost in the championship match of the NHPC against Paul Wasicka, and earned $250,000 for second place.

Doyle Brunson
At the age of 74, Doyle Brunson continues to amaze his opponents. The World Poker Tour champion and 10-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, with back-to-back main-event wins, has earned more than $4.9 million in tournaments during his illustrious career. Known as "The Godfather" of poker, Brunson is a true legend of the game.

Todd Brunson
With more than $3.3 million in tournament winnings, Todd Brunson is a threat in any tournament. He has cashed 20 times in the World Series of Poker and owns one bracelet. His forte, though, is high-stakes cash games. As a member of the team known as "The Corporation," who took on billionaire Andy Beal, Brunson is all too familiar with playing heads up for big stakes and in high-pressure situations.

Johnny Chan
Immortalized in the famous poker movie Rounders, Johnny Chan is the last person to win back-to-back World Series of Poker main-event titles, and will likely be the last. He owns 10 gold bracelets, which ties him with Doyle Brunson for second-most bracelets won. Chan has almost 100 major tournament cashes and nearly $5.4 million in lifetime tournament winnings.

Don Cheadle
Unlike most of the featured field, Don Cheadle is a full-time Hollywood actor and only a part-time poker player. He has, however, shown that he can play. Last year, he beat Phil Ivey in the first round of the 2007 NHPC. He has also competed in the Celebrity Poker Showdown on Bravo and the Pro/Am Poker Equalizer on ESPN. In partnership with Annie Duke, he was a driving force behind the Ante Up for Africa charity event that took place this summer to aid the crisis in Darfur.

Scott Clements
Perhaps better known as "BigRiskky" to the online poker community, where his poker career started, Scott Clements finished fourth in the Card Player 2007 Player of the Year race. In his fairly short career, he has already won two World Poker Tour titles and two World Series of Poker bracelets, and has accumulated more than $2.8 million in tournament winnings. This is Clements' NHPC debut.

T.J. Cloutier
The self-proclaimed "dinosaur" of the game, T.J. Cloutier has cashed in nearly 250 major tournaments and won six World Series of Poker bracelets. He has almost $9 million in tournament winnings. Cloutier's wisdom and years of experience must have taught him something about playing heads up, because he has cashed in every NHPC. In 2005, he finished in third place for $125,000; in 2006, he came in ninth for $25,000; and in 2007, he placed ninth again for $25,000.

Allen Cunningham
Allen Cunningham has cashed in the World Series of Poker 34 times and owns five bracelets. He was named the Toyota Player of the Year at the 2005 WSOP and finished third that year in the Card Player Player of the Year standings. In the 2006 main event, he placed fourth for $3.6 million. In all, Cunningham has earned more than $9.1 million in major tournaments.

Freddy Deeb
If poker is the only job you've ever had, you should be good at it, and Freddy Deeb is, indeed. He owns two World Series of Poker bracelets, one of which was for the 2007 $50,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. event. Deeb also has a World Poker Tour title under his belt. In all, his tournament winnings exceed $5.6 million.

Annie Duke
Annie Duke learned poker from her brother, Howard Lederer, and has nearly $1.5 million in tournament winnings from almost 60 major tournament cashes. That does not include the $2 million she won in the 2004 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions, in which she defeated an invitation-only table that included Lederer. Duke also owns a WSOP bracelet.

Tom Dwan
Tom Dwan is a well-known online player who goes by the name "Durrr." He has entered several World Poker Tour events, and his first televised final table came in the 2007 WPT World Poker Finals, where he finished in fourth place for more than $324,000. This will be his first NHPC appearance.

Bill Edler
Bill Edler had a breakout year in 2007 and placed fifth in the Card Player Player of the Year race. He began the year by winning the first-annual Heads-Up Championship at Crystal Park. Then, he won a World Series of Poker bracelet and followed that with a win at the World Poker Tour Gulf Coast Championship. Edler has more than $3.3 million in tournament winnings and is looking to make a mark at his first NHPC.

Eli Elezra
Although he is a successful businessman who says that poker is a hobby, Eli Elezra has the type of accomplishments that pros dream of. He has a World Poker Tour title and captured a World Series of Poker bracelet last summer. Elezra has more than $1.6 million in tournament winnings and regularly plays in the world's highest-stakes cash games.

Shannon Elizabeth
This beauty is a Hollywood actress and former model, with a second career in poker. Elizabeth has gone farther in the NHPC than any other woman, finishing third last year for $125,000 after losing to the eventual winner Paul Wasicka in the semifinals. She has also cashed in four World Series of Poker events, bringing her total tournament winnings to almost $137,000.

Antonio Esfandiari
Antonio Esfandiari won the 2004 World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic, and nearly $1.4 million, making him the youngest person ever to win a televised WPT event at 25. He also won a World Series of Poker bracelet in the 2004 $2,000 pot-limit hold'em event. Esfandiari is an NHPC veteran, and finished third in the 2005 event, winning $125,000. Altogether, he has almost $2.6 million in tournament winnings.

Sam Farha
Considered one of the best Omaha players in the world, Sam Farha owns two World Series of Poker bracelets in that game variation. He was also the runner-up in the 2003 main event, good for $1.3 million. In the 2006 NHPC, Farha finished fifth for $75,000. He has more than $2 million in lifetime tournament winnings.

Chris Ferguson
Chris Ferguson has more than $6 million in lifetime tournament winnings and five World Series of Poker bracelets, including a main-event win in 2000. Perhaps the most successful NHPC player without a title, he finished second in both the 2005 and 2006 NHPC events. Ferguson is coming back for his fourth year to try to take down the title.

Scott Fischman
Scott Fischman has cashed in every NHPC. He finished fifth for $75,000 in the 2005 inaugural event. He followed that the next two years with ninth-place finishes worth $25,000 each. In 2004, he won two World Series of Poker bracelets, becoming the youngest player in history to do so. He has more than $2.1 million in tournament winnings, and also specializes in online sit-and-gos.

Ted Forrest
Ted Forrest is not only an NHPC champion, but also has cashed in all three events. In 2005, he was eliminated in round three and cashed for $25,000. The next year, he beat Chris Ferguson for the title and $500,000. Going for the repeat last year, he performed well again but finished ninth for $25,000. Forrest owns five World Series of Poker bracelets and a World Poker Tour title, which have contributed to his $4.8 million in tournament winnings.

Brad Garrett
Brad Garrett, the five-time Emmy Award nominee for his supporting-actor role as the lovable Robert Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, is bringing all 6 feet 8 inches of himself to his first NHPC. He sharpened his on-camera poker-playing skills by playing in the fifth season of Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown. The money he won was donated to the charities of his choice.

Jamie Gold
At the 2006 World Series of Poker main event, the poker community was introduced to Jamie Gold. He won the biggest prize in WSOP tournament history, $12 million, after defeating a field of 8,772 players. Since then, he has cashed in two more WSOP events, as well as in the WSOP Europe main event. Gold was mentored by Johnny Chan.

Clonie Gowen
The July 2006 Maxim magazine cover model Clonie Gowen is more than just a pretty face. She is a fierce competitor at the poker tables and has more than $211,000 in tournament winnings. Excluded in that amount is the $240,000 that she won by taking down two Poker After Dark titles. Gowen has cashed in World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour events five times each.

Barry Greenstein
"The Robin Hood of Poker" donates all of his tournament winnings to charity, and although the more money he can give, the better, it is mostly about winning titles for Barry Greenstein. Despite cashing in all three NHPC events, Greenstein is without a coveted title. In 2005, he earned $25,000 for ninth place; the next year, he won $75,000 for fifth place; and in 2007, he won another $25,000 for ninth. In all, Greenstein has almost $5.9 million in tournament winnings, including two World Series of Poker bracelets and one World Poker Tour title.

Sam Grizzle
The witty Sam Grizzle has been around the game for years, and has accumulated more than $1.1 million in tournament winnings. Grizzle has cashed in the World Series of Poker 16 times. This is his first appearance in the NHPC, and he will sure be entertaining to watch, especially if he draws his nemesis Phil Hellmuth in the first round.

Joseph Hachem
At the 2005 World Series of Poker, Joseph Hachem cashed in a prelim event and then went on to win the main event for $7.5 million. Proving that he was no fluke, Hachem nearly won a second bracelet in 2006, but finished as the runner-up. Then, at the Five-Diamond World Poker Classic, he won a World Poker Tour title for $2.1 million, joining the elite club of players who have won both a WSOP main event and a WPT main event. Hachem has almost $10.3 million in lifetime tournament winnings.

Gus Hansen
Gus Hansen, also known as "The Great Dane," has won three World Poker Tour open titles and the Bad Boys of Poker invitational. He became known for his very loose play from his televised final-table appearances. Hansen also won the 2007 Aussie Millions main event for $1.2 million. In all, Hansen has nearly $3.9 million in lifetime tournament winnings.

Jennifer Harman
Separating herself from other women players, Jennifer Harman is the only woman to regularly play in the "big game" at Bellagio. Her two World Series of Poker bracelet wins and more than 50 major tournament cashes have contributed to her lifetime tournament winnings of more than $1.6 million.

Phil Hellmuth
Former NHPC champion Phil Hellmuth regards himself as the best no-limit hold'em tournament player in the world, and his tournament history certainly doesn't prove otherwise. He has cashed in the World Series of Poker a record 64 times. He also holds the record for most bracelets won with 11, one of which was for the main event in 1989. In 2005, Hellmuth won the NHPC by beating Chris Ferguson in the final. Hellmuth has more than $9.1 million in tournament winnings.

Orel Hershiser
Orel Hershiser may have the least amount of poker accomplishments of the bunch, but he definitely has the most major league baseball wins. The former pitcher of the Los Angeles Dodgers is making his first appearance in the NHPC. He currently serves as an analyst for Baseball Tonight on ESPN, and resides in Las Vegas, where he can surely find places to sharpen his poker game.

Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey is a highly feared player and respected in all variations of the game. He owns five World Series of Poker bracelets, three of which came in 2002. Ivey is the last player to win three in one year. On the World Poker Tour, Ivey has cashed seven times, and all have been top-10 finishes. Altogether, he has accumulated more than $7.1 million in tournament winnings.

John Juanda
With more than 170 major tournament cashes, John Juanda's lifetime tournament winnings exceed $5.7 million. He owns three World Series of Poker bracelets and was the runner-up in the 2002 Card Player Player of the Year race. At the inaugural NHPC, Juanda finished fifth for $75,000. His aggressive play is enough to strike fear in any opponent.

Gabe Kaplan
Gabe Kaplan isn't just the actor from Welcome Back, Kotter, or just the commentator for GSN's High Stakes Poker; he is also an accomplished poker player. He has won more than $1 million in major tournaments, including eight World Series of Poker cashes. Kaplan also made a televised final table at the 2004 World Poker Tour Mirage Poker Showdown, and finished third.

Phil Laak
His trademark sunglasses and hooded sweatshirt make Phil Laak easy to spot. Generally a high-stakes cash-game player, Laak has had his share of tournament success, with more than $523,000 in tournament winnings. Laak's girlfriend, Jennifer Tilly, is also competing in the event.

Howard Lederer
Tournament poker players would love to win a World Poker Tour title or a World Series of Poker bracelet sometime in their careers, but Howard Lederer has already done both, twice. "The Professor" has almost $4.5 million in lifetime tournament winnings, which includes his most recent cash at the $100,000 buy-in event at the Aussie Millions. Lederer banked $1.1 million for that win.

Erick Lindgren
Over his 10-year career, Erick "E-Dog" Lindgren has accumulated almost $5.2 million in tournament winnings. He has won two World Poker Tour titles, the 2004 Aussie Millions $100,000 buy-in event, and the $1 million top prize for taking down the 2004 PartyPoker Million III limit hold'em championship.

Jonathan Little
Better known as "FieryJustice" online, the 23-year-old poker professional had a great 2007, making nine final tables and finishing third in the Card Player Player of the Year race. He won the World Poker Tour Mirage Poker Showdown and nearly snagged a second title at the North American Poker Championship, where he finished in second place. Little has almost $2.6 million in tournament winnings and is making his NHPC debut.

Mike Matusow
Nicknamed "The Mouth," Mike Matusow is known for his loud presence at the table, but nothing speaks louder than his poker accomplishments. He has two World Series of Poker bracelets and made two World Poker Tour televised final tables in 2007. In 2005, he won the WSOP Tournament of Champions and finished third in the same event the next year. He earned $25,000 in the NHPC for ninth place last year. Matusow has more than $5.6 million in tournament winnings.

Michael Mizrachi
The Card Player 2006 Player of the Year Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi has earned more than $5.9 million in major tournament cashes, including 16 cashes at the World Series of Poker. He also owns two World Poker Tour titles. In addition to tournaments, he also competes in high-stakes cash games. In the 2005 NHPC, Mizrachi placed ninth for $25,000.

Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu has an eerie ability to put players on specific hands, which is probably why he owns three World Series of Poker bracelets and two World Poker Tour titles. He was the Card Player 2004 Player of the Year, and from his nearly 130 major tournament cashes, he has earned almost $9.7 million in tournaments. In 2006, Negreanu made his best run at an NHPC title, finishing fifth for $75,000.

Scotty Nguyen
"The Prince of Poker" Scotty Nguyen has always been a fan favorite because of his talent and personality. He has one World Poker Tour title and four World Series of Poker bracelets, including a main-event title in 1998. He narrowly missed making the final table of the main event in 2007, and was eliminated in 11th place. His career major tournament winnings amount to more than $7.4 million.

David Pham
David "The Dragon" Pham is a two-time Card Player Player of the Year winner, winning in 2000 and 2007. He also was the runner-up in 2004 to Daniel Negreanu. His consistency in tournaments makes him dangerous in any event, as he has cashed in nearly 180 major tournaments. Pham has two World Series of Poker bracelets and almost $7.2 million in tournament winnings.

Greg Raymer
At the 2004 World Series of Poker, Greg Raymer, with his aggressive style and hologram sunglasses, took down the main event for $5 million after defeating a field of 2,576. The very next year, he placed 25th out of a 5,619-player field. His knack for huge-field tournaments has also helped him online, where he plays as "Fossilman."

Vanessa Rousso
Vanessa Rousso is known as "Lady Maverick." She recently announced her engagement to last year's NHPC runner-up Chad Brown, and also is scheduled to graduate from law school at the University of Miami in May. She recently finished second in the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker for more than $700,000, bringing her lifetime tournament winnings to $1.5 million.

Tom Schneider
Tom Schneider was named World Series of Poker Player of the Year in 2007 after winning two bracelets and making the final table of another event. He also made a run at the Card Player Player of the Year title, and made a World Poker Tour televised final-table appearance at the Legends of Poker, as well. This is Schneider's first invitation to the NHPC.

Daniel Schreiber
Daniel Schreiber made history at the 2007 World Series of Poker when he made his first major poker tournament cash by winning the $5,000 heads-up championship eight days before he turned 22 years old. He became the fifth-youngest bracelet winner. This student from Seoul, South Korea, really set a high standard for himself for the rest of his poker career. Schreiber took home almost $426,000 and is looking forward to playing in his first-ever NHPC.

Huck Seed
Another player to have cashed in all three NHPC events is Huck Seed. In 2007 and 2005, Seed finished ninth for $25,000. His highest finish was in 2006 when he lost in the semifinals to Chris Ferguson. His third-place finish was good for $125,000. Seed is a four-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, and the 1996 main-event champion. He has almost $3.6 million in tournament winnings.

Erik Seidel
Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson aren't the only ones on Phil Hellmuth's heels for most World Series of Poker bracelets. Erik Seidel has won eight, with his most recent one in the 2007 no-limit deuce-to-seven lowball event. He also placed second in the 2008 Aussie Millions main event, adding $880,000 to his lifetime tournament winnings that now stand at more than $7.7 million.

David Singer
David Singer may seem low-key at the poker table, but he is a silent predator who is taking his first shot at the NHPC title this year. Proving that he is talented in a number of variations of poker, Singer made the final table in the 2006 and 2007 $50,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. event at the World Series of Poker. He also won the inaugural Caesars Palace Classic, adding $1 million to his lifetime tournament winnings, which exceed $3.5 million.

Gavin Smith
Gavin Smith has a lighthearted attitude at the table, and often is willing to make a prop bet on anything, but his results show that he can be serious when it comes to clutch time. He owns one World Poker Tour title and was named the WPT Player of the Year in season four. Last year, Smith finished third in the NHPC for $125,000. He has almost $3.3 million in tournament winnings.

Jennifer Tilly
The actress turned serious poker player has already won a World Series of Poker ladies-event bracelet, as well as a World Poker Tour ladies invitational title. Tilly has also cashed in the WSOP six times and made two final tables at the Bellagio Cup III. Her lifetime tournament winnings are more than $326,000.

Brian Townsend
Brian "sbrugby" Townsend grinded his way through low-limit stakes online early in his career, but now competes in the biggest cash games available. Most tournament players live for a score of $2 million, but for Townsend, $2 million is just variance. He has frequented the "big game" in Bobby's Room at Bellagio. This is his first crack at the NHPC.

J.C. Tran
J.C. Tran was first invited to the NHPC last year after having an impressive 2006, when he finished third in the Card Player Player of the Year race. He came back with a vengeance in 2007, but fell just short of the title, finishing second to David Pham. He will get another chance at the NHPC title, however. Tran has accumulated almost $5.8 million in tournament winnings, and has a World Poker Tour win and 19 World Series of Poker cashes.

Kenny Tran
Previously known for his impeccable reads and high-stakes cash-game prowess, Kenny Tran proved his tournament skill at the 2007 World Series of Poker when he made the biggest cashes of his career in the two most prestigious WSOP events. He placed fifth in the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event and 16th in the $10,000 main event. Those two cashes accounted for more than $825,000. This is Tran's debut in the NHPC.

Paul Wasicka
The reigning NHPC champion, Paul Wasicka is returning to defend his title. Last year, he won the $500,000 first-place prize by defeating Chad Brown in the final match. His biggest tournament cash was at the 2006 World Series of Poker when he finished second to Jamie Gold. Wasicka also made a World Poker Tour televised final table at the 2007 L.A. Poker Classic to boost his lifetime tournament winnings to more than $7.5 million.

David Williams
After earning $3.5 million for his second-place finish in the 2004 World Series of Poker main event, David Williams' newly heightened confidence and bankroll launched him into a series of major tournament cashes. He came in second at the 2004 World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open and fourth at the 2006 WPT Mirage Poker Showdown, and won a WSOP bracelet in the 2006 $1,500 buy-in seven-card stud event. Williams has almost $5.8 million in lifetime earnings.

Jerry Yang
The reigning World Series of Poker champion, Jerry Yang, will make his NHPC debut this year. The psychologist and social worker from Temecula, California, won $8.25 million after winning a $225 satellite at Pechanga Casino. Yang made headlines when he donated 10 percent of his winnings to various charities. He continues on his poker journey, and this will be his first NHPC.