NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship -- Day 2The Elite Eight is Set at Caesars Palace with Many Big Names Still in Contention |
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Day 2 at the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship began at 1 p.m. today at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The final 32 players battled to see who would make the money in the first round of matches today and then they faced off to see who would advance to the elite eight and the final day of the tournament. Many of biggest names in the game are still in contention for the top prize worth $500,000, from Doyle Brunson to Jason Mercier. Here’s a look at the elite eight and their matchups for tomorrow:
Clubs Bracket
Erik Seidel vs. Peter Eastgate
Spades Bracket
Scotty Nguyen vs. Jason Mercier
Hearts Bracket
Dennis Phillips vs. Doyle Brunson
Diamonds Bracket
Jerry Yang vs. Annie Duke
Card Player’s live reporting team was on hand to catch all of the action. Check out the recap for each of the brackets below and be sure to tune back in tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. PST for live udpates from the elite eight round of action.
Round of 32
Spades Bracket — Round 2 Results
Scotty Nguyen def. Phil Ivey
Gabe Kaplan def. Joe Hachem
Jason Mercier def. Pieter de Korver
Phil Gordon def. Phil Laak
Clubs Bracket — Round 2 Results
Chris Moneymaker def. Leo Wolpert
Erik Seidel (pictured right) def. David Williams
Peter Eastgate def. Erick Lindgren
Jamie Gold def. Stephen Quinn
The first win of the day was scored by Chris Moneymaker when he topped Leo Wolpert. Jamie Gold became the second former world champion to advance to the sweet 16 when he defeated qualifier Stephen Quinn, and Peter Eastgate made it three world champions in a row to advance when he won his match against Erick Lindgren. Joe Hachem was unable to become the fourth when his pocket deuces fell to Gabe Kaplan on a J-8-5-4-9 board.
The next battle to be decided was between Team PokerStars pros Jason Mercier and Pieter de Korver. Mercier came from behind with A-9 to top the A-10 of de Krover thanks to a K-7-4-2-9 board. Scotty Nguyen then defeated Phil Ivey, and in a battle between two other Phils, Laak topped Gordon. In the final match of the session Erik Seidel defeated David Williams.
Hearts Bracket — Round 2 Results
Eli Elezra def. Allen Cunningham
Dennis Phillips def. Chris Ferguson
Doyle Brunson def. Don Cheadle
Annette Obrestad def. Phil Hellmuth
Diamonds Bracket — Round 2 Results
Barry Greenstein def. Sam Farha
Jerry Yang def. Jennifer Harman
Annie Duke (pictured right) def. Darvin Moon
Paul Wasicka def. Gus Hansen
The marquee match of the session was the first one to be decided when Doyle Brunson eliminated Don Cheadle. Dennis Phillips then kept his solid run in the tournament alive by defeating former NBC Heads-Up champion Chris Ferguson. Annette Obrestad defeated Phil Hellmuth next with a queen-high straight. Former world champion Jerry Yang eliminated Jennifer Harman when his Q-10 had her Q-8 dominated preflop.
Annie Duke won her match against Darvin Moon and then Eli Elezra used pocket sixes to knock Allen Cunningham out of the tournament. Barry Greenstein held pocket aces when Sam Farha decided to move all in on a Q-4-2 flop with K-Q in the hole, and after no help came on the turn or river Farha was eliminated. The round of 32 came to a close when Gus Hansen moved all in with K-7 and Paul Wasicka made the call with A-9. The board ran out 9-8-5-10-7 and Hansen busted out of the event.
Sweet 16
NOTE: All players that lost in the sweet 16 finished in a tie for ninth place and they all took home $25,000 in prize money.
Clubs Bracket — Sweet Sixteen
Erik Seidel def. Chris Moneymaker
Peter Eastgate (pictured right) def. Jamie Gold
Spades Bracket — Sweet Sixteen
Scotty Nguyen def. Gabe Kaplan
Jason Mercier def. Phil Laak
Hearts Bracket — Sweet Sixteen
Dennis Phillips def. Eli Elezra
Doyle Brunson def. Annette Obrestad
Diamonds Bracket — Sweet Sixteen
Jerry Yang def. Barry Greenstein
Annie Duke def. Paul Wasicka
In a battle between recent world champions Peter Eastgate defeated Jamie Gold to become the first player to advance to the elite eight. His Q-9 dominated the Q-7 of Gold. Erik Seidel then knocked off Chris Moneymaker with A-Q topping the 10-8 of Moneymaker. NBC Heads-Up rookie Jason Mercier continued his tear through the tournament after that, when his trip fives on the river sent Phil Laak to the rail. Scotty Nguyen then hit running hearts to make a flush and eliminate Gabe Kaplan.
Jerry Yang scored the first win of the last session of play for the evening when he knocked off Barry Greenstein with three queens. The oldest player in the tournament then took out the youngest player in the tournament when Doyle Brunson defeated Annette Obrestad. Eli Elezra was off to the races with K-Q in the hole for his tournament life a little while later and Dennis Phillips had him covered with A-9, which held up to win the hand.
The last match of the day was also one of the most entertaining of the tournament so far. After battling for well over an hour Annie Duke moved all in with A-10 and Paul Wasicka made the call with pocket aces preflop. The board hit the table A-J-2-Q-K and Duke doubled up to take a huge chip lead thanks to the Broadway straight. She eliminated Wasicka a few hands later and claimed the final spot in the elite eight when her 8-5 managed to crack the pocket jacks of the 2007 NBC Heads-Up champion.
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