Get your tournament brackets ready!  NBC’s 2009 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, the granddaddy of all heads-up poker tournaments, will take place once again at Caesars Palace Las Vegas on March 5-8.  Now in its fifth year, this year’s event will feature an array of many of the greatest poker players in the world along with some celebrities known for their poker-playing prowess and a few amateur qualifiers.  Each will battle for their share of not only the $1.5 million prize pool, but for the recognition and fame that comes with capturing the coveted title.

The NHPC has been an extremely successful venture for NBC over the years and this year’s tournament promises to be no exception as the field is quite possibly the toughest yet assembled.  Last year’s champion, Chris Ferguson, will be there to defend his title and attempt to improve upon the success he has experienced in this event that has seen him win 84% of the matches he has played in over the last four years, compiling an unprecedented record of 16-3.

In all, a total of sixteen players will make their debut in this year’s championship, including two Caesars Palace qualifiers and four others who qualified online.  There will also be five celebrities in the field, four who have played in this event before, and newcomer actor/comedian Brad Garrett.

At the conclusion of the 2008 NHPC, event organizers and NBC executives came up with a list of criteria that would establish automatic qualifiers into this event for the first time ever in 2009.  In all, 18 players received bids to play in this year’s event based on the list found below.

 
Previous four NHPC champions: Chris Ferguson (2008), Paul Wasicka (2007), Ted Forrest (2006), Phil Hellmuth (2005)

Previous two NHPC runners-up: Andy Bloch (2008), Chad Brown (2007)

Defending NHPC semifinalists: Huck Seed, Phil Ivey

Four consecutive years of cashing in the NHPC: Scott Fischman, Huck Seed (2)

Previous three World Series of Poker Main Event champions: Peter Eastgate (2008), Jerry Yang (2007), Jamie Gold (2006)

Multiple WSOP bracelet winners in 2008: John Phan

Defending WSOP Player of the Year: Erick Lindgren

Defending WSOP Heads-Up champion: Kenny Tran

Defending World Series of Poker Europe champion: John Juanda

Reigning World Poker Tour Player of the Year: Jonathan Little

Reigning European Poker Tour Grand Final Monte Carlo champion: Glen Chorny

Reigning Card Player magazine Player of the Year: John Phan (2)

Reigning Bluff magazine Player of the Year: John Phan (3)

The following is a list of all 64 players participating. Player bios and past performance records are now posted on www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/poker. The players listed in bold are playing in their first NHPC:

1. David Benyamine
2. Andy Bloch
3. Chad Brown
4. Doyle Brunson
5. Johnny Chan
6. Don Cheadle
7. Glen Chorny
8. Fred Collins (online qualifier)
9. Allen Cunningham
10. Annie Duke
11. Tom Dwan
12. Peter Eastgate
13. Eli Elezra
14. Antonio Esfandiari
15. Sam Farha
16. Chris Ferguson
17. Scott Fischman
18. Layne Flack
19. Ted Forrest
20. Brad Garrett
21. Blandino Gines (online qualifier)
22. Jamie Gold
23. Clonie Gowen
24. Barry Greenstein
25. Gavin Griffin
26. Bertrand Grospellier
27. Joe Hachem
28. Gus Hansen
29. Jennifer Harman
30. Phil Hellmuth
31. Orel Hershiser
32. Jeffrey Ishbia (Caesars qualifier)
33. Phil Ivey
34. Nicholas Joy (online qualifier)
35. John Juanda
36. Gabe Kaplan
37. Hevad Khan
38. Phil Laak
39. Howard Lederer
40. Erick Lindgren
41. Jonathan Little
42. Mike Matusow
43. Dario Minieri
44. Chris Moneymaker
45. Daniel Negreanu
46. Scotty Nguyen
47. David Pham
48. John Phan
49. Greg Raymer
50. Vanessa Rousso
51. Ilari Sahamies
52. Huck Seed
53. Vanessa Selbst
54. Erik Seidel
55. Mike Sexton
56. Gavin Smith
57. Jennifer Tilly
58. J.C. Tran
59. Kenny Tran
60. Paul Wasicka
61. David Williams
62. Jerry Yang
63. Leon Yanovski (online qualifier)
64. Kenny Yeh (Caesars qualifier)

This tournament also has a strong international flavor, with 17 different countries of origin represented among the 64 players.  And just to underscore the difficulty that each of the players will face in winning six straight matches en route to collecting the $500,000 first place prize, the field has collectively won 14 World Series of Poker Championships, 119 World Series of Poker bracelets, 27 WPT open titles, and amassed more than $286 million in live tournament winnings!

The 2009 National Heads-Up Poker Championship kicks off with a drawing party on the evening of March 5 at the Pure Nightclub located inside Caesars Palace.  Opening round play begins March 6, and will continue for three days until the 2009 champion is crowned.  NBC will air twelve hours of coverage on six consecutive Sundays beginning on April 12.  Craig Hummer joins Ali Nejad this year to provide commentary, while Leeann Tweeden will again serve as the host and sideline reporter.  Check your local listings for the exact times in your area.

Dennis Oehring serves as the Public Relations Coordinator for the firm POKER PROductions.