2009 National Heads-Up Poker Championship
Watch the world's greatest players for six straight Sundays on NBC
Get to know poker's best |
Want to know more about the players competing in both Poker After Dark and NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship? Check out the bios of all the players including Phil Ivey and Johnny Chan. |
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 | Heads-Up Poker's host A look at Leeann Tweeden, host of NBC's Poker After Dark and Heads-Up Championship. |
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Broadcast schedule: Saturdays on NBC · November 14, 2009 – 3:00pm ET |
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 | Celebs ante up for charity Hollywood stars play against the best in poker during a special event at the World Series of Poker. NBCSports.com |
Get to know poker's best |
Want to know more about the players competing in both Poker After Dark and NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship? Check out the bios of all the players including Phil Ivey and Johnny Chan. |
| INTERACTIVE |
| Get to know Leeann A look at Leeann Tweeden, host of NBC's Poker After Dark and Heads-Up Poker Championship. |
| Slideshow |
 |
NBC presents the ultimate big-stakes poker showdown – the National Heads-Up Poker Championship from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas Sunday at Noon ET as 64 players vie for the title of poker's best one-on-one player. The National Heads-Up Poker Championship presented by GoDaddy.com features a $1.5 million purse and will air on six consecutive Sundays at Noon ET (check local listings for other time zones).
The 2009 National Heads-Up Poker Championship will feature the most impressive field ever assembled for this event. The 64 player field includes 12 WSOP Main Event champions, 113 combined WSOP bracelet winners and all six previous WPT Players of the Year. The field has live tournament winnings of over $282 million, including nine of the top ten all-time tournament money winners. Poker Hall of Famers Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth and Johnny Chan, defending National Heads-Up Poker champion Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, 2003 WSOP Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker, 5-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey, 2007 National Heads-Up Poker champion Paul Wasicka and 4-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu are among the competitors.
"The National Heads-Up Poker Championship has become the tournament that you want to get invited to," said Negreanu. "It's always an elite field, and it's always special. To win this tournament is a feather in your cap."
Six female players are competing including actress Jennifer Tilly (The Fabulous Baker Boys) and Celebrity Apprentice 2 contestant Annie Duke. Other noteworthy participants are 1988 World Series MVP Orel Hershiser and actor Don Cheadle (Ocean's Thirteen, Hotel Rwanda).
"I love being in this setting, and I love playing in this tournament," said Cheadle. "It's an elite group, and to be among them, it's a lot of fun."
This Sunday's episode highlights classic match-ups: Daniel Negreanu battles Chris Moneymaker, poker analyst Mike Sexton faces off with 2005 National Heads-Up Poker Champion Phil Hellmuth and reigning champion Chris Ferguson takes on Welcome Back Kotter's Gabe Kaplan.
NBC's television coverage
April 12: Noon - 2PM ET/Check local listings for PT
April 19: Noon - 1PM ET/Check local listings for PT
April 26: Noon - 2PM ET/Check local listings for PT
May 3: Noon - 2PM ET/Check local listings for PT
May 10: Noon - 2PM ET/Check local listings for PT
May 17: Noon - 3PM ET/Check local listings for PT
Complete prize purse breakdown
Places 9-16: $25,000
Places 5-8: $75,000
Places 3-4: $125,000
2nd place: $250,000
1st place: $500,000
Total purse: $1,500,000
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