Stephanie Moore / © NBC Universal, Inc.

Note: This is an encore presentation of Weeks 64-65

What do you get when you bring together two of poker’s top cash game superstars, a well-known wise-cracking poker commentator, a semiprofessional veteran of televised poker with an Israeli accent, a fearless and aggressive amateur, and a former pool player now known for some of the best one-liners ever heard on the felt? That’s easy. You get one of the best cash games on television that you’ll ever see.

“The Cash Game” returns to NBC’s Poker After Dark for the next two weeks with an incredible lineup of players best known for their cash game skills. Those participating are Tom “durrrr” Dwan, Patrik Antonius, Gabe Kaplan, Eli Elezra, Alan Meltzer, and David “Viffer” Peat. Phil Laak will also make an appearance during the second week.

The minimum buy-in for this game is $150,000 and the blinds will be $300/$600 with a $100 ante. The game, however, will play much higher because of the frequent use of straddles that the players will employ, resulting in action that in many hands will have viewers on the edge of their seats.

As is customary on Poker After Dark cash games, the players will draw for seats to begin play, but midway through the session they will redraw for seats so that viewers see them in different seating positions for one week than for the other. This has the potential to create an entirely different dynamic at the table midway into the game depending on who is sitting on a player’s left or right.

With the exception of Meltzer, all of these players have appeared in Poker After Dark cash games before. This will be the fifth cash game appearance for Dwan, the fourth for Antonius, Peat, and Elezra, the third for Kaplan, and the second for Laak. And judging by what will take place over the next two weeks, it’s a safe bet that these fan favorites will have viewers clamoring for more appearances by these players in the future.

Brief profiles of all seven players follow. The match will begin airing on NBC late night Monday at 2:05 a.m., February 21, and will continue for five consecutive nights in the same time slot. A special program called the “Director’s Cut” will air late night Saturday, February 26, at 1:00 a.m., right after Saturday Night Live. This show will feature Leeann Tweeden with a behind-the-scenes look at the week with highlights and insightful player interviews and analyses. The game will resume the following week in the same time slots. Check your local listings for the exact times in your area. Viewers can also watch the action at www.nbcsports/msnbc.com/poker.

Action begins right out of the gate with a huge hand taking place early that sets the tone for what viewers can expect over the next two weeks. A couple of the players go on early heaters, but whether they can sustain their hot streaks throughout the course of the game should be one of the main reasons that viewers will want to tune in. Two of the players in particular are involved in an above average number of tension-filled pots, and it is only fitting that they will ultimately clash in a hand which results in the biggest pot ever awarded in Poker After Dark history. In all, this game is must-see television for poker fans around the world, and you won’t want to miss it.

Elezra, Eli: (Seat 1)
· A native of Israel, he served in the Israeli army in a commando unit similar to the Green Berets in the United States
· Won his first World Series bracelet in 2007 in 7-card stud hi/lo, and also owns one WPT title
· Lifetime live tournament winnings in excess of $1.98 million
· Highly successful Las Vegas businessman and entrepreneur who owns several retail establishments on the Las Vegas Strip
· Frequent player in the “Big Game” at Bellagio, but considers poker just a hobby

Antonius, Patrik: (Seat 2)
· Former male model and tennis player and a native of Helsinki, Finland now living in Monte Carlo, but also has a home in Las Vegas
· Considered one of the best short-handed high-stakes cash game players in the world, whether live or online, and is a fan favorite in the online community
· Lifetime live tournament winnings in excess of $3.26 million, and ranks 2nd on Finland’s all-time money list
· Cool, calm, and calculating at the tables, with a propensity to never go on tilt
· Has appeared on Seasons 3, 4, 5, and 6 of High Stakes Poker

Meltzer, Alan: (Seat 3)
· Successful entrepreneur and high-stakes amateur player from Manhattan who once sold pretzels on the street in Brooklyn
· Is president of Wind-up Records, the largest independent recording label in the United States which is distributed by Sony/BMG worldwide
· Began playing poker online for small stakes, and credits once beating Johnny Chan out of $30,000 in a $25/$50 NLHE game at the Commerce for fueling his interest in playing for higher stakes
· Often plays in high-stakes cash games with hedge fund managers in New York, the high-stakes crowd in Hollywood, and in Bobby’s Room at Bellagio
· Founded the first compact disc distributorship in 1984, and was once name Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young in Southern New England

Kaplan, Gabe: (Seat 4)
· Long time actor and comedian best remembered for his role in the 1970’s hit television sitcom Welcome Back Kotter
· Proficient in many games, and has played poker for more than 30 years
· Career live tournament winnings in excess of $1.73 million
· In 1980, challenged 1978 World Champion Bobby Baldwin and 1979 World Champion Hal Fowler to $200,000 heads-up freezeouts, and defeated them both
· Oft-seen analyst on several poker television programs and highly regarded for his knowledge of the game and the humor he infuses into his commentary

Peat, David: (Seat 5)
· Nicknamed “Viffer” and has been a professional poker player since moving to Las Vegas from Ohio in the early 2000s
· Primarily a high-stakes no-limit cash game player, playing as high as $400/$800, and likes to play a lot of hands
· Plays very few tournaments, though he does have in excess of $277,000 in career live tournament winnings
· Enjoys clubbing, shooting pool, dating, and partying with friends when not playing poker, and once played pool for a living
· Known on occasion for his rather unusual hair styles

Dwan, Tom: (Seat 6)
· Nicknamed “durrrr” and a living legend in the online poker community
· Primarily a short-handed or heads-up high-stakes cash game player with remarkable success despite his young age, and is considered one of poker’s premier cash game players
· Live career tournament winnings in excess of $1.58 million
· Appeared on Seasons 5 and 6 of High Stakes Poker, where he has dazzled pros and fans alike with his aggressive play, having six straight winning sessions
· Is wrapping up his $1 million heads-up challenge against Patrik Antonius, where he has a commanding lead with about 10,000 of the 50,000 hands left to play, and is also involved in another challenge with Daniel “Jungleman12” Cates

Laak, Phil:
· Nicknamed “The Unabomber” for the trademark hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses he usually wears
· Holder of one WPT invitational title, and won his first WSOP bracelet in London in the 2010 WSOPE 6-handed NLHE event
· Career live tournament winnings in excess of $2.32 million
· May be the man mostly responsible for "hoodies" becoming popular apparel among poker players
· Broke the Guinness World’s Record for endurance in June 2010, playing $10/$20 at the Bellagio for a total of 115 hours straight, with half of his $6766 winnings going to Camp Sunshine, a Maine organization that runs summer camps for children with terminal diseases

Dennis Oehring serves as the Public Relations Coordinator for the firm POKER PROductions.  Statistics courtesy of The Hendon Mob database.  Photo courtesy of Stephanie Moore.