March 2008 Archives
At one point during the 4th season of High Stakes Poker, Phil Hellmuth gleefully commented to the other players that they were playing in a jam-up game, and Jamie Gold immediately agreed. The reason was because the action was loose, chips were flying, and the players were gambling. While neither Hellmuth nor Gold is playing in this week’s match on Poker After Dark, viewers can expect similar action, as the 6 players participating all know a thing or two about playing aggressively and/or not being afraid to move chips, and as such this promises to be one of the most talked about matches of the season.
Chris "Jesus" Ferguson rallied from one game down to win NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship over Andy Bloch.
Ferguson takes home $500,000 and now has $1 million in earnings at Heads-Up as he finished second in both 2005 and 2006.
Bloch receives $250,000 for second place.
After falling in the first game, Chris Ferguson was short stacked for most of the second game before winning all three all-ins and winning Game 2.
The finals match is now tied at 1-1 with the winner of the next game becoming champion.
Andy Bloch took the first match of the best of three final against Chris Ferguson.
The second match will be starting in 10 minutes.
Andy Bloch, who made the Round of 8 last year, is headed to this year's final after defeated Huck Seed.
In the Championship he'll face Chris Ferguson, starting at 6:30 p.m. PT.
Chris "Jesus" Ferguson defeated Phil Ivey in the semifinals as his pocket eights held up.
This will be the third time in the four years of the Heads-Up Championship that Ferguson has made the finals.
He'll face the winner of Huck Seed and Andy Bloch.
The Heads-Up Championship Semifinals began at 4:30 PT. Here are the matchups.
Andy Bloch vs. Huck Seed
Bloch made it to the Quarterfinals last year, while Seed was a semifinalist in 2006.
Chris Ferguson vs. Phil Ivey
Ferguson was a finalist in both 2005 and 2006, while Ivey lost in the first round his three previous appearances.
In a star-studded quarterfinal matchup, Phil Ivey took down Gus Hansen to move into the Semifinals.
Ivey is coming off his first WPT win as he won the L.A. Poker Classic in which he won $1.6 million.
In the Semis he'll take on Chris "Jesus Ferguson in his final four matchup.
In a star-studded quarterfinal matchup, Phil Ivey took down Gus Hansen to move into the Semifinals.
Ivey will take on Chris "Jesus Ferguson in his final four matchup.
Chris "Jesus" Ferguson defeated Jonathan Little as his pocket nines held up on the all-in call.
Ferguson will play the winner of the Gus Hansen - Phil Ivey matchup.
It's halfway through the Quarterfinals and a matchup of two of poker's most popular players is about to take place.
Phil Ivey takes on the Great Dane, Gus Hansen as they play for a spot in the Semifinals.
The winner will take on the winner of Jonathan Little and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson.
Andy Bloch defeated former Cy Young winner Orel Hershiser in the Quarterfinals.
Hershiser's impressive run consisted of wins over Ted Forrest, Allen Cunningham and Freddy Deeb.
Bloch will now face Huck Seed in the Semifinals.
Huck Seed's full house ousted David Benyamine in the Quarterfinals.
Seed will face the winner of Andy Bloch and Orel Hershiser in the Semifinals later today.
Today's matchups begin with the Hearts and Diamonds finals at 11 PT.
Hearts bracket final
Andy Bloch vs. Orel Hershiser
Diamonds bracket final
Huck Seed vs. David Benyamine
Chris "Jesus" Ferguson was able to stop Mike Matusow in the Round of 16.
Ferguson will now face Jonathan Little in the Quarterfinals.
Gus Hansen was finally able to put away Phil Laak in the third round of the Spades bracket.
Hansen will now take on Phil Ivey in the Quarterfinals.
Jonathan Little continued his impressive run in the Clubs bracket as he defeated Greg Raymer in the Round of 16.
Little will now face the winner of Mike Matusow and Chris Ferguson in the Quarterfinals.
Phil Ivey defeated J.C. Tran after pulling a king on the turn as his kings up ousted Tran's queens up.
Ivey will now play the winner of Gus Hansen and Phil Laak in the Quarterfinals.
With half the Quarterfinalists in the books, now the other half of the draw plays in the Round of 16.
Clubs bracket matches
Jonathan Little vs. Greg Raymer
Mike Matusow vs. Chris Ferguson
Spades bracket matches
Gus Hansen vs. Phil Laak
Phil Ivey vs. J.C. Tran
David Benyamine's pocket jacks held on as he defeated Doyle Brunson in the Round of 16.
Benyamine will face Huck Seed in the Quarterfinals.
Former Cy Young award winner Orel Hershiser continued his impressive run as he defeated Freddy Deeb in the Round of 16.
Also in the Hearts bracket, Andy Bloch defeated Scott Fischman.
Hershiser will face Bloch in the Quarterfinals.
Huck Seed became the first player to advance to the Quarterfinals as he defeated Michael Mizrachi.
Seed will face the winner of David Benyamine and Doyle Brunson in the Diamonds bracket final.
The final 16 players will start facing off at 5:00 PT. To start it will be the Hearts and Diamonds brackets playing.
Hearts bracket matchups
Andy Bloch vs. Scott Fischman
Orel Hershiser vs. Freddy Deeb
Diamonds bracket matchups
Huck Seed vs. Michael Mizrachi
David Benyamine vs. Doyle Brunson
Greg Raymer defeated Scott Clements in the second round of the Clubs bracket and now the final 16 players are set.
Raymer will take out Jonathan Little in the third round.
In more second round action, Mike Matusow took down internet star Tom Dwan, Gus Hansen defeated Scotty Nguyen and Phil Laak outlasted Jerry Yang.
In the Round of 16, Matusow now takes on Chris Ferguson while Hansen will face Laak.
Matches are ending quickly in the second round as J.C. Tran took out T.J. Cloutier, Chris Ferguson beat Gavin Smith and Jonathan Little defeated Gabe Kaplan.
In the Round of 16, Tran will face Phil Ivey, Ferguson takes on the winner of Mike Matusow and Tom Dwan and Little will face the winner of Greg Raymer and Scott Clements.
Two of poker's greatest players matched up in the second rounnd of the Spades bracket and Phil Ivey defeated Johnny Chan.
Ivey will face the winner of J.C. Tran and T.J. Cloutier in the third round.
About to get under way are the remaining two brackets of the Round of 32.
Clubs bracket matches
Jonathan Little vs. Gabe Kaplan
Greg Raymer vs. Scott Clements
Mike Matusow vs. Tom Dwan
Gavin Smith vs. Chris Ferguson
Spades bracket matches
Gus Hansen vs. Scotty Nguyen
Jerry Yang vs. Phil Laak
Phil Ivey vs. Johnny Chan
T.J. Cloutier vs. J.C. Tran
Baseball's legendary pitcher Orel Hershiser defeated poker great Allen Cunningham in the Round of 32 in the Hearts bracket.
Hershiser will now face Freddy Deeb in the third round.
Michael Mizrachi came back to beat Clonie Gowen in the second round of the Diamonds bracket.
In the Round of 16 Mizrachi will face Huck Seed.
Poker legend Doyle Brunson advanced to the Round of 16 as he defeated Erick Lindgren in the Diamonds bracket.
Brunson will now play David Benyamine in the third round.
Scott Fischman defeated Jamie Gold in the Round of 32 in the Hearts bracket.
Fischman will play Andy Bloch in the third round.
Andy Bloch advanced to the Round of 16 as he defeated Vanessa Rousso in the Hearts bracket.
Bloch will now face the winner of Jamie Gold and Scott Fischman.
Huck Seed advances to the third round after defeating Brian Townsend.
Seed, playing in the Diamonds bracket, will play the winner of Michael Mizrachi and Clonie Gowen.
David Benyamine is the first player to advance to the Round of 16 as he defeated Barry Greenstein.
Benyamine is in the Diamonds bracket and will face the winner of Erick Lindgren and Doyle Brunson.
Second round matchups of the Hearts and Diamonds brackets will begin at 11:30 PT today.
Hearts matchups
Vanessa Rousso vs. Andy Bloch
Scott Fischman vs. Jamie Gold
Orel Hershiser vs. Allen Cunningham
Sam Grizzle vs. Freddy Deeb
Diamonds matchups
Huck Seed vs. Brian Townsend
Clonie Gowen vs. Michael Mizrachi
Barry Greenstein vs. David Benyamine
Doyle Brunson vs. Erick Lindgren
T.J. Cloutier defeated Daniel Schreiber in the Spades bracket to end the first round of play.
Round of 32 matches for this bracket will be:
Gus Hansen vs. Scotty Nguyen
Jerry Yang vs. Phil Laak
Phil Ivey vs. Johnny Chan
T.J. Cloutier vs. J.C. Tran
It wasn't easy but Phil Ivey defeated online qualifier Alisha Kunze to advance to the Round of 32 in their Spades bracket matchup.
Ivey will face Johnny Chan in the second round.
About this blog
NBC Sports breaks down the biggest news, bluffs, table talk and more during Poker After Dark and the Heads-Up Championship.