National Heads-Up Poker Championship Continues Sunday on NBC

On Sunday at Noon ET, the 2011 National Heads-Up Poker Championship will continue airing on NBC. The series, which is sponsored by GoDaddy and features Craig Hummer and Ali Nejad on the call, continued to feature PokerStars ads during commercial breaks last week despite the indictment of the site’s founder Isai Scheinberg on April 15th.

Last week’s one-hour episode featured action from the round of 64 in the hearts bracket, with one of the highlights being PokerStars pro David Williams facing off against the NFL’s all-time rushing leader, Emmitt Smith. The former running back told National Heads-Up Poker Championship floor reporter Leeann Tweeden, “I’m just here trying to compete.”

Each player began with 25,000 in chips and the blinds kicked off at 150-300. Williams originally sported a Cowboys jersey in honor of Smith, but later ditched it for a Charlie Sheen shirt. Then, the 2010 NFL Hall of Fame inductee dropped a pot worth 9,000 after raising pre-flop with 7-2 suited.

Vanessa Rousso, the field’s GoDaddy ambassador, was all-in with J-8 on a flop of 3-10-J for top pair against Michael Mizrachi, who held Q-J and had her out-kicked. The board filled out 2-K and Rousso was the first elimination of the day in the hearts bracket.

At the feature table, Daniel Negreanu 3bet all-in on a flop of 4-5-6 with 9-6 for top pair. However, Phil Laak had him trumped with pocket fives for a set and, upon seeing Laak’s hand, Negreanu told the crowd, “I’m out.” The turn was a deuce and the river was a 10, sending Negranu away. Laak has an impressive 6-0 first round record in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

PartyPoker pro Kara Scott was the victim of a straight on the river to exit stage right courtesy of Andrew “good2cu” Robl. Scott got her money in with J-10 pre-flop against Robl’s 10-8, but the board ran out 7-9-K-9-J to given Robl the miracle straight and punch his ticket to the second round.

2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Player of the Year Frank Kassela headed for the rail after pushing with 10-2 on a flop of J-J-10 with two diamonds against WSOP Europe Main Event champ James Bord, who showed 8-6 of the suit for a flush draw. The ace of clubs on the turn kept Kassela ahead, but the three of diamonds on the river ended his title hopes and gave Bord a flush.

Elsewhere in the makeshift Caesars Palace poker room, Full Tilt Poker pro Gus Hansen committed his chips with 9-8 on a flop of K-6-8 for middle pair. However, fellow Full Tilt pro Gavin Smith had him beat with K-3, which held when a jack and a deuce filled out the board.

While the battle between Williams and Smith waged on, 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth was all-in pre-flop with ducks against David Benyamine’s A-4. Benyamine found an ace and a four on the flop and there was no set to come for Hellmuth, who was poised for a rematch with Tom “durrrr” Dwan if both had advanced out of the first round.

Speaking of Dwan, he had actor Don Cheadle all-in before the flop with K-2 and held A-J of diamonds. The better hand stood strong and Cheadle was cast away in the first round, setting up a second round confrontation between Dwan and Benyamine.

To round out the action, Williams was all-in on a board of 2-6-9-5 with 10-9 for top pair against Smith, who held Q-6. Sure enough, Smith’s five-outer hit on the river and Nejad exclaimed, “What just happened?” Smith signed Williams’ Cowboys jersey and that was all she wrote for the kickoff episode of the 2011 National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

Two hours of coverage will be shown on Sunday on NBC beginning at Noon ET. Doyle Brunson against Jennifer Tilly and “Seinfeld” actor Jason Alexander against Liv Boeree are just two of the matches you can look forward to. Check your local listings for more details.