A clash of the titans took center stage on Sunday’s NBC coverage of the 2010 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, as industry veterans Phil Hellmuth and Howard Lederer met in a match for the ages.
The first hour of coverage featured opening round action from the Hearts bracket with Hellmuth and Lederer taking center stage. Hellmuth’s 9-3 National Heads-Up Championship record greatly outpaced Lederer’s 1-5 mark, adding even more fuel to the fire. Each player began with 20,000 in chips and, despite the two tight poker pros facing off, the feature match was over quickly. Hellmuth raised to 1,100 pre-flop with A-K of hearts and Lederer made it 3,300 with pocket tens. Hellmuth moved all-in and Lederer called for his tournament life.
Hellmuth asked if Lederer had sevens, but the race was on with tens. Hellmuth flopped one king and spiked another one on the river, sending Lederer to the sidelines. Hellmuth advanced to the second round and the pairing was the first to complete their match. Hellmuth notched his 10th National Heads-Up Poker Championship victory, while Lederer fell to 1-6.
Elsewhere in the Caesars Palace tournament room, online qualifier Annette Dworski doubled up Full Tilt Poker pro Chris Ferguson with Q-10 against Ferguson’s pocket queens. Ferguson scooped the pot of 37,900, or 95% of the chips in play. Dworski later committed her chips with J-9, but could not draw out on Ferguson’s Q-3.
Meanwhile, 10-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Doyle Brunson made quick work of Brock “t soprano” Parker. The latter was all-in with pocket eights against Brunson’s A-Q of diamonds. Brunson flopped a queen and never looked back, advancing to the round of 32. Others who advanced to the second round included Eli Elezra, Allen Cunningham, Dennis Phillips, and Ante Up for Africa co-founder Don Cheadle.
Betfair pro Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad squared off against baseball legend Orel Hershiser. In their final hand, Hershiser moved all-in from the big blind with 10-9 of diamonds for 15,000 and Obrestad called with K-Q. National Heads-Up Poker Championship announcer Ali Nejad was surprised to see Hershiser’s aggressive move: “I’m shocked at this play by Orel. This is what I’d expect from a guy who thinks he has to get lucky to win and I don’t consider Hershiser that guy.” Obrestad hit a queen on the river to send Hershiser out and collect a trademark autographed baseball.
The second episode featured a half-hour of coverage dedicated to the Clubs bracket. The feature table hosted recent World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship winner David Williams and 2009 WSOP Main Event champ Joe Cada. However, a side table with Patrik Antonius battling Chris Moneymaker was the talk of the room early. Antonius was all-in with 10-5 of hearts against Moneymaker’s pocket fives on a flop of 6-7-5. The turn and river came a four and six, respectively, sending Antonius back to Monaco.
Jamie Gold advanced after besting Italian poker sensation Dario Minieri. The latter’s tournament life hung in the balance with pocket deuces against Gold’s pocket sevens. Gold’s mom even came over to root her son on and the board ran out 6-9-4-8-6. Also moving on was Williams, who came out on the winning end of a race against Cada with pocket sevens. Cada’s A-J failed to improve and he was sent home in his first National Heads-Up Poker Championship appearance.
Also punching his ticket to the round of 32 in the Clubs bracket was Erik Seidel, who recorded his first win in the Heads-Up series at the expense of reigning champion Huck Seed. Fan favorite Erick Lindgren ousted NBC qualifier Dan Ramirez with A-K against queens, while reigning WSOP Heads-Up champion Leo Wolpert outlasted UB.com pro and 2010 WPT Championship runner-up Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin.
The final 30 minutes of coverage on Sunday was dedicated to the Diamonds bracket, which had a final table featuring Sammy Farha and Antonio Esfandiari. While the two talkative pros battled it out, qualifier Andrew Wilson fell to 2007 National Heads-Up Poker Championship winner Paul Wasicka. Back at the feature table, Esfandiari was all-in with A-5 against Farha’s A-10 of hearts. Both players flopped an ace, but no help came for Esfandiari and he was quickly sent packing.
Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Annie Duke spiked a two-outer on the river to send Andy Bloch home. Across the room, Barry Greenstein eliminated Go Daddy Girl Vanessa Rousso, who had broken her foot earlier in the day, after his J-8 of diamonds bested Rousso’s K-6. Mike Matusow fell to Jerry Yang, while Jennifer Tilly became the fifth Canadian to hit the rails in the opening round. Jennifer Harman held Q-5 and called Tilly’s all-in with 3-2 on a flop of 5-4-4. An eight and three came on the turn and river, respectively, and Harman won the “Battle of the Jennifers.”
The round of 32 will air this Sunday, May 2nd, at Noon ET on NBC.