Poker players are getting a heads-up about the qualifying criteria for one of the most popular and prestigious one-on-one poker tournaments around.
The selection committee that determines which players are invited to NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship has determined some standards by which several players will earn automatic berths into the tournament. Recent success in major tournaments, including the World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour and the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, weighs heavily into the criteria.
The new guidelines will be used starting next year; the 2009 National Heads-Up Poker Championship will mark the event's fifth year. The 2008 tournament was won by two-time runner-up Chris Ferguson and currently is airing Sundays on NBC. Previous champions include 2007 winner Paul Wasicka, Ted Forrest (2006) and Phil Hellmuth Jr. (2005).
This year's field featured 11 world champions, six WPT players of the year and a total of 112 WSOP bracelets combined from the participants. The Heads-Up Championship qualifying criteria guarantees similarly strong fields for years to come.
Players who meet the following guidelines automatically earn a seat in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship:
● Previous five (5) National Heads-Up Poker Champions;
● Previous two (2) National Heads-Up runners-up;
● Previous year's National Heads-Up semifinalists;
● Any player who cashes in the past four consecutive years of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship;
● Previous three (3) World Series of Poker Main Event champions;
● Reigning World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up;
● Beginning with the 2008 WSOP, multiple bracelet winners in the same year will receive an automatic invitation;
● Defending World Series of Poker Player of the Year;
● Defending World Series of Poker Heads-Up Champion;
● Defending World Series of Poker Europe Main Event Champion (must be 21 or older);
● Reigning World Poker Tour Player of the Year;
● Reigning Monte Carlo European Poker Tour Grand Final Champion (must be 21 or older);
● Reigning Card Player Magazine Player of the Year;
● Reigning BLUFF Magazine Player of the Year;
● Reigning All In Magazine Player of the Year;
● Online and NBC qualifiers;
● Host venue qualifiers (two).
The new format awards 27 guaranteed seats into the event, a number that could increase or decrease depending on whether any player qualifies in more than one category, and the number of players who win multiple bracelets at the WSOP.
Players who earn an automatic bid must still buy in to the tournament ($20,000), unless they win a seat through a qualifier. The National Heads-Up Poker Championship committee reserves the right to change policies at its discretion.
The 2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championship will continue to air Sundays May 4-18 on NBC. The May 18 show will be a three-hour finale.
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