$20,000 Heads-Up Championship Day 2 | 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship

03-01-2008 10:44 UTC-8

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship - Day 2

The 32 players who survived the opening round of the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship yesterday return to the Caesar's Palace poker room this afternoon to try and win their way into the money round. Bottom line today: win and get paid.

The first group of matches is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. PST. Here's a look at today's second round pairings:

{A-Clubs}

Clubs Bracket {A-Clubs}

:

Jonathan Little
v.
Gabe Kaplan

Greg Raymer
v.
Scott Clements

Mike Matusow
v.
Tom Dwan

Gavin Smith
v.
Chris Ferguson

{A-Spades}

Spades Bracket {A-Spades}

:

Gus Hansen
v.
Scotty Nguyen

Jerry Yang
v.
Phil Laak

Phil Ivey
v.
Johnny Chan

T.J. Cloutier
v.
J.C. Tran

{A-Hearts}

Hearts Bracket {A-Hearts}

:

Vanessa Rousso
v.
Andy Bloch

Scott Fischman
v.
Jamie Gold

Orel Hershiser
v.
Allen Cunningham

Sam Grizzle
v.
Freddy Deeb

{A-Diamonds}

Diamonds Bracket {A-Diamonds}

:

Huck Seed
v.
Brian Townsend

Clonie Gowen
v.
Michael Mizrachi

Barry Greenstein
v.
David Benyamine

Doyle Brunson
v.
Erick Lindgren

Tags: Erick Lindgren

03-01-2008 11:27 UTC-8

"Let's get the cards in the air!"

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The players have taken their seats and have been introduced to the cameras and crowd by tournament host Leeann Tweeden. We're officially underway.

Keep in mind, every player that wins here today is guaranteed at least $25,000.

03-01-2008 11:35 UTC-8

Table Talk

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Leeann Tweeden: "And over on table four we have Sam Grizzle and Freddy Deeb."

Freddy Deeb: "Who's Sam Grizzle?"

Tags: Sam Grizzle

03-01-2008 11:39 UTC-8

Today's Format

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Players in the round of 32 will begin the day with 40,000 in chips. The blinds open at 300-600 and will increase every fifteen minutes. The structure plays very, very fast, so expect to see some big action right out of the gate.

The players in the Hearts and Diamonds brackets will take to the felt first, followed by the Clubs and Spades brackets later on this evening.

03-01-2008 11:45 UTC-8

Which Pressure Cooker Cooks Faster?

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Former Major League Baseball All-Star Orel Hershiser knows how to handle the the big time pressure. In the second game of the 1988 World Series he held the Oakland A's to three hits in a shutout win; a game that included fellow baseball player turned poker player Jose Canseco.

With a formidable poker star facing him in today's round of 32, we will see if he can shut out Allen Cunningham from the money and add another signature to his ball.

Tags: Allen Cunningham Orel Hershiser

03-01-2008 12:03 UTC-8

Benyamine K.O.'s the Bear

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Friends and regulars in the big game, Barry Greenstein and David Benyamine got it all in pre-flop; Greenstein with {A-Clubs}

and Benyamine with pocket tens.

The flop came {Q-Hearts}

bringing no help to Greenstein, who reached for his book ("Ace on the River") and pen, ready to sign and hand it over, essentially conceding defeat to his opponent - a Barry Greenstein tradition.

The turn and river filled out {8-Spades}

,

and Benyamine's tens held up to take down the match, eliminating Greenstein from the competition.

Tags: Barry Greenstein

03-01-2008 12:20 UTC-8

Brian Townsend Needed a Better Seed

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Brian Townsend's tournament came to an end after a check raise from Huck Seed put him all in on a board showing: {10-Diamonds}

. When it was time to table the cards, Seed showed Q-10 offsuit and found himself well ahead of Townsend's {5-Spades}

. The

on the turn was no help to Townsend and the {7-Diamonds}

on the river rounded out two pair for both, leaving Townsend with the short end of it.

With the win, Seed has guaranteed himself at least $25,000 in prize money and a spot in the sweet sixteen. Also of note, Huck's streak of consecutive cashes in this tournament (4) remains in tact.

Tags: Huck Seed

03-01-2008 12:24 UTC-8

Vanessa Rousso Eliminated

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Andy Bloch led out with a bet on the turn and Vanessa Rousso moved all in on the strength of A-10 with the board showing {A-Hearts}

. Bloch made the clal and tabled K-5 for two pair, leaving Rousso drawing to an ace, three or ten to stay alive. A blank on the river closed the door on Vanessa and Bloch's two pair were good enough to send him on to the round of 16.

Tags: Vanessa Rousso

03-01-2008 12:32 UTC-8

Cunningham Straightens Out Hershiser's Curve Ball

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Allen Cunningham has just gone on a heater, winning two very big pots in a span of five minutes to overtake the chip lead from opponent Orel Hershiser.

In the first hand, Cunningham was all in for his tournament life holding {K-Spades}

against Hershiser's {A-Spades}

and flopped a king-high straight to take down the pot. Moments later, the pair were all in again and both produced straights - Cunningham's the higher of the two - earning him a hefty chip lead in the match.

03-01-2008 12:48 UTC-8

Fischman Eliminates Gold

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With the elimination of Jamie Gold, Scott Fischman has tied Huck Seed with four consecutive money finishes in the National Heads-Up Poker Championships. T.J. Cloutier have an opportunity to join their ranks later this afternoon in his match against J.C. Tran.

Fischman and Gold got it all in pre-flop; Scott holding {A-Clubs}

and Gold,

. The board filled out {8-Hearts}

and Scott's ace-high held up to take down the pot, earning him a spot in the round of 16.

Tags: Scott Fischman