2010 NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship

$20,000 Heads-up Championship
Day: 3
Event Info

2010 NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
99
Prize
$500,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$20,000
Prize Pool
$1,280,000
Entries
64

$20,000 Heads-up Championship

Day 3 Completed

Congratulations to Annie Duke, 2010 National Heads-Up Champion! ($500,000)

Annie Duke didn't have an easy road to the winner's circle of the 2010 National Heads-Up Championship.

Over the past two days, she was involved in some of the longest, most dramatic matches we've seen before finally fighting her way to victory over a very tough opponent in Erik Seidel.

Duke started out the first round by beating her good friend Andy Bloch. She bested Darvin Moon in the Round of 32 before playing an epic match against 2007 NBC Heads-Up Champion Paul Wasicka in the Round of 16. In that match, Duke was all in and at risk of elimination with ace-ten against Wasicka's pocket aces and rivered a straight.

Today she started by playing a marathon match against Jerry Yang where Yang doubled up against her on numerous occasions before finally running out of luck in the quarterfinal round. The semi-final match against Dennis Phillips wasn't any easier.

Then, Duke played three more long matches against her good friend Seidel who, after never making it out of the first round in his previous five appearances, didn't offer any quarter at the final table.

After the match, two centurions escorted Caesar and Cleopatra into the tournament room to present Duke with the winner's trophy and $500,000 in first-place prize money. Seidel graciously stood by her side, $250,000 richer himself.

That concludes our coverage of the 2010 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. We hope you've enjoyed it.

Erik Seidel Eliminated ($250,000)

Erik Seidel - eliminated
Erik Seidel - eliminated
Erik Seidel had his shot in the rubber match of this best-of-three final. When he lost a big all in with ace-king against Annie Duke's queen-nine, it seemed that the momentum was in Duke's favor.

Seidel moved all in pre-flop with {A-Hearts} {2-Clubs}. Duke made an easy call with {9-Spades} {9-Hearts}. Victory was that much closer for Duke after a great flop of {8-Hearts} {6-Hearts} {7-Clubs}. Some in the gallery thought the {5-Diamonds} turn, which gave Duke a straight, ended the tournament. But Seidel still had two outs to chop the hand -- the remaining two nines.

Once the river fell {8-Spades}, it was truly over. Erik Seidel was eliminated in second place.

Tags: Annie DukeErik Seidel

Duke Takes a Big Lead

Annie Duke
Annie Duke
Erik Seidel made it 80,000 to go preflop and Annie Duke raised all in. Erik called and showed {A-Diamonds}{K-Diamonds}, putting Duke's {Q-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds} at a huge disadvantage.

It didn't matter though as the flop fell {Q-Clubs}{4-Clubs}{10-Clubs}, giving Duke a pair. The {9-Spades} on the turn gave her two pair and the {9-Hearts} on the river improved her hand even more.

She now has roughly a 3-1 lead over Seidel.

Big Swings Now

With blinds at 15,000 and 30,000, the swings now are getting silly. Annie Duke shoved pre-flop twice and got no action (adding 45,000 to her stack), then shoved after Erik Seidel opened for 80,000. Seidel folded.

Those 125,000 chips have trimmed Seidel's lead back down to about 8-to-5.

Seidel Closing In On Victory

Erik Seidel keeps stretching his lead. It's up to 3-to-1 now. He and Annie Duke both checked a {7-Clubs} {8-Diamonds} {3-Spades} flop. The turn {A-Diamonds} was a potential action card. Duke bet 80,000 and Seidel called.

The river fell {Q-Clubs}. Duke checked, then surrendered her hand to a bet of 100,000 from Seidel.

Immediately following this hand blinds went up to 15,000 and 30,000. Duke appears to have approximately 350,000.

Seidel Starts Widening the Gap

The last several pots have all gone to Erik Seidel, allowing him to open what looks like an approximately 2-to-1 chip lead over Annie Duke. Duke bet 55,000 on a flop of {9-Clubs} {5-Spades} {A-Hearts}, with Seidel check-calling. When the turn fell {5-Hearts}, Seidel led out with a bet of 100,000. Duke quickly mucked her hand.

Tags: Annie DukeErik Seidel

A Big Flop Leads to a Dud Hand

Erik Seidel raised to 50,000 from the button and Annie Duke made the call, bringing us a flop of {7-Clubs}{A-Spades}{A-Diamonds}.

Both players checked, bringing the {A-Hearts} on the turn and a bet of 50,000 from Duke. Seidel called and both players checked the {10-Spades} on the river. We never saw their hands, but the pot was chopped as both Duke and Seidel held 7s for aces full.

Their chip stacks still remain relatively close, with Seidel holding a small lead.

Tight Contest

Twenty-five minutes into the match and finally the producers have allowed MOC Jordan Siegel onto the stage. The first hand he announced started with a raise to 25,000 by Erik Seidel. Annie Duke called.

Duke led out for 25,000 on a flop of {9-Diamonds} {4-Hearts} {J-Clubs}. Seidel called. Both players checked the {4-Clubs} turn. Duke checked again when the river came a third club, {10-Clubs}, then folded to a bet of 50,000.

The match is very close. Seidel might have a small lead.

Tags: Annie DukeErik Seidel

Duke With a Small Lead

About 10 minutes into our final match, it appears that Annie Duke has taken a small lead over Erik Seidel.

Again, as has become the norm, neither player has been willing to build a big pot in the early going and both are instead happy to take down the blinds or to win small pots without much resistance.