$20,000 Heads-up Championship | 2010 NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship

03-07-2010 10:22 UTC-12

Break Time

[user108095]

The Quarterfinals are complete and we're on a break before the start of the Semis when Annie Duke will return to play Dennis Phillips and Erik Seidel will take on Scotty Nguyen.

Action is scheduled to resume at 4pm pst, but we may be back earlier.

03-07-2010 10:21 UTC-12

Jerry Yang Eliminated ($75,000)

[user75032]

At the end, Jerry Yang seemed to have used up all his run-good. He was all in pre-flop as the short stack again. Annie Duke called with {A-Hearts}

, the better hand to Yang's {J-Diamonds}

.

At some point Duke figured to win one of these confrontations. This was the one. Each player paired the flop, {J-Clubs}

. But this time Yang didn't hit any additional cards, as the turn and river came {10-Spades}

and

.

Yang will leave the tournament $75,000 richer. Duke will return for a semi-final match against Dennis Phillips.

"You didn't make it easy for me," said Duke as she gave Yang a hug.

Tags: Annie Duke Jerry Yang

03-07-2010 10:15 UTC-12

Duke Drowned on the River

[user108095]

Annie Duke moved her stack all in preflop and got the call she wanted from Jerry Yang who showed {A-Clubs}

, putting him way behind her {A-Spades}

.

Duke held the lead on a flop of {j-Spades}

but Yang found a way to chop when the {j-Clubs}

appeared on the turn. Duke looked pained before the river, and for good reason, as Yang caught a miracle card - the {4-Spades}

and doubled up.

03-07-2010 09:59 UTC-12

Yang Ducks All Duke's Outs Again

[user75032]

Annie Duke has played some thrilling matches in this tournament. Another one is developing here in the quarterfinals.

Once again, Duke had Jerry Yang on the ropes. Yang opened all in. After getting a count, Duke called with {J-Hearts}

. She was trying to out-race Yang's {3-Hearts}

.

A flop of {4-Hearts}

brought Duke a boat-load of outs but kept Yang's pocket treys in the lead. Somehow, Yang faded every card he needed to fade with a turn {10-Clubs}

and river

.

That double-up didn't restore Yang to the chip lead, but he now has a stack that could hurt Duke if she doubles him up again.

Tags: Annie Duke Jerry Yang

03-07-2010 09:52 UTC-12

Yang Avoids Elimination

[user108095]

Annie Duke raised from the button and Jerry Yang called, putting himself at risk in his match. Duke turned over {k-Clubs}

while Yang held live cards with the {3-Diamonds}

.

Both players liked the flop as Duke picked up a flush draw and Yang made a pair on a board of {10-Diamonds}

. The

was a great card for Duke, giving her an up-and-down straight draw to go with her flush draw, but she couldn't connect and Yang doubled up when the {4-Hearts}

hit the river.

03-07-2010 09:48 UTC-12

Doyle Brunson Eliminated ($75,000)

[user75032]

If Dennis Phillips was awed earlier to be playing Doyle Brunson heads-up for $50,000, he may very well be over the moon now. With the chip lead, Phillips called Brunson's all in on a flop of {K-Diamonds}

. Brunson showed bottom pair and a flush draw, {9-Diamonds}

. Phillips had top pair, top kicker, {A-Clubs}

. The hand amounted to nearly a coin flip.

With most of the crowd shouting for a diamond, the dealer burned and turned the {j-Clubs}

and the

. Neither card improved Brunson's hand. He has been eliminated from the tournament, propelling Dennis Phillips into the semi-finals.

In their post-match interview, Leann Tweeden asked Phillips if he'd been reading Super/System.

Tags: Dennis Phillips Doyle Brunson

03-07-2010 09:43 UTC-12

Doyle Redoubles

[user108095]

The see-saw just tilted back in Doyle's favor.

Brunson moved all in with {A-Hearts}

preflop and got called by Phillips who held {a-Diamonds}

. Brunson got the best of the flop, which came {k-Clubs}

and picked up a flush draw with the {2-Hearts}

on the turn. He made the nuts with the {k-Hearts}

on the river and is back in the match.

03-07-2010 09:41 UTC-12

Phillips' Takes a Turn with the Double-Up Stick

[user75032]

Doyle Brunson, with the chip lead on Dennis Phillips, applied pressure. He moved in on a flop of {3-Hearts}

. Phillips flopped top pair with {Q-Hearts}

and quickly called.

Brunson turned over middle pair, {7-Hearts}

. The turn {3-Diamonds}

took away almost all of his outs, improving Phillips to queens and threes. The river {A-Spades}

took away the rest.

Phillips now has a big chip lead. Someone in the front row apologized to Phillips for the fact that everyone in the gallery appears to be rooting for Brunson.

"If I wasn't in here I'd be rooting for him," replied Phillips with a grin.

Tags: Dennis Phillips Doyle Brunson

03-07-2010 09:28 UTC-12

Duke, Brunson Battling Back

[user75032]

It looks like Annie Duke is now the chip leader in the match at the back table. She took down a nice pot on the flop, raising all in after Jerry Yang bet 30,000. Yang thought for thirty seconds before folding. He's down about 2-to-1.

On the front table, Doyle Brunson looks to have taken a small lead on Dennis Phillips.

03-07-2010 09:23 UTC-12