NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship Competitors Released

It’s hard to believe that this will be the 6^th Heads-Up Poker Championship, and the once novel idea has turned into one of the most prestigious titles in all of poker. The invite-only format blends together a great mix of Poker Pros, up-and-comers, celebrities, and a few online qualifiers gives fans to root on their favorite players/celebrities or even the option of rooting for an underdog.

The tournament features a $1.5 million prize-pool -with $500,000 going to the winner– and will take place from March 5^th-7^th; the tournament is scheduled to air on Sundays, in 6 parts, in April and May.

The complete list of competitors and a quick profile can be found below:

Patrick Antonius - One of poker’s biggest stars, and best cash game players

Eric Baldwin — 2009 Card Player Magazine POY

Andy Bloch - Former member of the MIT blackjack team who made the switch to poker

Doyle Brunson - 10-time WSOP bracelet winner and poker’s living legend

Joe Cada - 2009 WSOP Main Event Champion

Johnny Chan - 10-time WSOP bracelet winner and back-to-back Main Event Champion

Don Cheadle - One of the creators of the Ante-Up-For-Africa charity tournaments

Allen Cunningham - Has won over $10 million in tournaments including 5 WSOP bracelets

Pieter De-Korver -Won the EPT Grand Final in 2009 worth $3 million

Annie Duke - Considered one of the best female poker players

Tom Dwan - One of poker’s most aggressive young players and one of online poker’s biggest winners

Peter Eastgate - 2008 WSOP Champion

Eli Elezra - Plays in the biggest cash games in Vegas

Antonio Esfandiari - The Magician is one of the most well rounded poker players; excelling in tournaments and cash games

Sam Farha - A PLO specialist who became a household name when he finished runner-up to Chris Moneymaker in the 2003 WSOP

Chris Ferguson - 5 WSOP bracelets, and a runner-up finish in the 2005 Heads-Up Championship

Ted Forrest - Considered to be one of the best poker players of all-time

Jamie Gold - 2006 WSOP Main Event Champion

Phil Gordon - Hosted Celebrity Poker on Bravo

Barry Greenstein - Competes in the biggest cash games in the world and is best known for donating his tournament winnings to charity

Bertrand Grospellier - One of the tournament scenes rising stars

Joe Hachem - 2005 WSOP Main Event Champion

Gus Hansen - The “Great Dane” is one of the most feared players in poker

Jennifer Harman - Considered one of the best poker players, male or female, in the world

Phil Hellmuth - 11-time WSOP bracelet winner and self-titled “Poker Brat”

Orel Hershiser - All-Star Pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers

Jesper Hougaard -The Danish pro has two WSOP bracelets

Phil Ivey - The best poker on the planet, #1 on the all-time money list

John Juanda - One of the most consistent poker players on the tournament trail

Gabe Kaplan - Of Welcome Back Kotter fame, has been a lifelong poker player, and co-hosts High Stakes Poker

John Paul Kelly -An English pro with a WSOP and WSOPE bracelet

Phil Laak - The “Una Bomber” is a fan favorite for his skills as well as his quirky behavior

Howard Lederer - One of the top tournament players

Erick Lindgren - Another solid pro with great results in tournaments and cash games

Mike Matusow - “The Mouth” has legions of fans after his brash behavior and deep runs in recent WSOP’s

Jason Mercier - One of the top tournament pros

Dario Minieri - The hyper-aggressive Italian poker pro

Chris Moneymaker - The 2003 WSOP Main Event Champion

Darvin Moon - 2009 WSOP runner-up

Greg Mueller - Former NHL player who won two bracelets at the 2009 WSOP

Daniel Negreanu - One of the most popular Poker Pros, and #2 on the all-time money list

Scotty Nguyen - His 5 WSOP bracelets are only upstaged by his table talk “Baby”

Annette Obrestad - One of the rising stars on the poker scene, already with great success around the globe, Annette can finally play in the US tournaments after turning 21

Brock Parker - Another multiple bracelet winner from the 2009 WSOP

Dennis Phillips - The 2008 WSOP final table competitor has really worked on his game, and has become a very solid player

Greg Raymer - The 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion and spokesman for the PPA

Vanessa Rousso - The Go Daddy Girl is also one of the best tournament players in poker

Kara Scott - Co-host of High Stakes Poker and a formidable player in her own right

Huck Seed –Last year’s champion, Huck excels in the Heads-Up format

Erik Seidel - 8 WSOP bracelets

Mike Sexton - MR. Poker, Sexton hosts the WPT, is a spokesman for Party Poker and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame last year

Gavin Smith - The poker pro is best known for his prop bets

Jennifer Tilly - The actress turned poker player won a WSOP bracelet in the Ladies-only tournament

Paul Wasicka - The 2006 WSOP runner-up recently won a WSOP Circuit Event

David Williams - The 2004 WSOP runner-up

Leo Wolpert -Wolpert won the 2009 WSOP Heads-Up tournament

Jerry Yang - 2007 WSOP Main Event Champion

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