2010 NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship

$20,000 Heads-up Championship
Day: 2
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

Getting Set

The last flight of the night is getting ready to start, with players gathering for a group photo before moving to their respective tables.

Up front, we'll see Doyle Brunson take on Annette Obrestad on the feature table. Behind them, Dennis Phillips will face Eli Elezra, Jerry Yang will take on Barry Greenstein, and Annie Duke and Paul Wasicka will face off at the secondary feature table.

Cards should be in the air in just a few minutes.

An Eerie Quiet

This group of matches seems to be the quietest of the day so far. There hasn't been much excitement yet, and even MOC Jorden Siegel is noticeably absent.

During the group photo, Dennis Phillips joked with Annie Duke that all of the tall players were eliminated. "Everyone over 6'2 is out of the tournament," he beamed.

Duke corrected him that Erik Seidel has made it through to the Elite Eight. When Doyle Brunson joined them on set a few moments later, he remarked how tall he now feels.

Cruising Along

Blinds at most tables are now up to 1,000 and 2,000. That reduces the starting stack of 80,000 chips for this round to 40 big blinds. That's not short but it should start to stimulate a bit more play than we've seen in the first 30 minutes.

"The trash talking is running rampant at each table," joked MOC Jordan Siegel, noting an absolute dearth of any table talk.

Doyle Doubles Up

The Godfather of Poker
The Godfather of Poker
Our first all in and call of this session just took place on the feature table when Doyle Brunson moved in against Annette Obrestad on a board of {7-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{J-Clubs}.

Annette showed {6-Spades}{4-Clubs} for an up-and-down straight draw against Doyle's two pair with {J-Diamonds}{5-Hearts}. The turn brought the {K-Diamonds} and Doyle found the {J-Hearts} on the river to make the full house.

He now has a commanding chip lead in the match.

Barry Greenstein Eliminated ($25,000)

Barry Greenstein - eliminated
Barry Greenstein - eliminated
Well it seems that 2007 WSOP Main Event champion was able to successfully wear down Barry Greenstein. Greenstein moved in as a short stack several times without being called by Yang. Finally, with 17,400, he moved in again and this time Yang called.

Yang had the lead in the match and also tabled the best hand. His {A-Spades} {Q-Spades} was in the lead against Greenstein's {10-Clubs} {9-Spades}. The flop came with two matching queens for Yang, {Q-Diamonds} {Q-Clubs} {K-Spades}. He seemed to shake his head slightly "no", as if he couldn't believe his good fortune.

But Greenstein still had outs to a straight. He missed them with blanks {5-Hearts} and {9-Clubs} on the river. He'll earn $25,000 for his finish, while Yang will be back tomorrow.

Annette Obrestad Eliminated ($25,000)

Youth was no match for experience
Youth was no match for experience
After getting short-stacked against Doyle Brunson, Annette Obrestad moved all in preflop with {Q-Hearts}{5-Hearts}. Brunson made the call with {a-Hearts}{8-Clubs} and immediately out-flopped the young Norwegian on a board of {5-Spades}{7-Hearts}{8-Diamonds}.

Obrestad couldn't catch up when the board finished {7-Diamonds}{A-Spades} and left with $25,000 while Brunson moves on to the Elite 8.

Wasicka Doubles Up

With blinds at both of the remaining tables now up to 2,000 and 4,000, the action is picking up. Paul Wasicka was all in pre-flop as the short stack against Annie Duke. Wasicka was also behind in the hand, tabling {A-Clubs} {10-Hearts} against Duke's {J-Clubs} {J-Spades}.

Wasicka has a large contingent of family supporting him from the rail, and they were thrilled to see an ace flop, {A-Diamonds} {8-Clubs} {7-Hearts}. That ace proved decisive after a turn of {7-Spades} and a river of {2-Hearts}. Wasicka doubled up, allowing his match with Duke to continue.

Duke could only offer a tight-lipped smile after the hand.

Tags: Annie DukePaul Wasicka

Eli Elezra Eliminated ($25,000)

Eli Elezra - eliminated
Eli Elezra - eliminated
Dennis Phillips was grinding and grinding and managed to build a 136,000 to 24,000 chip lead over Eli Elezra. Elezra finally moved all in pre-flop with {K-Diamonds} {Q-Clubs}. Phillips called with the best hand, {A-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds}.

Nobody hit the flop, {2-Spades} {8-Clubs} {2-Clubs}. But since things never seem to come easy in poker, the turn was of course a third club, the {7-Clubs}, to give Elezra a flush draw to go along with his king and queen outs. With the crowd leaning forward in anticipation, the river fell {10-Hearts} to end Elezra's tournament run.

Phillips will return tomorrow as part of the Elight Eight. With his elimination, Annie Duke and Paul Wasicka (again!) are the last remaining mathc.

Duke Doubles Up

Annie Duke keeps on fighting
Annie Duke keeps on fighting
Annie Duke moved her short stack into the middle with {6-Clubs}{4-Clubs} and put herself at risk against Paul Wasicka's {Q-Diamonds}{10-Clubs}.

The flop was good for Duke though, coming {5-Hearts}{4-Spades}{3-Hearts}, giving her a pair and straight draw. The {K-Spades} and {9-Hearts} were no more help, but Duke's small pair was enough to keep her in the match.