15 Surefire Ways to Play in the Next NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship

The selection committee for NBC’s National Heads-Up Poker Championship, hosted by Leeann Tweeden (at right), has just announced a list of automatic ways to get invited to upcoming Heads-Up Championships. Or put another way, the Top 15 Reasons Your Chances of Getting Invited to Upcoming Heads-Up Championships are Slim to None. Except for maybe the ALL In magazine Player of the Year one. That seems like it may be easy to win.

Here are the 15 ways to earn an auto-invite (full press release after the jump):

- Previous 5 National Heads-Up Poker Champions
- Previous 2 National Heads-Up runners-up
- Defending National Heads-Up semifinalists
- Any player who cashes in the past 4 consecutive years of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship
- Previous 3 World Series of Poker Main Event Champions
- Defending World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up
- Beginning with the 2008 WSOP, multiple bracelet winners in the same year will receive an automatic invitation to the next Heads-Up Championship
- Defending World Series of Poker Player of the Year
- Defending World Series of Poker Heads-Up Champion
- Defending World Series of Poker Europe Main Event Champion (must be 21 or older)
- Reigning World Poker Tour Player of the Year
- Reigning Monte Carlo European Poker Tour Grand Final Champion (must be 21 or older)
- Reigning Card Player magazine Player of the Year
- Reigning Bluff magazine Player of the Year
- Reigning ALL IN magazine Player of the Year

Not Nude Photos of Shannon Elizabeth Before Dancing With the Stars Fame

With the premiere of the new season of Dancing With the Stars set for March 17, we're now less than two weeks away from Dancing With the Stars' Shannon Elizabeth being really famous again and for something other than her role as the top dropper Nadia in American Pie or as a poker playing C-leb.

And as we mentioned before, the good news here is that a Stacey Kiebler-esque Stuff magazine photo spread can't be too far away for Shannon Elizabeth. And perhaps FHM too. Or even better FHM in some Eastern European country. Like FHM Belarus, if they have that. We're sure they do way more tasteful stuff. Or whatabout a new Shannon Elizabeth Playboy spread. It's been almost 9 years since her last one. Or Shannon Elizabeth nude for PETA. Like Joanna Krupa did. Shannon seemed opened to that idea the other day.

Ok, Torkel, our Norwegian SEO specialist, says we're good on Shannon Elizabeth keywords so we can get to the photos above and below of Shannon Elizabeth pulling off the sexy cute look like a champ at the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship last weekend. For the accompanying video, be sure to check out Denise Pernula's red carpet interview with Shannon Elizabeth at Pure in Las Vegas here.

And if by chance you were ever curious about what Shannon looks like deep throating a banana, you're a real sick perv . . . a real sick perv who can watch a video of her deep throating a banana after the jump . . .

Chris "Jesus" Ferguson Wins NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship

Phil Ivey got the monkey off his back earlier this week by winning his first WPT title in eight final table tries.

Today, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson did kind of the same thing.

After finishing second in the first two National Heads-Up Poker Championships, Ferguson broke through to win this year's event, defeating Andy Bloch for the title.

Ferguson lost the first match in the best-of-three series against Bloch. But as indicated in the headline and previous three paragraphs, managed to come from behind, winning the next two matches to take the title.

For the win, Ferguson banks $500,000.

Now we're no math majors, but by finishing 2-2-x-1 in four National Heads-Up Championship events, we're willing to say that Ferguson may be the best no-limit heads-up player in the world.

Huck Seed Does Not Win Heads-Up Poker Championship (Again); Orel Hershiser Strikes Out Too

First, we'll get this out of the way: the Entities who comprise Wicked Chops Poker will continue picking Huck Seed to win major events until Huck Seed wins a major event.

With that said, Huck Seed did not win the 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

Huck was eliminated in the semi-finals by Andy Bloch. The two battled closely for awhile. Bloch seized a slight lead and when got their money in pre-flop. Huck held 9-9. Bloch A-Q. An ace hit on the river and Bloch advanced to the finals.

In the other semi-final match, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson defeated Phil Ivey. This makes Ferguson's third Heads-Up Poker Championship final table.

Earlier in the day, Orel Hershiser was taken out by the aforementioned Bloch.

Finals are going on right now...check back shortly for results. 

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship: Orel Hershiser Fans Two More, Advances to Quarters Along with Phil Ivey and Our Pick to Win, Huck Seed; Dancing with the Stars' Shannon Elizabeth Still Eliminated

Looks like Gavin Smith is one helluva poker instructor.

Two nights before the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship began, Gavin Smith held a heads-up poker clinic for Orel Hershiser. While the ex-Dodger Cy Young Award winner had some general poker ring game background, he wasn't as skilled in heads-up play.

Apparently Orel is a fast learner.

After impressive wins today against Allen Cunningham and half-man, half-amazing Freddy Deeb, Hershiser finds himself as this year's Dancing with the Stars' Shannon Elizabeth: that is, the unlikely quarter-finalist.

Hershiser will face Andy Bloch for a spot in the semis.

Phil Ivey continues his strong run of late. After capturing the WPT LAPC just a few days ago, Ivey now faces Gus Hansen in the day's most anticipated match.

The two other quarter-final match-ups are Jonathan Little vs. two-time National Heads-Up runner-up Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. And our pick to win yet again, Huck Seed, who takes on David Benyamine.

Orel Hershiser learns heads-up poker from Gavin Smith video

Full NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship bracket results

Orel Hershiser NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship red carpet video

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship Done: Wasicka, Forrest, Hellmuth, Dancing with the Stars' Shannon Elizabeth Do Not Advance

It was a bad opening day for previous NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship champs.

2005 winner Phil Hellmuth (above) took a devastating beat on hand number three against online pro Tom "durrr" Dwan. Hellmuth, holding pocket aces, called a re-raise all in by Dwan, who held tens. A ten hit on the turn, sending Hellmuth to the rail.

2006 winner Ted Forrest was gunned down by Orel Hershiser. The former Dodgers pitcher had just received heads-up lessons from Gavin Smith and Bill Edler the night before (footage of this will be up on RawVegas.tv on Sunday). Guess it worked.

Last year's champ Paul Wasicka was taken down by half-man, half-amazing Freddy Deeb.

And Dancing with the Stars' Shannon Elizabeth lost to Andy Bloch. So it's back to Dancing with the Stars for Shannon Elizabeth.

Phil Ivey, fresh of his WPT LAPC win, advanced to the second round, where he'll face Johnny Chan (who confirmed to us that he does not have a handicap sticker on his car).

Other compelling Round of 32 match-ups include: Gavin Smith vs. Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Scotty Nguyen vs. Gus Hansen, Jerry Yang vs. Phil Laak, Scott Fischman vs. Jamie Gold, Erick Lindgren vs. Doyle Brunson, and our pick to win it yet again, Huck Seed vs. Brian Townsend.

2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championship: Joe Hachem Confirms He's Not Adnan Ghalib

What the hell, maybe a few more.

In this one, "Salty" Joe Hachem does in fact confirm that he's not only NOT Adnan Ghalib, but he's not even related. Whatevs.

Joe Hachem NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship video

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship: Dancing with the Stars' Shannon Elizabeth Would Consider Getting Nude for PETA

In the final video that we're actually posting (watch all 29 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship red carpet interviews here), we have WCP fave Shannon Elizabeth, who you may or may not know is on this season's Dancing with the Stars.

Shannon Elizabeth (who is on Dancing with the Stars this season) talks about possibly getting nude for PETA and how she hopes to just get past Round 1 this year.

Which, unfortunately for her, won't happen as she's already lost to Andy Bloch.

Shannon Elizabeth NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship video

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship: Jennifer Tilly Best Looking 50 Year-Old in U.S. America?

While this video doesn't totally do her justice, trust us, in person, Jennifer Tilly is perhaps the best looking 50 year-old in U.S. America. This is not to be confused, of course, with the best looking cougar in U.S. America.

But whatever fountain of youth potion she's drinking, she needs to bottle it up and sell it to the world. That way guys won't have to divorce their wives when they get older and less attractive. And we all know how divorce can impact the kids. So do it for the children, Jennifer.

Jennifer Tilly NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship video

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship: Jerry Yang Alive, Too Damn Nice

We've had it. 2007 WSOP Main Event champ Jerry Yang is too damn nice. He's like a less creepy version of David Archuleta.

Jerry Yang NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship video

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship Red Carpet: Erick Lindgren Doesn't C*ck-Block Don Cheadle This Year

In probably the best poker player interview of the night, we now present Erick Lindgren. Asked who he'd like to draw first, E-Dog said:

"Gavin Smith cause he'd probably still be drunk from the night before."

Good stuff.

Erick Lindgren NBC National Heads-Up Poker video

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship Red Carpet: Jason Alexander is a Good Interview

As George Constanza, Jason Alexander played one of the greatest roles in TV history.

As Jason Alexander, Jason Alexander consistently gives really funny, entertaining interviews.

At NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship red carpet at PURE Nightclub in Las Vegas, Alexander reveals that Teri Hatcher is an under-rated celeb poker player.

And when told that Jamie Gold said that he considers Alexander to be one of the better celeb players, he responded that it's probably because the 2006 WSOP Main Event champ just wants to play him because:

"You know that every agent wants to screw the actor."

Jason Alexander NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship video

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship: Don Cheadle Didn't Like The 'Ice Tray' Question

Now we freaking love Don Cheadle. Seriously one of our favorite actors, which we've noted numerous times. And included in our favorite roles was his turn as Ice Tray on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (one of the best and only good episodes of the show). So we hope that he doesn't think we were mocking him when Denise Pernula asked him about that role on the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship red carpet at PURE Nightclub in Las Vegas last night. Cause we'd never front Cheadle.

Don Cheadle NBC National Heads-Up Poker video

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship Red Carpet: Annie Duke on Britney Spears

In the first of many, many, many posts from last night's NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship red carpet at PURE Nightclub in Las Vegas, we have Annie Duke discussing what it's like to run by Britney Spears' paparazzi swarmed estate while training for her marathon.

Annie Duke NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship video

2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship Draw Party Tonight; Dancing with the Stars' Shannon Elizabeth Among Those Expected to Attend

Amid all of the WPT LAPC, Johnny Chan, and Sklansky/Hawbaker dramabomb news today, let's not forget that the 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship red carpet and draw party is happening tonight at PURE Nightclub in Las Vegas.

And RawVegas.tv and Wicked Chops Poker will be there covering the goings on.

Expected on the red carpet are many of the big name celebs playing in this year's event, including Jason Alexander, Don Cheadle, and last year's top 4 finisher, Dancing with the Stars' Shannon Elizabeth.

Not on the red carpet tonight, Phil Hellmuth and Phil Ivey.

Check back on WCP and RawVegas.tv tomorrow for video and pics of the event.

Read about last year's NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship Red Carpet

Dancing With the Stars Shannon Elizabeth is Officially Famous Again, Talks on the Phone

Poker playing actress Shannon Elizabeth is not here at the WPT LA Poker Classic this week but she is officially back in the mainstream spotlight thanks to being tapped as this season's hot girl on Dancing With the Stars, which, as we mentioned before, is great for our site's SEO. It's also good for our photo-induced libidos once her sure-to-come Stuff, Maxim and/or FHM photos spreads are out.

Just a few weeks ago, Shannon was as far removed from the major media spotlight as that chick from Boy Meets World who turned Lance Bass gay. Now the paparazzi is following the American Pie top-dropper's every move, like she's Britney or Lindsay or something, except walking around in jeans while talking on the phone and not panties-less getting out of a car or banging random Italian dudes.

The most recent photos of Shannon Elizabeth, which you can see below, are pretty lame and nowhere near as great as seeing a photo of Barack Obama looking all terrorist-y but they're a start. Expect to see even more photos this weekend when she is in Las Vegas for the NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship, which Wicked Chops Poker will be at covering, or whatever you call what we do.

After the jump, photos of Shannon Elizabeth rehearsing for Dancing with the Stars with some 12-year-old boy . . .

Shannon Elizabeth on Dancing with the Stars Will Do Wonders for Our SEO

As we reported earlier this week, Shannon Elizabeth will be on this season's Dancing with the Stars, which, if she makes a deep run, will do wonders for her career, make her extremely relevant again, and probably keep her from lesser fair, like the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, which she was a semi-finalist in last year.

The ancillary benefits to Shannon Elizabeth on Dancing With The Stars are that Shannon Elizabeth (Dancing with the Stars, 2008) will get in super-hot shape again, as well as do wonders for our SEO.

Let's say that being on Dancing with the Stars turn Shannon Elizabeth's body into something like Stacey Keibler hot (it definitely has the potential). Shit, even if it does to her body what it did to Marie Osmond, who suddenly turned MILFY, these are all great things. No complaints here.

And lucky for us all, it appears as if the beautification is already happening.

Dance on, Shannon.

Read more about Shannon Elizabeth on Dancing with the Stars

Read more about Shannon Elizabeth (who is on Dancing with the Stars, btw) on WCP

Read our favorite Shannon Elizabeth (Dancing with the Stars constestant) post

NBC Heads-Up News: Leeann Tweeden Replaces Shana Hiatt Who is Pregnant

NBC confirmed in a press release today that model/TV personality Leeann Tweeden (at right) will be the new sideline reporter for this year's National Heads-Up Poker Championship, scheduled for February 28 - March 2 at Caesars Palace. WCP fave Shana Hiatt, who is pregnant, has handled the reporting duties the past three years last year.

NBC Heads-Up will be the second televised poker tournament Tweeden has hosted, with her first being the Poker Dome Challenge.

Heading to the tables for the 4th annual National Heads-Up Poker Championship are defending champions Paul Wasicka (2007), Ted Forrest (2006) and Phil Hellmuth (2005). Others include Chad Brown, Johnny Chan, Jamie Gold, Joe Hachem, Gus Hansen, Phil Laak, Howard Lederer, Daniel Negreanu, Greg Raymer, Gavin Smith and 2007 WSOP Champion Jerry Yang, among many others.

Celebrities include Jason Alexander, Don "F-ing" Cheadle, Orel Hershiser, Jennifer Tilly and Shannon Elizabeth.

For a complete list of players, click here.

The tournament will be aired on NBC over seven consecutive Sundays in April and May, beginning on April 13. Brackets will be set during the tournament’s draw party held at PURE Nightclub Thursday, Feb. 28th.

A Shana Hiatt fixing below . . .

Shana Hiatt is Still Sexy Cute
Shana Hiat in Stuff
WPT Screws Shana Hiatt From Going to NBC's Heads-Up Poker Championship
Why Hiatt Left WPT and Other Things Steve Lipscomb Doesn't Want You to Know

Orel Hershiser?

NBC announced its line-up of confirmed players for the 2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championship yesterday, and among the 60 listed are your usual suspects (Doyle, Hellmuth, Chan, Forrest, Greenstein, Ivey, Deeb, Negreanu, Farha et al), guys who won the WSOP Main Event who are not named Doyle, Hellmuth or Chan (Raymer, Hachem, Gold and Yang), the guys who runner up'd to a few of the guys just listed (Wasicka and Williams), players who haven't really done much at the table since Bush's first administration but apparently make for good TV to some people somewhere (Laak, Bellande, Esfandiari), a bunch of players who are better than almost all the other players (JC Tran, Clements, Edler, David Pham), some women poker players who are nowhere near as good as Annette Obrestad, a woman (Elizabeth, Tilly, Gowen, Rousso, Duke), the kid you don't know who won the 2007 WSOP Heads-Up event (Daniel Schreiber), a few who've made their names online (durr and sbrugby), an actor who makes us laugh (Brad Garrett), an actor who once made us laugh (Jason Alexander), an Oscar-nominated actor who is so frickin' cool you have to say "Fuckin" between his first and last name whenever you say his name (Don 'Fuckin' Cheadle) and one legendary Dodgers pitcher who we had no idea played poker (Orel Hershiser).

Yeh, Orel Hershiser. Apparently the former baseball tosser and current ESPN analyst kills it at the 1-2 table at Red Rock.

When the National Heads-Up Poker Championship gets underway February 29 - March 2 at Caesars in Las Vegas, a total of 64 players will battle it out in a bracket-style single elimination tournament with the winner walking away with $500,000. Each of the invited players will buy-in for $20,000 and two players will be chosen via satellites, one at Caesars on Feb. 17 and one online at Full Tilt.

After the jump a complete list of the players confirmed and a photo of a frog on a motorcycle.