PGA Golf

NBC Heads Up Poker Championship Crowns Chris Ferguson Winner

Since the inaugural event four years ago, the NBC National Heads-Up Championship has grown into a much sought after title to hold. This year’s event saw 64 of the best poker had to offer battle it out in the exiting bracket format and ended on a high note for Chris Ferguson, known to must as “Jesus” who finally broke through from runner up three out of the past four years to champion.

Chris Ferguson had to go through not only high quality poker players through out the event but in the final four he had to face his friends and current Full Tilt teammates. In the first semi final Chris had to take on Phil Ivey fresh off his win at the LA Poker Classic. Ivey has obviously been playing some great poker of late but found himself all in with a lower pair versus Ferguson. Despite having the possibility of hitting a straight, Phil could not improve and got $125,000 for his heads up effort. Though a far cry from the $1.6 million win last week, Phil Ivey put together impressive back to back tournament cashes.

The second semi final featured Andy Bloch who was making only his second National Heads Up Poker Championship and Huck Seed who was making his second final four appearance. In 2007, Andy made it as far as the quarter finals. Andy won a race with A Q versus Seeds pocket nines which gave Bloch the seat in the final and sent Huck Seed home with $125,000.

The final was set; it would feature Chris Ferguson who holds a Ph.D. in computer science from UCLA battling it out with Andy Bloch who was a part of the MIT Blackjack Team. For each the win would mean $500,000 but to Ferguson it meant a lot more due to the fact he had been here so many times before just to come up short.

In the first match it was all Chris Ferguson, dominating and looking strong, he amassed a big chip lead. Andy though was not going down easy and he doubled up when his flush beat out the set of Ferguson and then made the comeback complete when he flopped a set to take down match one.

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