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.
In the second match, Chris bounced back in grand style when his quad queens took the match and evened it up at one match a piece. One match to take it all only seemed like a fitting end to what was a great tournament to witness.
After a weekend of great matches, a remarkable run by Orel Hershiser and some great poker, Chris Ferguson’s date with history would literally end up riding on a coin flip. Chris raised preflop with pocket jacks and was just called by Andy Bloch with Ts 4s. The flop came 10c 7s 3s, Andy checked and Chris bet $35,000. Bloch then check-raised his top pair and flush draw to $105,000 in which Chris called.
The turn was the 7h and Andy bet $150,000. Chris then went all-in over the top and had Andy covered. Bloch then went into think mode and for over 5 minutes debated with himself about what to do. Then Andy literally took out a coin and flipped for it. Interestingly enough this was the exact way Chris Ferguson decided his fate on the recent Poker After Dark Champions Week. That flip ended up well for Chris as he called Jamie Gold’s bluff and won the pot.
This flip would also turn out well for Ferguson as it came up heads and Andy called. The river brought the 7s and with raised arms, Chris Ferguson wins the 2008 National Heads Up Challenge…finally and with it, $500,000 and a seat to the 2008 World Series of Poker. Andy Bloch played a great tournament and received $250,000 for his efforts.
After a great weekend of play, Jon Miller, Executive VP of NBC Sports said, “This has truly been the best year ever for the National Heads-Up Poker Championship. The players were better than ever, Orel Hershiser provided a great deal of excitement and buzz, we had a superb final four players and a genuinely exciting finale.â€Â
We couldn’t agree more.
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