Annie Duke Captures National Heads-Up Poker Championship

Annie Duke is one of the most celebrated poker players in the world, and this past weekend she showed everyone why she is also one of the best. Duke won the National Heads-Up Championship, beating out sixty-three other players.

NBC's National heads-Up Championship is the equivalent to the NCAA college basketball tournament. Sixty-four players enter, all with the idea of being the only one left standing at the end of the weekend.

Last year, Huck seed emerged from the pack to become the champion. Seed defeated fellow pro Vanessa Rousso to win the title. This year, Duke went heads-up with her good friend, Eric Seidel, and came out on top.

"I really described (facing Seidel) as storybook," said Duke, as reported by ESPN, "We've known each other for so long and we're so good friends. If he won, I was going to be as happy as if I won, and I'm serious about that."

Seidel made his first strong run through the event in years. The previous five times, Seidel was eliminated in the first round. This time, however, it would be different for a pro that many of his peers believe is one of the top ten players in the game.

The heads-up event will be broadcast on NBC and telecasts will begin on April 18th. Phil Hellmuth, always a character at these tournaments, was knocked out in the second round by Annette Obrestad.

March 8, 2010
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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