NATIONAL HEADS-UP POKER CHAMPIONSHIP DOWN TO 8

Big time NBC Sports television is in town for their annual sojourn into big time tournament poker as a spectator sport. The strong field of player’s is the result of a well crafted invite list. Remember, participation in the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship is by invitation only, ensuring a cast of players top heavy with talent.

The list of remaining players, Sunday match-ups and Flipchip photos from Saturday’s action after the jump.

Saturday’s action reduced the field to 8 players after two rounds of play. Defending champion Ted Forrest is gone, WSOP Champions are gone, heavyweighs Cloutier, Seed, Greenstein, Hachem, Cunningham and Chan…gone, 56 of the World’s best poker players are gone.

The eight survivors? Shannon Elizabeth, Humberto Brenes, Paul Wasicka, Nam Le, Andy Bloch, Gavin Smith, Kristy Gazes and Chad Brown. The field is tough with the WSOP $50K HORSE second place finisher, Andy Bloch, and player of the year, Gavin Smith. They play heads-up in Sunday’s first round. Shannon Elizabeth and Kristy Gazes make up 25% of the remaining field, a good showing considering women made up less than 15% of the starting field.

I’m sorry Mike Matusow didn’t make it into the finals. He’s a good television drawing card that definitely adds to TV rating numbers. Whether viewers love or hate him they tune in to see what the Mouth says next. How about an all woman final heads-up table? That would be the making of some rare poker history and would go a long way to dispelling the notion that woman can’t win the big ones.

The following pairings of the 8 survivors continue the eliminations on Sunday until one remains to claim the 2007 National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

Shannon Elizabeth vs. Humberto Brenes

Paul Wasicka vs. Nam Le

Andy Bloch vs. Gavin Smith

Kristy Gazes vs. Chad Brown

Congratulations to the 8 players with chips and chairs.