Duke Joins an Elite List of Champions and Becomes the First Woman NBC Heads-Up Champion

Annie Duke has added her name to an elite list of champions today by winning the 2010 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. The final day of action (at the three-day event) began when the elite eight returned starting at 11 a.m. this morning. After two rounds of poker just Duke and Erik Seidel were the only two players left standing in the event.

Seidel’s path to the final included victories over defending champion Huck Seed (round 1), David Williams (round 2), Chris Moneymaker (sweet 16), Peter Eastgate (elite eight), and Scotty Nguyen (final four). His run to the final came as a bit of a shock. Not because Seidel lacks poker talent, but because his previous record in five years at the NBCHeads-Up event was 0-5.

Duke’s path to the final included victories over Andy Bloch (round 1), Darvin Moon (round 2), 2007 NBC Heads-Up champion Paul Wasicka (sweet 16 — the most exciting single match in the tournament), Jerry Yang (elite eight), and Dennis Phillips (final four). Duke’s NBC Heads-Upresumes was weak heading into this year as well. She had fared slightly better than Seidel in her five previous appearances, winning one match for a 1-5 record with no cashes.

The battle between the two friends began with Duke scoring a victory to take a one-game lead in the best-of-three championship final. Seidel won the next game to even the score and ensure that the battle for first place would go the distance. Duke was all in for her tournament life at one point in the final game but she doubled up to take a large chip lead with a pair of queens. Seidel moved all in shortly thereafter but Duke was waiting for him with pocket nines in the hole, which improved to make a straight and give her a 2-1 victory in the final.

Seidel was eliminated in second place and he took home $250,000. He improved his overallNBC Heads-Up record to 5-6 and grew his career earnings to more than $10 million. Duke added another landmark victory to her storied career and won $500,000 as the first woman NBCNational Heads-Up Poker champion. She now holds $2,247,824 in career earnings and adds this marquee win to her other top achievements, which include a World Series of Poker bracelet win in 2004 and her victory in the inaugural WSOP Tournament of Champions, which also occurred in 2004. She also improved her overall NBC Heads-Up record to 7-5. Read on below to see how all of the major hands played out on the final day of play at Caesars Palace.

Final Results:

1: Annie Duke — $500,000
2: Erik Seidel — $250,000
3: Scotty Nguyen — $125,000
3: Dennis Phillips — $125,000
5: Jerry Yang — $75,000
5: Doyle Brunson — $75,000
5: Jason Mercier — $75,000
5: Peter Eastgate — $75,000
9: Paul Wasicka — $25,000
9: Eli Elezra — $25,000
9: Annette Obrestad — $25,000
9: Barry Greenstein — $25,000
9: Gabe Kaplan — $25,000
9: Phil Laak — $25,000
9: Chris Moneymaker — $25,000
9: Jamie Gold — $25,000

NBC National Heads-Up Poker Champions:

2010: Annie Duke
2009: Huck Seed
2008: Chris Ferguson
2007: Paul Wasicka
2006: Ted Forrest
2005: Phil Hellmuth

Source: Cardplayer.com